Multiple Listing Options for Sellers

After many months of analysis and deliberation across the industry—including MLS leadership; Association Executives; brokerages of all sizes; agents; multi-cultural partners; and fair housing, policy, technology, and legal experts—NAR has adopted a new MLS policy, Multiple Listing Options for Sellers, which exists in conjunction with the Clear Cooperation Policy and other MLS policies to provide sellers and their agents more options and choice when marketing a property, while also supporting fair housing by providing buyers and their agents with equal access to important MLS property information.

New MLS Policy Statement

Multiple Listing Options for Sellers

Office Exclusive: Is an exempt listing where the seller has directed that their property not be disseminated through the MLS and not be publicly marketed. The office exclusive listing shall be filed with the MLS but not disseminated to other MLS Participants and Subscribers.

Delayed Marketing: Is an exempt listing where the seller has directed the listing broker to delay the public marketing of that listing through IDX and syndication for any period as allowed by the local MLS in its unfettered discretion. A delayed marketing listing shall be filed with the MLS and does not preclude the listing firm from marketing the listing in a manner consistent with their seller’s choice.

Exempt Listing Disclosure: The filing of an exempt listing (office exclusive or delayed marketing) with the MLS must be pursuant to a certification obtained by the listing broker from the seller which includes:

disclosure about the professional relationship between the Participant and the seller;
acknowledgement that the seller understands the MLS benefits they are waiving or delaying with the exempt listing, such as broad and immediate exposure of their listing through the MLS; and
confirmation of the seller’s decision that their listing not be publicly marketed and disseminated by the MLS as an office exclusive listing or that their listing will not have immediate public marketing through IDX and Syndication as a delayed marketing listing.

Multiple Listing Options for Sellers requirements only apply to listing types that are subject to mandatory submission pursuant to the MLS local rules.

With this new policy:

A consumer will have the option to market their home as a “delayed marketing exempt listing.” This means a seller can instruct their listing agent to delay the marketing of their listing by other agents outside the listing firm through IDX or syndication for a period of time.
During the delayed marketing period, the home seller and the listing agent can market the listing in a manner consistent with the seller’s needs and interests. At the same time, the delayed marketing exempt listing will still be available to other MLS Participants through the MLS platform so they can inform their consumers about the property.

Each MLS will have discretion to determine a delayed marketing period that is most suitable for their local marketplace.
Listing agents representing sellers who choose to delay the public marketing of their listing must secure from their seller a signed disclosure documenting the seller’s informed consent to waive the benefits of immediate public marketing through IDX and syndication. Seller disclosure is required for both delayed marketing exempt listings and office exclusive exempt listings.

NAR is also clarifying its policy interpretation that one-to-one, broker-to-broker communications about listings do not trigger CCP requirements. However, multi-brokerage communications about a listing will constitute public marketing under CCP. The Multiple Listing Options for Sellers policy is effective March 25, 2025, and must be implemented by September 30, 2025, allowing for technical changes associated with this new seller option of delayed marketing exempt listings. Prior to local implementation, MLSs are encouraged to engage with their brokers and stakeholders to gather input on the flexibility and accommodations consumers need in their local market. Please note that the new policy does not change an MLS’s local mandatory submission deadlines or CCP and its requirement to file a listing with the MLS within one (1) business day from public marketing.