Broker Load is a valuable asset to both the REALTOR® and his/her client. For your own knowledge, we ask that you read this document in full.
See bottom of page for Broker load Penalties
1. Incorrect LINC Numbers:
Only the LINC number from the Certificate of Title or from the online tax record can be used. Do not use the Registration number. The LINC number is referred to as LINC on the Title and is located at the top of the document. When the tax record is not available online you must pull title before loading the listing.
Land Leased Community listings: Before adding a Land Leased Community listing, please check the Association’s MLS® System by either a cross-property or property archive search to find any previously assigned LINC number for the subject property. The LINC number is assigned to the address, not the structure itself. If it was previously listed, there should be a LINC number and you must use it. If a LINC number does exist and you do not use it, this will be considered a Brokerload Offence. If the subject property has never been listed before, phone the MLS® Help Desk at (780) 453-9304 and they will assign you one. If it is after hours or on a weekend, place a temporary LINC number in the space and phone the MLS® Help Desk first thing the following morning and get them to assign you one. Failure to phone would be considered a Brokerload Offence.
For Rural or New Condo Listings: If a situation arises where a LINC number is not available, (ie: when the property is subject to final subdivision approval) you must call the MLS® Help Desk before loading the listing. We will assign a LINC number and then keep track of the listing until you send the new registered LINC number to us.
For Commercial Broker load: If loading a Commercial Lease or “Business Only” Listing, you must check the Association’s MLS® System by either a cross-property or property archive search to find any previously assigned LINC number for the subject property. For “Business Only” listings, the LINC numbers start with the letter “B” and for Lease listings, the Linc number starts with the letter “L”. If the subject property has never been listed before, phone the MLS® Help Desk and they will assign you a LINC number. If it is after hours or on a weekend, place a temporary LINC number in the space and phone the MLS® Help Desk first thing the following morning and get them to assign you one. Failure to phone would be considered a Broker load Offence.
*ONLY USE THE LINC NUMBER FROM THE CERTIFICATE OF TITLE OR ONLINE TAX RECORD*
2. Restrictions on Showings Requests must be sent to the MLS® Help Desk.
Restrictions of property showings, including, but not limited to properties reported pending, are permitted at the request of the seller. Remarks which restrict the showing of a property are in all cases to be placed in the Private Remarks.
Instructions related to the restrictions of property showings can be acknowledged by the seller in one of two ways;
- An amendment to the listing contract signed by the seller or
- The listing input sheet containing the instructions signed by the seller (not applicable to pending)
Either document must be immediately provided to the REALTORS® Association of Edmonton whether entered by either Association staff or Broker load. Failure to do so within two days of either original or subsequent entry of the private remarks will result in the withdrawal of the listing from (A) active status or
(P) pending status in the Association’s MLS® System and a Broker load offence for those users. The REALTORS® Association of Edmonton reserves the right to verify the restriction instructions with any Seller.
On withdrawn listings, a maximum time frame of ten (10) Calendar Days will be allowed. After ten (10) Calendar Days, it will be changed back to active and the Brokerage will be notified. The Broker/Manager and Seller will have to sign the initial amendment and the Association must receive a copy of the amendment within two days of the entry of the comments into the Association’s MLS® System. Failure to do so will result in a Broker load Offence.
3. Listings containing false information
No listing can be added containing information that is not factual and/or negatively affects the integrity of the Association’s MLS® System.
*ALL BROKER LOADED INFORMATION MUST BE FACTUAL AND SUPPORTED CONTRACTUALLY.
REFER TO REALTORS® Association of Edmonton’s RULES AND REGULATIONS. * LOADING A LISTING WITH AN INVALID CONTRACT CAN RESULT IN A LOSS OF IMMEDIATE BROKER LOAD ACCESS AND A POSSIBLE FINE.
4. Call when you update "Incomplete” listing information
The MLS® Help Desk checks every non-Association loaded listing to ensure that mandatory fields have been filled in. Some fields cannot be programmed as mandatory, for example, room levels. Room Levels are very important because they create the computerized room count so valuable for searches both on the Association’s MLS® System and for the public searching properties on REALTOR.ca.
If we find that you have loaded a listing missing a mandatory field, the listing will be flagged incomplete. You will be sent an email advising what information is missing. You will have seven days to provide the missing information regardless of the listing’s status (sold, cancelled, terminated, withdrawn, expired, pending or active). On the eighth day, a maintenance fee of $25 will be charged to the listing Brokerage. This charge will continue each week until the information is updated or until a maintenance fee of $75 is accumulated. Any listing which is flagged incomplete will NOT be forwarded to CREA for display on REALTOR.ca until the missing information has been provided to the Association and the flag removed. Once the maximum fee of $75 is reached, an additional notice will be sent to the offending Agent advising that their information system access will be WITHDRAWN should they fail to provide the missing information within seven days.
When you add the missing information, you must call the MLS® Help Desk to have the incomplete flag removed as you do not have access to remove the flag. Remember that mandatory information is important even when the property is no longer active.
*WHEN YOU ADD INCOMPLETE LISTING INFORMATION UPDATES, PLEASE CALL THE MLS® HELP DESK TO HAVE THE FLAG REMOVED. FAILURE TO DO SO COULD RESULT IN YOUR LISTING NOT GOING TO REALTOR.ca, A $75 MAINTENANCE FEE AND A POSSIBLE LOSS OF SYSTEM ACCESS. *
5. Use of Public Remarks and Photographs
When adding a listing using your Broker load capabilities, all information in the general (public) remarks section of the Association’s MLS® System Listing on the Association’s MLS® System must be property specific. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, self-promotion and/or any contact information of the Listing Brokerage, listing REALTOR® or Member, including but not limited to e-mail addresses, URL’s (website addresses), virtual tour information and electronic links or any other kind, fax numbers or references to other “team members” or assistants is not permitted in the general (public) remarks section of a listing on the Association’s MLS® System.
Photographs or artists’ renderings shall not include any wording or other embellishments not related to the property, such as but not limited to: corporate logos, advertisements, Member contact information or any messages other than “Sample photo”.
* WHEN YOU ADD NON-PROPERTY SPECIFIC REMARKS OR ON PHOTOS TO YOUR LISTING AS A BROKER LOAD USER, IT WILL BE CONSIDERED A BROKER LOAD OFFENCE. *
Please note: Where the Seller directs the listing REALTOR® in writing to do so, the seller’s contact information may appear in the REALTOR® only remarks (non-public) section of a listing on the Association’s MLS® System. The seller’s contact information shall not appear on REALTOR.ca or in the general (public) remarks section of a listing on the Association’s MLS® System.
The listing REALTOR® may include a direction in the general description section on REALTOR.ca or on websites operated by CREA or the Association to visit the REALTOR® website to obtain additional information about the listing, but the nature of such additional information shall not be specified.
Example of approved wording: “Visit REALTOR® website for additional information.”
To see some additional examples of non-acceptable use of Private Remarks, please click here.
6. Reproduction of images, Links and Public Remarks violating Copyright Law
Members cannot use another Brokerage’s images, links and/or public remarks on their listings.
2.04
e) Members shall not use any of the images from Active MLS® Listings or previous
Listings, regardless of the format, without the written consent of the former Listing
Brokerage
*WHEN YOU LOAD ANOTHER BROKERAGE’S IMAGES, LINKS AND/OR PUBLIC REMARKS ON YOUR LISTING, IT WILL BE CONSIDERED A BROKER LOAD OFFENCE. *
7. Off the Market
All terminated listings must be reported to the MLS® Services Department by sending the appropriate documents. Placing "Off the Market” in the remarks or other comments of a similar nature and intent it is considered a Broker load Offence.
8. Compensation
There must be an offer of remuneration by the listing member to the cooperating member. The negotiated rate of remuneration payable to the Buyer’s Brokerage must be greater than zero.
*PLACING ZERO IN THE COOPERATING COMMISSION FIELD WILL BE CONSIDERED A BROKER LOAD OFFENCE.
9. Inaccurate Data
Listings that are entered with inaccurate data such as single-family homes entered as condominiums, Side by Side duplexes entered as Half Duplexes, Seller’s Names not entered in full and the Total Floor Area entered as square feet rather than square meters will be considered a Broker load Offence.
**PLACING LISTINGS ON THE ASSOCIATION’S MLS® SYSTEM WITH INACCURATE DATA AFFECTING SEARCHES AND DATA INTEGRITY WILL BE CONSIDERED A BROKER LOAD OFFENCE**