If you are looking to Chat or File a Ticket with CRMLS Compliance or Support, it's moved.  Here is a quick video Tutorial on where to look.

Click here to see a quick video on where to look.  

 

 

Effective August 13:

1. Removal of Compensation Fields
   • From Matrix, Paragon, and Flexmls.
   • CRMLS Rules and Policy changes go into effect.
   • The concession field at Close will include a category list.

Key Points:

• Reason for Removal:

  • NAR settled the Sitzer/Burnett case regarding MLS commissions.
  • Compliance with the settlement requires MLS systems to remove all Compensation fields.

• Impact on Active Listings:

  • Compensation fields for Coming Soon, Active, Hold, and Withdrawn listings will be removed.

• Historical Listings:

  • Compensation fields for Active Under Contract, Pending, Closed, Expired, and Cancelled listings will remain but cannot be edited.

• C.A.R. Forms:

  • Release of updated forms postponed. Updates will be provided.

• Payment Methods Post-Removal:

  • Buyer's Broker compensation can be included in the buyer's offer.
  • Payment details can be included in the Escrow Instructions if using the C.A.R. Residential Purchase Agreement.

• CRMLS Rules & Policy Changes:

  • Rule 7.15: Renamed to No Offers of Compensation in the MLS.
  • Rule 7.19: Renamed to No Disclosure of Listing Broker Total Commission.
  • Rule 9.1: Renamed to Showings.
  • A signed Buyer Broker Agreement is required before showing a property.
  • View all changes here.

• Reporting Seller Concessions at Close:

  • New required fields: Closing Costs, Property Improvements, Financing Costs, Buyer Broker Fee, Other, and Total Calculated.

• Difference Between Concessions and Compensation:

  • Concessions allow buyers to choose how money is spent, supporting a consumer-centric model. Watch the Concessions vs. Compensation video for more information.

• Staying Updated:

  • Visit the CRMLS Resource Center frequently for updates and information.

 

As of May 29, all CRMLS Paragon and Matrix now feature optional "Concessions in Price" (CiP) fields. These fields help communicate the seller's willingness to offer concessions, providing sellers an edge and giving buyers a clearer idea of a property's total cost. Learn how to navigate the CiP fields in this guide and find them in your MLS system here:

Last year, nearly 40% of CRMLS closed listings included some form of concession, such as broker fee payments or repair costs. Previously, this information was only available after a listing closed. Now, active listings will display concession details, motivating sales and making it easier to find the perfect property.

For sellers, the new fields allow highlighting a willingness to offer concessions. For buyers, identifying listings with potential incentives helps overcome financial obstacles. The CiP fields benefit everyone.

New Concessions in Price (CiP) Fields:

• Concessions in Price: A text box for numerical input only, representing the total potential concessions.
• Concessions in Price Type: Classify the amount as either a dollar amount ($) or a percentage (%).
• Seller Consider Concessions?: A simple Y or N field. If "Y," additional information appears when hovering over the help (?) icon, indicating that the seller may consider a buyer concession in an offer.

By CRMLS launching these optional fields before the deadline, subscribers will gain valuable real-world implementation experience. This early access allows for necessary adjustments based on practical feedback, ensuring a smoother transition when the fields become mandatory.

For questions, please refer to the FAQ.

Remember, the CiP fields are optional, and concessions are not mandatory.

 

 

Starting May 29, users will have access to the optional Concessions in Price (CiP) fields when creating a listing. 

The facts:

• In 2023, nearly 40% of closed residential listings included some form of concessions, including the seller paying for escrow and title fees, loan discount points, and repair and/or upgrade costs.
• 15% of those closed residential listings in 2023 had some sort of advertisement for Concessions being offered in the Private Remarks section of the listing.

With such a large amount of our user base actively offering concessions, we saw an opportunity to create a specific set of dedicated fields for the benefit of our users and their clients. These new CiP fields will allow agents to convey their willingness to offer concessions at the listing level, thus allowing for clearer communication and cooperation between agents and brokers. 

The new fields benefit all parties:

• Listing agents and sellers
  Will gain a dedicated space to advertise/market their willingness to consider concessions at the listing input level
• Buyer's agents
  Will be able to better serve their clients with up-front information on which listings will consider concessions to assist in transaction fees 
• Homebuyers
  Enhanced transparency on which listings are willing to consider concessions to assist with their financial needs  

What's changing?
Currently, concessions are recorded only at the close of a transaction with a mandatory requirement to state the amount of any concession. The new, more descriptive CiP fields will be available for input at the listing level.

To be clear, the new CiP fields will be optional and only reflect a client's willingness to consider concessions. Details regarding the concessions that may be offered must be discussed outside of the MLS and after a written agreement is signed.

The new fields will be titled: 

• Concessions in Price: a text box for numerical input only. This amount should include any and all potential concessions in a single total amount.
• Concessions in Price Type: classify the number above as either $ or %
• Seller Consider Concessions?: either Yes or No. If Yes, then the listing will include the phrase “A Seller may consider a buyer concession if made in an offer.”  

As of May 29, the new fields in your Matrix system will appear here:

Additional CiP Resources
FAQs
The Facts About Concessions Infographic
Concessions in Price Infographic

 

 

 

The Homesnap app, which is a listing search product for both listing and buyer agents, will be changed to the Homes Pro app, a LISTING-Agent search and advertising platform. While Homesnap is still currently available, the Homesnap app will fully become the Homes Pro app on October 23.   

This update comes from Homesnap: Most elements of Homesnap will forward to the Homes Pro app or redirect to Homes.com, regardless of whether or not you're a CRMLS user. In fact, many MLSs that had relied upon Homesnap have already made the transition to Homes Pro, so we're hoping for an easy change to the different platforms. 

When opening the Homesnap app or accessing the website, you'll see this splash screen informing you of the switch taking place on 10/23.

CoStar's business model is to steer all leads to the listing broker or agent and not to the buyer's agent working with a client. The business plan is to see advertising to the listing agents. 

Finding a suitable replacement for a familiar tool can be a daunting task, and the process of replacing it is no easy feat. However, below is a comprehensive list of comparable product solutions tailored to your particular MLS system. Carefully review each offer and determine whether the Homes Pro app or another CRMLS core product is a better fit for you.  Advantages of these tools include the client portal, the ability to Add/Edit, 

Paragon App Comparison
Matrix App Comparison

Learn more about the Paragon Connect Moblie Web Site

• How to Access Paragon Connect
• Learn more about Paragon Connect Video Library
• Latest Paragon Connect updates

Learn more about MLS Touch
Learn more about the CRMLS App

CoStar's move to discontinue Homesnap came nearly three years after CoStar acquired Homesnap for $250 million in 2020, initially intending to enter the residential real estate market. In 2021, CoStar acquired Homes.com for $156 million and decided to make it their primary consumer brand. 

By the end of the year, Homesnap's website will redirect home searchers to Homes.com, and eventually, Homesnap will be completely phased out.

For now, Homes Pro will remain free for agents and multiple listing services (MLSs).

 

What are live buyer tours?
If you use Cloud CMA, then you’re likely already familiar with buyer tours, the reports that build on MLS data to give your buyer clients a better sense of what they’re looking at. In fact, buyer tours have become one of the most popular types of reports in Cloud CMA overall! 

Live buyer tours build on the existing functionality to turn static reports into dynamic ones—with real-time data that you and your buyers can easily read on any device. So you get a new way to show off properties, and your clients get live access to the most relevant information about their favorite listings. 

What can your clients see with live buyer tours? 

Their list of showings, organized by time 
Details like drive time and directions 
Feedback fields that share directly with their agent 
And more! 
 

Why the change? 
Home shopping and touring habits aren’t what they used to be.  Now, people have pocket computers with them constantly, so they can browse listings, request showings, get directions, whatever they need to do—all from the palm of their hands. 

Paper tours are outdated.  With live buyer tours, your clients have the technology on hand to interact with you and tour property more seamlessly. It’s a subtle contributor to their overall experience; they’ll appreciate the convenience and thoroughness of the information you provide. 

 
Here is how it works.

 

 

Registered vs Coming Soon

Click here to view the Registered FAQ and Click here to view the Coming Soon FAQ.

For an updated printable PDF of this checklist, go here.
Download the coming soon form to be signed by sellers here.

 

1 Registered listing contracts do not enter the MLS per the seller’s instructions, either temporarily or for the whole term
of the listing. They are not “in” the MLS. Only the listing agent, listing broker, and office manager, and Association/CRMLS staff can view Registered listings.

2 Agents may treat a Coming Soon listing like an Active listing that no one can show for 21 days and that does not go out via listing distribution feeds (Realtor.com, etc.). Click here to learn more about IDX and listing distribution.

3 If agents are using the C.A.R. form RLA dated 6/2020 and option 7.D.1 is complete, agents do not need an additional
exclusion form. Agents do not need to submit exclusion forms to CRMLS. However, they do need to keep the signed and completed form(s) on file with the brokerage and provide them if the CRMLS Compliance Department requests them.

4 Agents may only show Registered listings to clients of the listing brokerage firm. CRMLS defines a “client” as an individual or entity that has signed, within the previous year, a Disclosure Regarding Real Estate Agency Relationship form in Compliance with CA Civil Code section 2079.16 which identifies the Listing Broker.

5 Coming Soon listings in San Diego County will go out to IDX feeds for applicable brokers. Applicable brokers are those
who participate in CRMLS and have Coming Soon listings for properties in San Diego County, regardless of their MLS
system or Association or Board membership. This does not affect any CRMLS listings outside of San Diego County.

6 Agents may only use the Coming Soon status for a maximum of 21 days from the date of entry. On day 22, the MLS system will move the listing into Active status. Please note: Agents may list New Construction Listings under the status of Coming Soon for longer than 21 days (until a notice of occupancy is issued), per Rule 7.18.4 of the CRMLS Rules and Regulations.

7. Information provided by CRMLS and current as of 7-14-2022.  Rules constantly change. Check the CRMLS knowledge base for updated rules and changes.  

Links to virtual showings, tours, and open houses are no longer exempt 

Due to recent lifts to COVID restrictions in our service area, we have lifted the exceptions to CRMLS Rule 12.5 that we implemented in March 2020. These exceptions allowed listing agents and brokers to place links to virtual showings, virtual tours, and virtual open houses into public remarks fields.

CRMLS has returned to enforcing the original definition of the rule, which reads in part:

12.5 Misuse of Public Remarks.

Information in the public remarks shall only relate to the description, features, and condition of the property and related amenities. The following types of information may not be included in the public remarks:

• Contact information of any kind;
• Branded content;
• Links to external websites of any kind, including but not limited to, agent or broker sites, video tours, virtual showing or open house tools, vendor sites, or offer submission/application/auction platforms;
• Showing instructions or open house information;
• Information regarding lockboxes, alarms, gate or other security codes, or occupancy status of the property (a statement that the property shall be delivered vacant is not a violation of this section);
• Information deemed to create an unsafe or unsecure circumstance related to the listed property, property occupants, real estate practitioners, or the public;
• Information directed toward agents or brokers, including but not limited to, references to compensation or bonuses;
• Solicitations or invitations for the public to contact the listing agent or broker or any third parties affiliated with the listing agent or broker, and;
• Content that violates Fair Housing law or that is deemed discriminatory, illegal, defamatory, offensive, or otherwise inappropriate. CRMLS reserves the right to remove and issue citations for any inappropriate content.

Violations to this rule may result in a citation and associated fine. Visit https://go.crmls.org/crmls-rules-and-regulations/ to read the full text of Rule 12.5. For further information or to chat with a Compliance Analyst, please contact us via the Compliance page on CRMLS.org.

 

CRMLS offers a variety of resources to educate you on our products and services. Click above to visit the CRMLS training center.

If you need MLS support, please click above or call (800) 925-1525 to be assisted.

Your listing data is safe, clean, and accurate. Click above to chat live with a CRMLS Compliance representative.

 

Why you may see 'SD' at the end of listing IDs and what you need to do 

Learn how to properly identify SDMLS listings below 

You may start noticing that certain listing IDs in your MLS have a new suffix: 'SD.' For example: 2200000582SD.

On 1/1/2022, San Diego MLS changed its listing ID conventions. This change meant that some new SDMLS listings now use duplicate IDs. The new listing ID numbers are the same as IDs of older listings from our data share partners. Using the same listing ID for multiple listings causes data collisions in the MLS and confusion for real estate professionals who want to find specific listings.

To avoid these issues, CRMLS updated IDs for the listings. These listings and all SDMLS listings will appear with the letters 'SD' at the end of their ID numbers.

This change will impact your MLS ID searches in all MLS platforms. See below:

If you are using Power Search…

Searching for a 2022 SDMLS listing ID without the 'SD' suffix in Power Search will return all listings that begin with that listing ID, including the SDMLS listing and an older listing ID from a data share partner. The listing ending in 'SD' is an SDMLS listing from 2022.

If you are using Quick Search…

     

If you don't include the 'SD' suffix in Quick Search, Paragon will only return the listing that exactly matches the number you enter. To ensure you find the right listing, make sure you include the 'SD' ending.

             
               Doesn't show the newer listing                             Now shows both but must add suffix 'sd'

On third-party sites…

Depending on the site, you and your clients may see either the listing ID ending in 'SD' or the listing ID without 'SD.' When you're unsure which ID the site will use, it's best to reference other details for the listing, as its Active date or address.

Three new tools in Paragon to help you become more efficient!

Price Analysis Widget

This new tool looks at Automated Valuation Models (AVMs) and Potential Buyers to help you determine the pricing for your listings.

You can find this feature through the menu bar of the Listing Input Forms for current Full, Partial, or Subject Property Listings.

The Potential Buyers are contacts in Paragon, Paragon Connect, and your Collaboration Center who have saved searches with parameters that your property would qualify for.

The Potential Buyers and the AVMs allow agents to determine how a price change might affect potential buyers. Simply enter a New Price into the widget and click on Recalculate Buyers to see how many saved searches your listing may trigger.

Clicking the Use New Price button will automatically change the price on the listing input form. 

Display and User Interface Updates

Paragon looks different – and better – now. The unnecessary white space has been removed. The buttons and labels look uniform across the platform, too. Those are in addition to several other cosmetic and functional improvements of the platform.

Changes to Paragon Connect

There are several changes to the mobile version of Paragon to amplify its on-the-go MLS capabilities. Contact list upgrades, more search parameters, more edit options to listings, and more options to organize and communicate with clients have been added to its functionalities.

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CRMLS offers a variety of resources to educate you on our products and services. Click above to visit the CRMLS training center.

If you need MLS support, please click above or call (800) 925-1525 to be assisted.

Your listing data is safe, clean, and accurate. Click above to chat live with a CRMLS Compliance representative.

 

Paragon Connect is also headed for major upgrades, so it's best to keep an eye out for more Paragon Connect news soon!

 

Read Paragon's Knowledgebase article for a full list of updates.