MLS Now's rules don't govern what anyone posts on social media. Someone can post "Coming Soon" on Facebook, put a sign in the yard, or promote a property without a listing agreement — and MLS Now has no authority over that activity.
What MLS Now does govern is what happens once a signed exclusive listing agreement is in place.
The Mandatory Submission Rule
Once you have a signed exclusive listing agreement for a property in the MLS Now service area, you must submit it to MLS Now (Rule 2.2.1) by whichever comes first:
- Two business days after the listing agreement is fully signed, OR
- One business day after the property is publicly marketed — including social media posts, yard signs, window displays, digital ads, or sharing with other brokerages or networks
So if you or your seller posts "Coming Soon" on Facebook while a listing agreement is already in place, the deadline shortens to one business day after that post goes up.
What About Seller Opt-Outs (Office Exclusives)?
If a seller opts out of the MLS entirely (an Office Exclusive), that listing may not be publicly marketed at all. This means no yard signs, no social media posts, no digital ads — nothing public.
If the listing is publicly marketed anyway, the Participant has one business day to enter it into MLS Now or it becomes a Clear Cooperation violation.
What Status Do I Use?
There is no "Coming Soon" status in MLS Now. When you enter the listing, use the appropriate status:
- Active — if the property is available for showings and offers
- Temporarily Off Market (TOM) — if the property is not yet being shown at all. Note: showings are not permitted while a listing is in TOM status ($500 fine).
- PREP (Pre-Release Entry Property) — MLS Now's pre-marketing status (Rule 4.2.1). A PREP listing is entered in the MLS and visible to all participants and subscribers. With the seller's authorization, showings and IDX feeds to public portals are optional, and public marketing such as yard signs and social media posts is permitted. Price history and days on market are suppressed during the 7-business-day PREP period (Rule 12.19). The seller must complete the Seller PREP Authorization form, and the form and listing agreement must be submitted to the MLS within two business days of the list date (Rule 2.2.3).
Clear Cooperation Fines
Violating the mandatory submission rule is a Clear Cooperation violation. These fines are non-waivable:
- 1st offense: $1,000
- 2nd offense: $2,500
- 3rd offense: $5,000