MLS Information
The Columbus and Central Ohio Regional Multiple Listing Service, Inc. (MLS) is a computerized network of more than 700 cooperating real estate offices. The MLS is a wholly owned subsidiary of Columbus REALTORS®. Within this service, thousands of professional real estate brokers and sales associates share listing and sale information and work together to serve the buying and selling public. The MLS has been successfully helping Columbus sell homes since 1955.
The Columbus REALTORS® Multiple Listing Service (MLS) serves all of Franklin, Delaware, Fayette, Licking, Madison, Marion, Morrow, Pickaway and Union Counties and parts of Athens, Champaign, Clark, Clinton, Fairfield, Hocking, Knox, Logan, Muskingum, Perry and Ross counties.
To participate in the MLS, licensed brokers and their sales associates must be members of the MLS. This ensures buyers and sellers, as well as the other participants in the MLS, that the agencies they cooperate with will apply the same standards and agree to adhere to the same rules of conduct and professionalism.
The MLS full-featured, web-based Multiple Listing Service system that includes listing search and maintenance, the ability to search offices and members, hot sheets, reports and CMAs, statistics, mapping and driving directions, customizable reporting, e-mail, integrated tax, financial functions, automated prospect searches, customized client portals and much more.
The MLS is a live database. Changes made are immediately available. A listing is searchable, printable, and can be e-mailed soon after the listing agent enters the listing and gets a “confirmation” with an MLS number assigned. Agents can enter, edit, and change the status of their own listings. They can also do searches against all active listings in the MLS database and create CMA reports from sold listings.
Visit our website's Columbus REALTORS® Membership section for information on joining Columbus REALTORS®.
The MLS Clear Cooperation Policy (NAR Policy 8) mandated by the National Association of REALTORS® was incorporated into the Columbus REALTORS MLS Rules & Regulations as Section 1.01 Clear Cooperation, effective May 1, 2020.
Section 1.01 - Clear Cooperation
"Within one (1) business day of marketing a property to the public, the listing broker must submit the listing to the MLS for cooperation with other MLS participants. Public marketing includes, but is not limited to, flyers displayed in windows, yard signs, digital marketing on public facing websites, brokerage website displays (including IDX and VOW), digital communications marketing (email blasts), multi-brokerage listing sharing networks, and applications available to the general public."
Forms - The Residential Exclusive Right to Sell Listing Contract and the Delayed Showing Authorization Form have been updated to clear up confusion about the "List Date" on the MLS and the "Commencing Date" on the Listing Agreement. This was exacerbated by the Office Exclusive listings in regard to Clear Cooperation. View forms (REALTORS® only).
For more information, see our FAQ, Q & A Video, or Recorded Webinar (3/27/2020).
The MLS Policy Violation Hotline can be used to report a Clear Cooperation Policy violation or any other MLS violation. Contact information is requested but is not required. You may submit the violation report anonymously. The voicemail recording will explain what is needed to report a violation.
Violations may also be submitted by email. Additional details in the form of PDFs, photos, and screenshots are extremely helpful and can be sent to mlspolicy@columbusrealtors.com.
The name of the person reporting the violation will not be disclosed whether it is reported to the hotline, email, or both.
Do you have a suggestion to make regarding MLS policies or MLS fields? Use the Request for Policy or Data Field Change to have the MLS Committee consider your suggestion.
Member Support: Technical Support (614) 475-4000
Beginning Friday, August 16, 2024, offers of compensation will be removed from the Columbus & Central Ohio Regional MLS, and written buyer agreements will become mandatory for all buyer’s agents. View the updated MLS Rules and Regulations.
Members of the MLS Committee are appointed by the President. Appointed applicants will begin their term January 1, 2027.
Appointments will be ratified by the MLS Board of Directors, and consideration in making appointments will include but are not limited to:
- Brokerage size
- Active, recent use of the MLS
- Regional representation (rural)
- Years in industry
- Field of expertise (broker, agent, appraiser, residential, commercial)
- Knowledge of MLS system/rules/regulations/policies, RESO standards
- Proper balance of broker and agent representation. No less than 50% agent representation (8 committee members)
Members are appointed to 3-year terms. All members appointed will have voting rights. No less than 9 and no more than 15 members will serve on the MLS Committee.
No more than two representatives from a single brokerage, brand, flag, or franchise may serve on the MLS Committee at the same time.
Those appointed shall not serve more than two (2) consecutive terms.
Note: Merged and/or acquired MLSs will have representation through the year of executed merger plus a 3-year term. (This would be in addition to the 15 appointed). Appointment of the applicant will be determined by the nominee's Association and will not exceed the 3-year term.
Please submit your application by October 30 at 5 p.m.
MLS RULES & REGULATIONS
VII. THE COMMITTEE The purpose of the MLS Committee is to manage and oversee the operations of the Multiple Listing Service. This includes ensuring that the MLS rule and regulations are followed and maintained in an orderly and efficient system for listing and disseminating property information. (Amended 6/12 and 6/24)
