Tips

Your MLS And Your Personal Branding

We get a version of this question almost every day: "Why isn't my branding showing up on my MLS?" or "Why are my titles missing on my Real Estate Show on my MLS?"

There are over 800 MLS systems in the United States and virtually every one of them forbid you to have your personal branding on the tours you attach to listings on their search engines. Some MLS systems are more strict than others. These "strict" MLS systems require that any information that can be input by the Realtor be removed. This includes tiltes, links to outside websites, property details. They remove any possibility that you could slip in your name and telephone number. Strict Sample

Other MLS systems simply require that the branding be removed and they trust that you will do the right thing and NOT insert personal information in the titles, headlines, and property details. We call this our "basic" MLS player. Most MLS systems accept this kind of link. Basic Sample

Both of these links are sent to you in your linking email that is sent as confirmation the moment you create a new Real Estate Show. Each Show you create has both the basic and strict link available for use. To keep yourself from being fined, make sure you use the right one for your MLS.

Making Shows Visible in "Other Shows" Link

Because we allow you to create as many shows as you want, even shows that may only be for personal use, you have to tell the system what shows you want Internet viewers to be able to see when they are looking at shows they find during their home searches. From your main menu, click on Manage & Edit Existing Shows. This will take you to a list of your previously created shows, your My Real Estate Shows page. Then, check the box next to Viewable In "Other Shows" for the listing you want Internet viewers to be able to see. This will add that Show automatically. See the graphic below:

In this example, the top Show can only be viewed by those who receive the link via email or who link directly to it. The Show on the bottom now appears in the "Other Shows" link of all of this user's Shows.

Realtor.com Showcase Listing Enhancements

I'm A Showcase Listing Enhancements Customer of REALTOR.COM, why am I being asked to pay the $25 Fee?

There is a simple, but frustrating, answer to that question. The reason is that the information in the Property Details of your Show do not match EXACTLY what Realtor.com has in their system. Extra characters, # signs or the wrong city or zip are typically the reason for this. If the information does not match exactly, Realtor.com will tell us you are not a Showcase Listing Enhancement Customer. Remember, this is two computers talking to one another, they have to be perfectly aligned in order to make the right assessment. So, check the information on Realtor.com and make certain the property detail in your Real Estate Show matches EXACTLY with what is shown on the Realtor.com listing - then submit again.

If they match, the system will now know you are a Showcase Listing Enhancement Customer and you will NOT be charged.