Rule Reminder: MLS Public Remarks
Rules 1.17 VI A & D
The GPRMLS Public Remarks are a great tool for reaching potential clients and giving enticing details about the property for sale, however there are limitations to what can be in the Public Remarks.

Public Remarks Rules are a standard practice among all MLS’s across the county. These rules are in practice because Public Remarks are viewable by the public on third-party and Broker websites. Having an agent’s contact information displayed on another Broker’s website causes frustration among MLS Participants and Subscribers. These rules also help prevent any potential license law issues that may arise, inadvertently or otherwise.

Information regarding the listing company or listing agent are not permitted in any text fields, graphics or hypertext-linked displays that are publicly viewable, this includes the Public Remarks.

Public Remarks cannot contain any agent names, phone numbers or anything promoting the listing agent or firm, website information, reference to branded videos or tours, builder promotion (beyond stating the builder’s company name), reference to lender financing or preferred lender incentives, or any reference to a selling agent bonus or any incentive.

GPRMLS Rules 1.17(VI)(A)&(D) outline what cannot be input into the Public Remarks field in the MLS.
1.17 VI A: Subscriber/Participant Information
A. Subscriber/Participant Information: Information regarding the listing agent or the listing company shall be allowed only in the “Agent Remarks,” “Office Remarks,” or “Syndication Remarks” and other data fields that are specifically labeled for such information, and shall not be permitted to be displayed in text fields, graphics, or hypertext-linked displays that are publicly viewable (see below for exceptions). 2/19

The above restrictions do not apply to:

  1. The name of the builder’s company of the listed property.
  2. A “Listing Courtesy of (Broker Name)” statement that is consistent with an IDX public display.
  3. An ownership or copyright identifier (limited to the Participant’s company logo, company name and/or company URL) located in a photograph not exceeding ten percent of the picture area. 2/19
1.17 VI D: Public Remarks Guidelines
D. Public Remarks Guidelines: Public Remarks can contain incentives from the seller to the buyer but not incentives from the seller to agents or firms. 2/19

1. Examples of What Public Remarks cannot contain:

a. Agent name or phone numbers
b. Reference to lender financing
c. Website addresses or information with the temporary exception of unbranded links to the following:*
  1. Virtual Tour
  2. Pre-produced Video Tour
  3. Virtual, live, and pre-scheduled Open House 4/2020
d. Builder promotion (i.e.) “sold by best builder in town”
e. Promotion of the listing agent or listing agents firm including reference to branded virtual tours or videos
f. Use our preferred lender and have your closing costs paid
g. Free credit report and appraisal if you choose to use … lender
h. Wholesale financing rates available with purchasing this home, call for info
i. $5000 bonus to selling agent

*Note: currently some third-party websites, outside the control of GPRMLS, will not display listing Public Remarks that contain a URL.