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Ethics and MLS

By
Home Stager with Broker/Short Sale & Staging Specialist

school    Yesterday I took my Ethics class  in the morning and then our Greater Lakes MLS  Association rules in the afternoon. While most were common sense and The Golden Rule there of course were things that had not occurred to me as I had never encountered them.  One was that directions be given from a neutral site or landmark and not your office. In doing my last Comparative Market Analysis I noticed several properties in our MLS system that gave directions from THE OFFICE. No advertising allowed on the MLS. Another was that no Real Estate signs be shown in the photos or in virtual tours.  Ooops have seen those as well.  No people, no pets- ooooops again.

    If those were your listings then here is the Heads up to fix then .  There is an automatic fine for some of these infringements. You may want to re- read your rules to be sure you are in compliance or better yet - take a class. School is cool!!!!

                                                                                                                                                   photo by Aunt Owwee

 

 

 

 

 

 

          

 

 

Comments (16)
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William J. Archambault, Jr.
The Real Estate Investment Institute - Houston, TX

Kathleen,

I can understand no office and no sign, but no pets? How do they explain no pets? Do they really want to be surprised by a big dog or even a cat, you could be bitten or break out in hives! Then there are those ... who keep snakes.

How are pets an issue?

Do they make you go out and pull or cover your sign before showings?

Bill

Jan 22, 2009 02:21 PM
Kathleen Lordbock
Broker/Short Sale & Staging Specialist - Crosby, MN
Keller Williams Realty Professionals

William - Maybe they should change the rules and have MLS photos of all those things & even the people that are presently living in the home, including snakes.

These rules are for the photos posted on the mls site - so the signs can stay for showings.

Jan 22, 2009 02:40 PM
Denise Gray
Realty World Alliance - Wichita, KS
Realtor SRES, Wichita Kansas Homes

The pets have a way of sneaking into pictures.

Loading up pictures on the MLS and what is that just outside the sliding glass door glaring at me? The tiny dog.

Next listing taking exterior shots of the house, who's that smiling at me from behind a tree? Another tiny dog.

 

Jan 22, 2009 02:40 PM
Linda Lipscomb
Linda Lipscomb RE/MAX Lexington Henderson County TN - Lexington, TN
731-695-1118, Lexington TN Homes

Funny you should mention this....today was looking at a photo of a new listing...and in the front yard looked like their dog tied to a tree, but it was a pet pig.  Oh, well, he was kinda cute.

Here's to those surprising photos.....sometimes it's surprising what you see when you download.

Jan 22, 2009 02:48 PM
Kathleen Lordbock
Broker/Short Sale & Staging Specialist - Crosby, MN
Keller Williams Realty Professionals

Denise _ I see photos all the time with the agent  reflected in the mirror and even worse Grandpa asleep in the recliner.

Jan 22, 2009 02:57 PM
Kathleen Lordbock
Broker/Short Sale & Staging Specialist - Crosby, MN
Keller Williams Realty Professionals

Linda _ A pig??  Well ar least he was photographed outside and not sitting in the kitchen.

Jan 22, 2009 02:59 PM
Richard Weeks
Dallas, TX
REALTOR®, Broker

Kathleen,

I am always amazed how many agents either don't know the mls rules or do know them and don't care.

Jan 22, 2009 11:09 PM
Kathleen Lordbock
Broker/Short Sale & Staging Specialist - Crosby, MN
Keller Williams Realty Professionals

Richard - I checked out our area's recent MLS inclusions and there was violation after violation.The class may have to be a required more often and the rules enforced. I am going to suggest a mini-class for our Realty's agents . The infringements could be stopped right at the source or with a memo to those assistants sending the photos in to the system.

Jan 24, 2009 01:02 AM
Jenn Neumann Deer
RE/MAX Southern Shores - Surfside Beach, SC
Surfside Beach Real Estate

I have seen some crazy things in photos.  There was one which was kind of cute, but the dog appeared in almost every picture (our MLS allows ten).  He must love the camera.  We have an MLS committe in our association and they are supposed to send out notes about proper MLS photos/listing info but there are a lot of things that slip past them...even though it looks pretty obvious to me.

Jan 27, 2009 12:27 PM
Kathleen Lordbock
Broker/Short Sale & Staging Specialist - Crosby, MN
Keller Williams Realty Professionals

Jenn - Ours seem to let a lot of violations through as well  - we can put in 20 photos, but most do not take advantage of that plus.

Jan 27, 2009 12:32 PM
Walter Grewe III
Long and Foster Realtors - Roanoke, VA
Realtor, SFR, A-REO, Roanoke Homes and Real Estate

It is amazing how many people just don't care about the regulations. We had some many problems in the past our local Association started an escalating scale for fines.

Jan 27, 2009 01:12 PM
Kathleen Lordbock
Broker/Short Sale & Staging Specialist - Crosby, MN
Keller Williams Realty Professionals

Walter, It is sad that we need to be fined in order to comply.

Jan 28, 2009 04:29 PM
Kristina Leone
Lionheart Home Staging, LLC - Minneapolis, MN

Hi Kathleen!  How is the Realtor side of this business treating you?  I have been out of AR for a few months, so I will need to catch up on a few of your blogs.

Jan 29, 2009 06:34 AM
Kathleen Lordbock
Broker/Short Sale & Staging Specialist - Crosby, MN
Keller Williams Realty Professionals

Krisitina - I was counting on my first few months to be mostly education and adjustments.but just sent out a bid on 2 vacants and did a Comparative Market Analysis for a potential buyer.

Since I have 2 AR profiles it is really hard to keep up with (myself).

Jan 29, 2009 06:46 AM
Mary Douglas
United Country Ponderosa Realty, Red Feather Lakes, Colorado - Red Feather Lakes, CO
REALTOR, Red Feather Lakes, Colorado

Hi Kathleen, I need to revisit the rules about directions! Just to be sure we didn't miss something - - sometimes the directions are so convoluted, we ask that they stop by the office for directions and a map......Thanks for the very informative post!

Jan 29, 2009 08:33 AM
Kathleen Lordbock
Keller Williams Realty Professionals - Baxter, MN
Keller Williams Realty Professionals

Mary - Your rules may be different for your association's MLS group  - Ethics rules should be the same for all of us.

As long as you don't post directions from the office on MLS and give them from a local landmark (watertower- etc) or just give road directions (going south on 371out of town, take a left on 445 ..)
When they call you can meet at the office or where ever to tour. It is just what is publically posted on the MLS site (for our asoc anyway).

Jan 31, 2009 01:26 AM
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