Your MLS listing description must follow the rules of the MLS where your property is listed. These rules are designed to keep listings accurate, professional, and compliant.
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Important Notice
If your description includes prohibited content, Listed Simply may remove or omit that content without notice to help prevent MLS fines, violations, delays, or listing removal.
MLS rules vary by state and by MLS. Use the dropdowns below to review the most common description restrictions for your MLS.
Key Guidelines for MLS Listing Descriptions
Focus on Physical Property Traits: The Public Remarks section of an MLS listing should describe the physical characteristics of the property, such as its size, layout, features, and location. For example, you can include details about the number of bedrooms, square footage, or proximity to local amenities.
Adhere to Content Restrictions: Certain types of information are not allowed in MLS listing descriptions, including:
Contact information (e.g., phone numbers, email addresses)
Showing instructions or agent-directed content
Phrases that suggest preferential treatment, such as "Seller will consider all reasonable offers" or similar wording.
State & MLS Description Rules
Alabama
Alabama
Public Remarks must be limited to information that describes or markets the listed property.
Public Remarks may NOT include:
Contact information
Agent, broker, or real estate company information
Information about any individual or entity connected to the real estate business
Websites or URLs
Vendor or third-party service provider information
Owner names or owner contact information
Showing instructions
Alarm codes, gate codes, lockbox codes, or access instructions
Open house information
“For Sale By Owner” or “FSBO”
Information about individuals or co-brokerage arrangements
Photos, floor plans, electronic files, renderings, virtual tours, website URLs, or other media used to advertise or promote an agent, broker, or real estate brokerage
Agent Remarks
Agent Remarks are only visible to other MLS subscribers. They are not displayed to customers, clients, or consumers.
Legal Compliance
All listing remarks must comply with state and federal laws relating to the advertisement and sale of real property.
Arizona
Arizona
Arizona Regional MLS (ARMLS)
Arizona Regional MLS (ARMLS)
Examples of Allowed vs. Not Allowed Public Remarks
Below are examples of language that may be allowed or not allowed in ARMLS Public Remarks.
Generally Allowed in Public Remarks
Sold AS IS
No HOA
Full golf membership available with home ownership, club approval required
Offering 1/7 fractional ownership
Seller is offering $X toward buyer’s closing costs
Seller is offering $X toward buying down the buyer’s interest rate
$X closing cost incentive if closed by XX/XX/XXXX
Ask your agent for walk-through videos and how you can lock this home up now
No showings
Welcome home
Attention investors
Not Allowed in Public Remarks
Solar panels $X/month
Call me for exclusive details
Call the listing agent for exclusive details
Call to schedule your private showing
Come to our open house on XX/XX
Offering credit toward buyer’s loan rate with a specific company name
See more community features at a website or URL
Long-time empty nester owners
Agent bonus of $XXX
Preferred title company language with contact information
Please submit your offer at a website
Schedule your viewing today
Important Note
Allowed language can still depend on the full context of the description and the MLS field where it is entered. If prohibited language is submitted, Listed Simply may remove or omit it without notice to help you avoid MLS violations, fines, or listing delays.
Northern Arizona MLS (NAAR)
Northern Arizona MLS (NAAR)
NOT Allowed In The Description- Carries a $250 per occurrence:
Telephone Numbers
General Contact Information
Names, Including Company Names
Email Addresses
Offering of Compensation
Links to webpages predominantly about offers of compensation
Websites
Security Codes
Lockbox Codes
Virtual Tour Links
Current Vacancy of Property
Title or Escrow Instructions
Showing Instructions
Links to Webpages Predominantly about Offers of Compensation
Bonuses To Agents
MLS of Southern Arizona (MLSSAZ)
MLS of Southern Arizona (MLSSAZ)
The MLS has the right to accept, reject, remove, or require changes to specific information submitted on a listing.
Property Description / Public Remarks
The property description should only include:
Descriptive information about the property
Property features, condition, and details
Information related to the transaction
Property Description May Not Include
Website addresses
Email addresses
Phone numbers
Brokerage branding
Agent branding
Company branding
Vendor or third-party branding
Unprofessional, inappropriate, or derogatory content
Content that violates state or federal law
Content that violates Fair Housing rules
Security, Alarm, and Gate Codes
Security codes, alarm codes, gate codes, and other access codes may not be included anywhere on the listing.
Photos, Virtual Tours, and Media
Publicly viewable MLS fields, remarks, virtual tours, photos, and any other media may not include:
Brokerage branding
Agent branding
Company branding
Vendor branding
Keybox Rules
Only MLS-approved keyboxes may be referenced in the MLS.
The listing may not reference:
Combination boxes
Contractor boxes
“Call for code”
Similar access-code instructions
Photo and Description Ownership
Photos, sketches, and listing descriptions from a previous listing may not be copied unless written permission is received from the original broker who provided the content.
Important Notice
If prohibited language or media is submitted, Listed Simply may remove or omit that content without notice to help avoid MLS violations, delays, fines, or listing removal.
California
California
California Regional MLS (CRMLS)
California Regional MLS (CRMLS)
CRMLS public remarks must only describe the property, its features, condition, and related amenities. CRMLS may remove inappropriate content and issue citations for violations.
Public Remarks May Include
Property features
Property condition
Property upgrades
Property amenities
Neighborhood or location-related amenities
Descriptive information that helps market the property
Public Remarks May Not Include
Contact information of any kind
Branded content
Agent, broker, or company information
Links to external websites
Agent or broker websites
Video tour links
Virtual showing links
Open house tool links
Vendor websites
Offer submission links
Application links
Auction platform links
Showing instructions
Open house information
Lockbox information
Alarm codes
Gate codes
Security codes
Occupancy status of the property
Information that could create an unsafe or unsecure situation
Information directed toward agents or brokers
Compensation, commission sharing, or bonus references
Invitations for the public to contact the listing agent, broker, or third party
Fair Housing violations
Discriminatory, illegal, defamatory, offensive, or inappropriate content
Vacancy / Occupancy Note
Public remarks may not include occupancy status.
However, CRMLS allows a statement that the property shall be delivered vacant.
Remarks and Media Ownership
Listing remarks cannot be copied from a previous listing unless written permission is received from the original listing agent or the appropriate party with the legal right to authorize the use.
Other Remarks and Media Fields
Other MLS remarks or media fields may not be used to:
Disparage other real estate agents
Convey information about other offices
Include information that does not directly relate to marketing the listing
Important Notice
If prohibited language is submitted, Listed Simply may remove or omit that content without notice to help avoid MLS violations, citations, delays, fines, or listing removal.
Metrolist MLS
Metrolist MLS
Property owner name and/or occupant’s name, phone number, email address and address
Showing instructions including any references to a Keybox, burglar alarm or any security system, or to the vacancy of the property.
Compensation or bonuses offered to cooperating brokers
The name, except for broker code, of the listing office/broker; office agent information; phone numbers; office of model homes
Website addresses
Other information which goes beyond a description of the property except for buyer incentives offered by the seller and Security/Access Advisories. (Examples of acceptable comments: Do Not Disturb Tenant, No Trespassing, Secured Access, Guard Dogs on Property, Hazardous Conditions.)
Georgia
Georgia
Georgia MLS
Georgia MLS
Information in the public remarks shall only relate to the attributes, description and condition of the property. Below is what is NOT Allowed:
Remarks Indicating a listing is unavailable (do not show, unavailable, rented, etc.)
Details of Compensation to Agent/Broker (commission, incentive, bonus, etc.)
No contact information is permitted, including names, phone or fax numbers, email addresses or website addresses (including virtual tours and transaction tracking URLs).
No calling instructions that request or suggest calling the listing agent or owner are permitted.
No showing instructions are permitted, including references to lockbox, alarm, gate or other security codes, or the vacancy of the property. However, a statement that the property shall be delivered vacant is not a violation.
No information directed toward real estate agents or brokers, including compensation offered to cooperating brokers may be shown in public remarks.
No other information may be provided that goes beyond the description and condition of the property.
Florida
Florida
Stellar MLS
Stellar MLS
Stellar MLS rules vary depending on the remarks section being used, including Public Remarks, Realtor Only Remarks, and Additional Remarks.
Public Remarks must be about the listed property or the transaction.
Public Remarks May Include
Property features
Property condition
Property upgrades
Property amenities
Transaction-related information
Builder or architect names for resale properties, when used as a feature describing the property
Public Remarks May Not Include
Contact information
Personal or professional information about the MLS participant, user, seller, owner, or builder
Owner names or owner contact information
Lockbox agreement references
Websites or URLs
User or company information
Vendor or third-party service provider information
Showing instructions
Open house information
Inappropriate information or language
Calling instructions
Access codes
Security codes
Gate codes
Any codes for systems or equipment designed to secure the property
Short Sale Requirement
If the property is a short sale, the Public Remarks must clearly identify it by using “short sale” as the first words of the remarks.
Builder Name Rules
Builder name rules depend on the property type:
For new construction, the builder’s name may not be included in Public Remarks.
For resale properties, builder or architect names may be used if they describe a property feature and the builder is not the seller or an MLS participant.
Legal Compliance
All listing remarks must comply with state and federal laws relating to the advertisement and sale of real property.
Important Notice
If prohibited language is submitted, Listed Simply may remove or omit that content without notice to help avoid MLS violations, delays, fines, or listing removal.
Northeast Florida MLS
Northeast Florida MLS
Public Remarks must be about the listed property or the transaction. The Public Remarks shall not include any of the following:
Contact, personal, or professional information about the Participant or User
Any reference to a lock-box agreement
Any direct or indirect reference to websites or URL’s
User or Company information.
Vendor or third-party service provider information
Owner(s) of record name or contact information
Showing Instructions
Open House information
Inappropriate information or language
Calling/Access/Security/Gate or other codes for systems or equipment designed to ensure the security of the property
All listing remarks must be in compliance with State and Federal law in all matters relating to the advertisement and sale of real property.
Any direct or indirect reference to website or URL’s.
Any direct or indirect reference to offers of compensation.
Any direct or indirect reference to offers of compensation anywhere in the MLS, including but not limited to photos, virtual tours, remarks or attachments, public or private remarks or other open text fields is strictly forbidden.
Builder name is acceptable in Public remarks.
Space Coast MLS
Space Coast MLS
No contact information including Open House notifications shall be placed in the Narrative (Public Remarks) section.
No Driving Directions
Photos cannot be branded with listing firm, listing agent information, colored borders, or any third-party contact information such as photographers, builders, or architects.
No external third-party links and or websites are allowed in the narrative.
Contact information may be placed in the agent information section, or in the listing information field provided for that purpose.
Examples of contact information includes but is not limited to name, phone number, e-mail address or branding of any type, including builders.
Character Count Limits
Each MLS has its own character limit for the Public Remarks / property description section. Character limits usually include letters, numbers, spaces, punctuation, and line breaks.
If your description is longer than the MLS allows, Listed Simply may need to shorten it before submitting or updating your listing.
Public Remarks Character Limits by MLS
State | MLS | Public Remarks Character Limit |
Alabama | Greater Alabama MLS | 1,000 characters |
Arizona | Arizona Regional MLS (ARMLS) | 800 characters for 3rd party sites, 10,000 characters on the MLS |
Arizona | Northern Arizona MLS (NAAR) | 800 characters for 3rd party sites, 10,000 characters on the MLS |
Arizona | MLS of Southern Arizona (MLSSAZ) | 800 characters for 3rd party sites, 10,000 characters on the MLS |
California | California Regional MLS (CRMLS) | 1,000 characters |
California | MetroList MLS | Not publicly confirmed — verify in MLS input screen |
Georgia | Georgia MLS | 4,000 characters |
Florida | Stellar MLS | 3,500 characters |
Florida | Northeast Florida MLS / realMLS | 10,000 characters |
Florida | Space Coast MLS | 10,000 characters |
Frequently Asked Questions
Why was my listing description removed or missing?
If your description is missing, it typically means it was not saved. Additionally, MLS rules automatically remove certain types of content, such as contact information or agent-directed remarks. Always ensure your description complies with MLS guidelines and is saved properly.
Can I include phrases like "Seller will consider all reasonable offers" in my listing?
No, such phrases are not allowed in MLS listing descriptions. Similar wording that suggests preferential consideration of offers is also prohibited.
How can I communicate the rental status and availability date of a property?
You can share this information verbally with agents who contact you for showings. This ensures compliance with MLS rules while still providing the necessary details.