At the September MLS Board meeting, the directors voted to update our MLS policies to include two items that were not mentioned.  These new policies follow our current practice for handling of virtual tours and  geo-coding listings… we just discovered it just wasn’t in writing.  Our policies are now updated to include them:

• Virtual Tour: An office may attach a Virtual Tour established through a third party service to their listing. If they wish to submit a public virtual tour, the same rules for Public Fields Submission apply. An unbranded Virtual Tour, one that does not contain broker or member names, contact information or logos, can be entered as a Public Link. Branded tours may only be entered as a Private Link and will only be available on your own IDX public web site and may be used in your e-mails. Private tours are only displayed to other MLS users inside the flexmls Web system.

• Geocoding: When an office enters their property listing data in the MLS database electronically, they must accept the geocoding address verification offered unless they know the address verification to be false or if the address cannot be automatically verified. Geocoding ensures that all up-to-date sales records, maps, and tax information be attached to a listing.  An office is required to enter listing addresses correctly and attach the proper geocoding. If a property address cannot be verified for the reasons stated above, the office is required to manually locate the listing on a map or edit the address in an attempt to attach its records. The office should also make notice to the MLS Office of their inability to geocode the listing.