New policy governs Multilist carriers

The nation’s 850 Realtor association-owned multiple listing services are now required to include all property listings in feeds distributed to MLS members and national aggregators such as Realtor.com.

The existing policy permits members posting MLS listings on their own Web sites to select the listings they show on the basis of objective criteria such as location, type of property, compensation offered for buyers’ agents or the level of service provided by the listing company.

“These actions standardize distribution of MLS data to external Web sites for the first time and ensure that all listings are treated equally,” by different listing services, said NAR President Pat Vredevoogd Combs in a news release.

Combs said Realtors displaying MLS listings on their sites are governed by the Realtor Code of Ethics, which obligates members to present a true picture in their advertising and representations to the public.