The MLS Committee and Board of Directors have adopted a number of new policies for the MLS and rolled out a few updates that were required by NAR. The new policies are currently in effect.
Here's a look at a summary of the changes:
Listing Submission Timing (Section 1)
What’s changed:
- Listings must be entered into the MLS within three (3) calendar days, excluding federal holidays (previously referenced as 72 hours).
- The submission timeframe begins once:
- The listing agreement is effective, and
- All required signatures have been obtained.
Clear Cooperation Policy – Communication Clarified (Section 1.1)
New clarification:
- One-to-one broker communication does not trigger the Clear Cooperation Policy.
- Group or multi-brokerage communication is considered public marketing and does trigger the Clear Cooperation Policy.
Office Exclusive & Delayed Marketing Listings (Section 1.8)
Two exempt listing types are now formally defined:
Office Exclusive Listings
Seller instructs:
- No public marketing
- No MLS distribution
If an Office Exclusive listing becomes publicly marketed, it must be submitted to the MLS and shared with participants within one (1) business day.
Delayed Marketing Listings
Seller instructs:
- Enter the listing into the MLS and share with participants
- Delay or prohibit public marketing through IDX/syndication for a specified period up to the entire length of the listing agreement.
Seller Disclosure Form (Required)
For Office Exclusive Listings, a fully executed MLS Opt-Out Seller Acknowledgement Form must be submitted within three (3) calendar days (excluding federal holidays) of the effective date and signatures.
Virtual Staging Rules (Section 1.20 – NEW)
Virtual staging is permitted with the following requirements:
Disclosure (Required)
Listings must be labeled as “Virtually Staged” in either:
- The property description, or
- An unbranded watermark on the image
Permitted
- Furniture
- Artwork
- Plants
- Decorative items
Not Permitted
- Altering or concealing structural features
- Modifying landscaping
- Removing neighboring buildings or utilities
- Changing floors, walls (including paint color), built-ins, or views
- Hiding damage or known defects
Removed Sections (Housekeeping)
The following sections were removed by NAR because they are already governed by existing policies:
- Sections 2.2–2.5 (Offer presentation rules – covered by the NAR Code of Ethics)
- Sections 5.1–5.2 (Discipline & compliance – covered by the MLS Penalty Policy)
No changes to behavior—just streamlined documentation.
Addition of the Dayton REALTORS® Penalty Policy
To better protect the MLS database and ensure consistent enforcement, Dayton REALTORS® has formally adopted a Penalty Policy outlining violation categories and associated fines:
Violation Categories
Minor
- No immediate fine
- Three (3) calendar days to correct
- $100 per day (up to $500) if not corrected after the grace period
Moderate
- Immediate $100 fine
- If correctable: three (3) calendar days to correct
- Additional $100 per day (up to $500) if not corrected after the grace period
Major
- First offense: $2,000 fine
- Second offense: $3,000 fine
- Third and subsequent offenses: $5,000 fine plus 30-day suspension of MLS services
Education Waiver
Once per calendar year, any $100 fine may be waived by completing MLS Bootcamp within 60 days of the violation.
Final Takeaway
These updates are primarily focused on:
- Clearer timelines
- Better definitions for exempt listings
- Increased transparency for sellers
If you have any questions, your MLS team is always happy to help.
View the revised rules and regulations as a redlined version here.
