Creating a Listing on the MLS (Residential For Sale Listing)
Step 1 :
Logging in : https://realcomp.clareityiam.net/idp/login
Username and Password
Step 2 :
Click the Realcomp MLS System
Step 3 :
Once In the MLS, Click Input on the top Menu Bar, and select Add new under the Listings section.
Step 4 :
Select the appropriate type of listing form, since this example is a residential sale. We selected the Residential/Condo Listing Form.
Step 5 :
Select the Button that says Start Listing from a Blank Form to Proceed.
Step 6 :
Make sure the status is set to active ( Warning: This is done only so that the forms on pages 1-6 show the important boxes to fill as highlighted yellow boxes ).
****** AT ANY STAGE THROUGHOUT THE PROCESS OF FILLING IN ALL THE 5 PAGES DO NOT PRESS SUBMIT WHILE THE LISTING IS SET TO ACTIVE UNTIL EVERYTHING IS TRIPLE CHECKED AND READY TO GO LIVE. YOU CAN SAVE THE LISTING AS A PARTIAL SAVE ON THE FIRST PAGE AND COME BACK TO IT LATER IF YOU WANT ******
Step 6.5 : Before beginning to fill in this listing form make sure you have a Prior Listing of the Same Address if available pulled up as a screenshot ready to go on a separate window so you can cross reference a lot of the information to help fill in your new listing form.You can search for a prior listing by using the search bar below the menu bar on the MLS. Just make sure when you press search that you right click and select the open link in a new tab.
Step 7 :
Select Page 1 and begin the process of filling in the form.
Start off with Filling in your Contact Information Under the AGENT/OFFICE Section
Name:Your Name Contact Phone: Your Contact Number
Step 8 :
Under the PRICE & OWNERSHIP Section
Property Type : Residential ( Unless listing docs or Client says its a Condominium )
Access : Appointment/Lockbox ( Unless Specified otherwise )
Ownership : Private Owned ( Unless Specified otherwise )
Lock Box Location : Select where you placed the Lockbox ( Normally the front door )
Possession : ( Read the Listing docs, Check the Possessions Section in the Exclusive Right to Sell Contract aka Listing Agreement ).
Transaction Type : Sale ( This is normally auto set to Sale )
List Price : ( Read the Listing Docs make sure the Docs are the latest, because if it’s older the prices would have changed. The List Price is on the First Paragraph of the Exclusive Right to Sell Contract aka Listing Agreement ).( Pls Triple Check to get the right Price ).
Is This A Short Sale + Home Warranty Offered + Existing Lease : ( Almost always set to NO unless Specified Otherwise ).
Step 9 :
Before we Move onto this Step which is filling in the PUBLIC RECORD AND ADDRESS
Section and Also as a means to help us fill in the LOT AND LAND INFORMATION SECTION. We will have to open up an assist app on a new window called Realist Tax.
Realist Tax is a Menu Item on the menu bar at the top of the page.
Remember to right click and Open Link In New Tab so you can keep working on the listing form.
Step 10 :
Once inside the realist Tax Dashboard Type In the Address of the Property you are Listing under the Address Section on the Left and Press Search on the Bottom.The Map on the Right would relocate to the Area you specified and a small Location Icon will be placed on the property you searched for. Click that Location Icon, after which a small pop up box will appear under that click Report.
Once you hit the report Button you will be taken to a new page with most of the necessary information needed to fill in sections PUBLIC RECORD AND ADDRESS & LOT AND LAND INFORMATION On Page 1.
Step 11 :
Filling In the PUBLIC RECORD AND ADDRESS SECTION
County : Pick the county the Home is In ( Google or Realist Tax can help, The County is also mentioned in the Exclusive Right To Sell Contract aka Listing Agreement ).
Property ID : This Can be found under Tax Information in your Realist Tax Report.
Area # : Use the drop down to Pick the City / Township / Village the Property is in.
( Example for a House in Genesee County Flint the Area Code is 08182 – Flint ).
Street # : Usually the first few numbers on an Address
*Important : Despite not being highlighted in yellow, please make sure to fill in Street Name.
C/V/T : Pick the appropriate one.
Municipality Name : Pick the Appropriate one, Realist Tax can help you out.
Mailing City Name : Also can be found on Realist Tax make sure you are not using the Owners Mailing City which in most cases is different to the actual mailing city. Both the Mailing City and Municipality Name can be the same.
State & Zip Code : Fill these in accordingly.
* Pull up a Google Map of the Address for this next bit.
N/S : Based on where the house on sale is on the map, find the closest street intersection and if the house is towards the north of that intersection put N and vice versa.
North / South Cross Street : Find the name of the street that’s on the intersection headed in the above mentioned direction ( Example N Clio Rd ).
E/W : Based on where the house on sale is on the map, find the closest street intersection and if the house is towards the East of that intersection put E and vice versa.
East / West Cross Street : Find the name of the street that’s on the intersection headed in the above mentioned direction ( Example E Pasadena Ave ).
Directions : Write a short direction guide starting from a freeway exit or popular street.
( Example: Exit on 75 N off to W Pierson Rd, Take Right onto Clio Rd, Take a Left Onto W Pasadena Ave )
Legal Description : This is Found under the Tax Information Section on Realist Tax.
Taxes – Summer Taxes : Also found under the Tax Information Section on Realist Tax use the one that Just says Summer Tax, and enter it in without the dollar sign or commas.
Winter Taxes : Also found under the Tax Information Section on Realist Tax use the one that Just says Winter Tax, and enter it in without the dollar sign or commas.
Homestead : This can be found On Realist Tax
SEV : This can be Found under the Tax Information Section on Realist Tax
Subdivision : *Important : Despite not being highlighted in Yellow Please make sure to fill in this if it is shown in Realist Tax under Location Information .
School District : Pick the Appropriate one based on what Realist Tax shows under Location Information.
Step 12 :
Filling in the Section for LOT AND LAND INFORMATION
Lot Dimensions : The Lot Dimensions are always on Realist Tax all the way on the bottom of the page. The Front would be whatever side is facing the road. (Example in the below image the front is the 47, left is 100, back is 46 and right is 100. Think of it as you are facing the front then figure out the directions).
Road Frontage Feet : This is also the part of the dimensions facing the road.
( Example: 47”).
Road : Pick what the road accessing the property is made of, in the case of this (Example its right next to a main road there for Paved would be selected ).
Water : This is normally listed on the Sellers Disclosure but it only says City Water so be specific you can ask the client, however before asking the client for what the water would be, you should always check for an old listing that could show what the water type is. You can search for a prior listing by using the search bar below the menu bar on the MLS. Just make sure when you press search that you right click and select the open link in a new tab. If there is no Prior Listing or if the house in the listing looks very different and has been remodeled or reconstructed ask the client
Sewer : Same as filling in the water section above.
* If the property you are listing is a waterfront property, or has a water feature in its property check the appropriate boxes under sections Water Facilities and Water Features.
Step 13 :
Filling Out Page Two of the Residential/ Condo Listing form
BUILDING AND EXTERIOR Section
Year Built : Can be found either through Realist Tax or a Prior Listing.
Approx Above Grade Square Feet : Can be found either through Realist Tax or a Prior Listing. If either option is not available use the measurements of the rooms to add up the total square footage, there are websites that help you calculate house square footages.
Source BLDG Sq Ft : Normally would be set as Public Record, or Prior Listing
For the Rest of the Page Check the Appropriate Boxes, Even the non highlighted ones if any of those apply to the property we are listing.
Step 14 :
Filling Out Page Three of the Residential/ Condo Listing form
INTERIOR Section
The Only two highlighted necessary sections under INTERIOR are
Heating Fuel Type : The best and most convenient way to find the heating fuel is to locate the furnace in the basement, it normally shows the make model and energy consumption status on which it shows if it’s electric or gas. If the sticker is unavailable which is common in older units, look up the older listing that you have and if even that doesn’t say anything, call the owner of the property.
Heating : This is a little easier to locate as it is normally shown on the seller’s disclosure which would be on trello, just search the address.
All the rest of the non highlighted sections, if they apply to the current property make sure to check the boxes which apply. Use the Sellers Disclosure to find out what needs to be checked and what doesn’t.
Step 15 :
Filling Out Page Four of the Residential/ Condo Listing form
FOUNDATION & ROOMS Sections
Foundation:
Foundation Material : This you can normally refer to the picture you took of the basement if the house has a basement or if it doesn’t it would normally be Poured with Block walls or Brick walls in which case you will check both the options, unless its a mobile home or something unique.
Foundation : This is normally set as a Basement if the house has a basement or if it doesn’t it would just be set as a Slab with Poured as the Foundation Material. However since we are in Michigan the option Michigan Basement might apply, therefore google what it means and check if the basement for the house we are listing classifies as a michigan basement.
Foundation Features : If mentioned in the Seller’s Disclosure tick the appropriate box, but this rarely is ticked.
Est. Basement Square Feet : This has to be filled in if you checked Basement as the Foundation, measuring this is easy if the basement is just a box shape but when its split into different sections it can get tricky, an easy method to do would be to measure the individual sections of the basement and add them up, or you could also reference a prior listing.
Est. Finished Basement Square Feet : If the basement is finished it means it has carpet or wooden floors, drywall, proper lighting and electrical outlets, with a finished bathroom etc. You will know if a basement is finished or not when you go in it. But if it is finished or partially finished, measure the area of the finished section and put it in the box. If it is in rooms measure all the finished rooms when you are at the house taking pictures and add them all together using a square footage calculator. The only alternative if you didn’t measure the house for some reason when shooting photos would be to hope it’s on a prior listing. If nothing exists give a rough estimate based on the total size of the basement.
Basement Description : Tick the boxes that apply ( Remember if you tick finished or partially finished here you have to put in the Est. Finished Basement Square Feet amount ).
Rooms :
Here you have to mention how many Bedrooms, Full Baths and Total Lavs( Half Baths ), are in the house. After which you will have to put in the individual measurements of all the rooms you have measured in the house.
You can Normally start off with the Bedrooms ( Select Bedroom from drop down list), remember to put the master bedroom measurements as master bedroom from the drop down. Same with the bathrooms as the master bedroom and bathroom have separate designations from normal bedrooms and bathrooms. Once you are done make sure these add up to the bedroom and bathroom number you mentioned above. ( If there are 2 bedrooms and 1.1 bathrooms there should be measurements for those 2 bedrooms, the 1 full bath and 1 half bath below respectively).
Add all the measurements for the other rooms respectively, if you don’t know what type of room that is try google, if not check the old listing,if its a unique room or is not on the drop down, put is as Other and put the measurements. The room level can sometimes give errors as the MLS has guidelines that they use so if you put the house as a 1 story on page 2, it can’t have a room on a second level.etc.
Step 16 :
Filling Out Page Five of the Residential/ Condo Listing form
ASSOCIATION,TERMS AND COMPENSATION & REMARKS Sections
Association: Since this is a Residential Listing and not a Condominium you only need to Check the Association Fee Y/N as NO. Ignore the rest of the Association Section unless it’s a Condo (Condominium) in which case you will be given the information needed to fill this out, either through the seller’s disclosure, listing agreement or the condominiums guide book. **Some homes may have a homeowners association (HOA). This is rare but IF a home does have a HOA, you would select Yes and answer accordingly.
Terms and Compensation : ** THIS SECTION IS IMPORTANT **
List Date : This is normally set to the current day you are doing the listing.
Expiration Date : This is set to 6 months from the current date. The date the listing expires is on the listing agreement.
Protection Period : This is almost always 3 months unless said otherwise.
Sub Agency & Buyer Agency : This is Normally set to Yes and the Percentage varies for each listing. Check the Listing Agreement – Typically, the seller pays out 6% total.
One small exception to the rule is if the value of the house is too small, say $20,000 then the commission is normally paid as a fixed amount as mentioned below, so the $2,000 commission would be split between $1,000 Sub Agency and $1,000 Buyer Agency.
**Commissions are shown on the last paragraph on the first
page of the Exclusive Right to Sell Contract AKA Listing Agreement.**
Transaction Coordinator : This is almost always NO.
Listing Type : Always set as Exclusive Right to Sell.
Level Of Service : Always set as Full Service. And then tick all the boxes under the services offered section.
Terms Offered : The Information as to what boxes to check here is clearly defined in the Listing Agreement aka Exclusive Right to Sell Contract in the outlined box on the first page.
*If a Land Contract option is offered, fill in the Land Contract section. However this is a rare occurrence.*
Remarks:
Public Remarks: DO NOT COPY THE SAME DESCRIPTIONS only use them as guides because each house is unique. You can also look at the description on the prior listing of the same house if available. You have been to the house and Photographed it so recall that experience or look at the pictures of the house to talk about what might interest people.
Agent Only Remarks : This is where we input notes which are visible to other agents but not to the general public.
Everything below Agent Only Remarks always stay untouched except the Seller’s Signature on File Section, which after looking at the listing agreement you’ll see the sellers sign on file you this section would have to be selected as YES.
THE GREEN ADDENDUM PAGE IS IRRELEVANT AND IS LEFT UNTOUCHED.
Step 17 :
Uploading the Pictures : Once you have filled in all 5 pages and double checked for anything you might have missed, go back to the start page and change the status from Active to Partial Save, and press Submit Listing. Then a new page will be prompted on that page will be links to Configure Showing Assist and Also on the bottom of that box would be Add or Manage Photos.
Click on Add or Manage Photos, once there click browse and locate the folder on your computer where you will have your already edited and renamed photos ready to go
( Refer to the Photography Guide if you haven’t already gone through it ). Press Ctrl and click the ones you want to upload and press open on the bottom of that screen. The now selected photos would all load onto the photo manager page in a random order.
Once the images have loaded the next task would be to arrange them, hover over the part that says slot 8 or 5, or whichever one you wanna move and grab it from there and gently move it up into whichever slot area you want it to be at.
The Order of the Photos should normally be set up as how you would walk through the house. So the Primary Slot would always be a front straight on Shot of the House, and then the living room, kitchen etc. The Order can change but the Primary slot should always be the Front of the House. Once you are done arranging the images hit certify and save. Remember the images can always be changed or moved around so don’t worry if you missed something.
Step 18 :
Setting Up Showing Time :
Once you are done uploading the pictures go back to the home page, then locate the partial saved listing it should be under my listings on the home page.
After locating your now partial saved listing click it and go to the bottom of the page, once there click edit and under other options you can see configure showing assist, click it and it will take you to the showing assist page.
The showing Assist Page will look as shown below, however we don’t normally have to change anything on the first two sections as they are always set to In-Person Virtual Appts, Courtesy Call or Go and Show and Agent Showing Time Template. Also under Contacts it should normally always auto populate Your Contact Info DO NOT TOUCH THAT.
However the seller’s info where showing notifications are normally sent to, will not auto populate so you have to press Add Owner/Occupant right below there. Normally sellers are new and we don’t have their contact information but there are instances that they have sold a house with You before so their information might be saved and can be pulled up by searching their names on the pop up. If not, select add new owner and fill in their needed info found on your listing agreement.
Once that’s done You can set up the showing restrictions if any, you would normally check with the client if it’s not a vacant house (Empty House). He normally says if there’s people living in the house to set a showing restriction as to nothing before 8 am or after 5 pm but that depends so ask. Also if there’s people living in the house we normally set the required lead time to 4 hours so that the occupant knows beforehand that a showing is coming.
The Next Step after that would be to set up access information as to how the Agents showing the house would get into said house.
Fill these in accordingly, We only have combination lock boxes so make sure you put that in there along with the lockbox code and where it’s located. (It’s almost always the front door, if not the back door).
Occasionally the seller will use their own lockbox. You would typically know this because you photograph the house.
Additional Instructions are only required if the client wants you to put something on there, if not it’s left blank. However for Driving Instructions you can copy paste the same directions you put for the listing.
Finally you will have to upload documents here to the showing Assist. On the left side of the page will be a section that says Attachments, click that and select Add/Remove, then click choose file and pick out the documents to upload.
The documents we Normally Upload are the Offer Letter, Sellers Disclosure and the Lead Based Paint Disclosure (sellers disclosure and lead based paint disclosures are typically scanned together and labeled “disclosures”. Only homes built prior to 1978 will have a lead based paint disclosure). Once all this is done click the save changes button on the top of the screen and you have successfully set up showing times.
The Next and Last Step would be to Upload the Same Docs you did above on the showing Assist now to The Listing. So first thing, go back to your partial saved listing and click on it, this time instead of pressing edit, right under the image of the house, will be a small black and blue icon that says upload docs, click it as shown below.
Once you do the Remine System will open up a new page showing all your prior transactions, since this is a Partial saved listing we are working with there won’t be a transaction already made so you will have to make a new transaction.
As shown below.
This Box will pop up, make sure to select the side we are representing as the listing side.
Then Copy and paste the MLS number from your partial saved listing and the address and owners should auto populate. As shown below.
Hit Next and it should take you to a page showing two documents already loaded don’t click those instead click the upload documents button above. Find the same set of documents Offer letter, Sellers Disclosure and the Lead Based Paint Disclosure. Once uploaded hit next and a page showing the documents you uploaded will pop up.
On the right corner of the uploaded document youll see three dots click that and a drop down would open up, under which you will have to click MLS Visibility.
Once clicked another data entry box should pop up, this is where you set the document to be visible under the set MLS number. As shown below ( The MLS number used here is just an example, use the one associated with the house you are selling).Make sure you set it as Shared( Visible to all MLS agents ).
Once you are done with this step hit update. Repeat the same for all the other documents in this transaction. Then Exit Out of the Remiane Website.
(If an Error does pop up try refreshing or logging out of the MLS after closing all the tabs and logging back in and make sure your listing is partially saved before you do this).
FINAL STEP
CONGRATULATIONS YOU HAVE COMPLETED A LISTING FORM. HOWEVER IT DOES NOT END HERE. GO BACK TO THE LISITNG AND THEN EDIT AND EDIT FROM RESIDENTIAL/CONDO LISITNG FORM, ONCE YOU ARE ON THE START PAGE SET STATUS AS ACTIVE SINCE IT WAS ON PARTIAL SAVE. AND BEFORE YOU PRESS SUBMIT I RECOMMEND GOING OVER ALL THE PAGES AND SEEING IF ALL THE IMPORTANT INFORMATION SUCH AS ADDRESSES AND CONTACT AND COMMISSIONS LOOK ACCURATE, IF YES, HIT SUBMIT.
And finally let Jess know that the listing is live.
After a listing goes live, you are responsible for posting it on your Social Media, the process for this is explained under the Photography and Social Media Procedures Manual.
The Photography Checklist can be found on google drive
Or here below Print pages 26 and 27 for the check list
Real Estate Photography Checklist
Address: ____________________________________________________________________
What to Bring:
____ Drone (double check batteries and SD card)
____ Canon Camera (double check batteries and SD card)
____ Tack Life Measuring Device
____ Appropriate Signs (with directional or two)
Install Lock box: Y ______ N ______ | Code:__________
Exterior Photos:
____ Drone pictures and footage (6+ shots of entire lot, front and back)
____ DSLR pictures of front and back (close and far)
____ Two angles of all other property buildings
____ Two angles of pools and rear decks
____ House in subdivision needs subdivision entry sign photo
Interior Photos:
____ Kitchen (minimum of three angles, farthest points) LxW: _________________
____ Living Room (minimum of three angles, farthest points) LxW: _____________
____ Bedrooms (the best angle to showcase the whole room)
Bed #1 _________ Bed #2 _________ Bed #3 _________ Bed #4_________
____ Master Bedroom (three best angles) LxW:________________
____ Bathrooms (one shot for standard bathrooms, three for particularly large or master bathrooms)
Bath #1_________ Bath #2_________ Bath #3_________ Bath #4_________
____ Basement (three best angles, show where poles meet ceiling and floor) LxW: __________
____ Basement: Finished | Block | Poured | If finished, how much? LxW: ________________
____ Basement Utilities
____ Other rooms (best angles for showcasing)
Room #1___________ Room #2 ___________ Room #3___________ Room #4____________
Tips: Use the Manual mode for capturing interior photos with an ISO of 100 or 200 (go higher for rooms with no light or little natural light). Then, use landscape mode to capture the room/angles again for non-blown out windows for editing.
Before Leaving:
____ Share a good exterior photo of the home on Ed’s Snapchat, Instagram and Facebook stories
Editing:
____ Blue skies with clouds in exterior shots
____ Name all photos (ex: 1234 Red Road – Master Bedroom.jpg)
____ Photoshop windows from Landscape mode into Manual mode photos to avoid blown out windows
____ Gray out the surrounding properties in the chosen drone photos to showcase only the seller’s house & lot
____ Create folder with the house address in the Property Photos folder (Assistant Google Drive) and upload photos into it.
Other Photos:
____ Snapshot of property with property lines from MLS
Photo Order for MLS:
____ First photo needs to be the best exterior shot
____ The rest of the photos flow as if you were walking through the house (typically living room, kitchen, dining, master, spare bedrooms and basement). Regular bathrooms are typically not featured, only Master bathrooms.
____ Other exterior shots follow after interiors