Sunflower MLS Policy – Frequently Asked Questions

Yes! SMLS Policy Section 1.2.0.1 allows the exact same listing to be entered in more than one property class (Residential, Land, etc.) and allows multiple listings of the same address to be entered in a single class if the listings offer substantially different property descriptions. For example, a single-family residence with 3 acres and the same single-family residence with 80 acres can be listed concurrently.

Anytime the same listing is duplicated in the MLS, only one copy of the listing can move forward to the sold status. When the property goes under contract, all but one copy of the listing must be withdrawn.

Yes! The MLS does not prohibit branding or set style standards for virtual tours. If you're using one of the Virtual Tour fields (NOT public remarks!) for the URL and following KREC rules, you can link to any video or webpage that is specific to the property for sale.

NAR defines public marketing in the Clear Cooperation Policy language: "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. NAR further clarified that one-on-one communication with agents outside of the listing brokerage office does not constitute public marketing. So, any marketing other than one-on-one communcation that happens outside of the listing brokerage office triggers the CCP "1-business-day" clock.

Note: The purpose of allowing members of the MLS cooperative to accept office exclusive listings is to afford sellers privacy when they need it. If you're spending a lot of time looking for exceptions or loopholes to the marketing rules of CCP, you're probably either failing to meet your fiduciary duties to your client or failing to meet your duty to cooperate with other members of the MLS.

IDX stands for "internet data exchange" and is the agreement that allows brokers who opt into the IDX program to display other brokers' listings on their property search websites. Anytime you see "IDX feed" or "IDX policy," it's refering to the MLS data for website display an the rules that control that display.

The MLS has two rules about yard signs:

4.1 - Only the "For Sale/Lease" sign of the listing broker may be placed on the property.

4.2 - Prior to closing, only the "Sold" sign of the listing broker may be placed on the property, unless the listing broker authorizes the cooperating broker (selling broker) to post such a sign.

All other questions about signage should go to your broker and/or KREC.

An email with the text you typed plus the listing information goes only to SMLS staff. Nothing goes to the listing agent, and SMLS staff strongly support the anonymous reporting policy outlined in Section 9 and take care not to disclose who reported policy violations or data inaccuracies.