Category: MLS

What is RealReports – and Why Bay East Offers It as a Member Benefit (Launching April 22)

In today’s market, agents are under more pressure than ever to show their value to clients. That’s where RealReports comes in.

Think of it like a Carfax for homes—RealReports pulls together details from over 60 trusted industry sources to create one easy-to-read, all-in-one property report. It includes valuable info such as:
• Permit history
• Climate and flood risk
• Estimated flood insurance costs
• Property liens
• Zoning and land use details
• And much more

Each RealReport is powered by Aiden, a smart AI property advisor that can instantly answer questions, explain documents, and provide insights for both agents and clients.
Bay East provides RealReports as a free member benefit because we know how important it is for our members to stand out, save time, and provide clients with fast, accurate property information.

Register for a live webinar to learn more:
• Tuesday April 29 at 10a PT
• Tuesday April 29 at 1p PT

Helpful links
• RealReports website
• Welcome video
• Education Hub (FAQs, tutorials, use cases, etc.)

Your RentSpree link is featured on your listing across top rental sites!

RentSpree, a highly-rated tenant screening service, streamlines the process with its comprehensive suite of features, including rental applications, background checks, credit reports, online income verification, and eviction histories—all in one place. And now, it’s getting even better! 

Starting April 22, when you select “Yes” for RentSpree Online Application field when entering a rental listing, the ApplyLink will automatically appear at the end of Public Remarks section. This makes it even easier for potential renters to apply directly from public-facing Rental websites. Interested renters can simply copy and paste the link on a browser to begin the screening process. 

Rest assured; this update won’t interfere with the public remarks of your listings. You’ll still be able to include all relevant information as usual. This enhancement helps make the rental application process quicker and more seamless for everyone! 

As of April 03, 2025, the Trackxi program will no longer be available to Bay East members due to low adoption rate. Utilizing the Transaction Manager module on zipForm is a great option. Log onto your zipForm account and click on Dashboard to access.

We are continually listening to your feedback to ensure our policies best support your business needs while maintaining compliance and transparency within the MLS. Based on your valuable input, changes have been made to our Coming Soon policy to provide more clarity and flexibility.

MLS Rule Section 10.1.1 Coming Soon Listings.

It shall be the responsibility of the Broker Participant (Section 4.1.1) and Real Estate Subscriber (Section 4.2.1) to follow said rules when placing a property in the Coming Soon section of the multiple listings service (MLS). Broker Participant and Real Estate Subscriber shall only place a property in the Coming Soon section of the MLS if the Participant/Subscriber has met the necessary criteria for MLS input as described in Sections 7.5, 7.6, and 8.1.

1. It is optional to place your listing into the Coming Soon Status.

2. Listing agent must have a signed written listing agreement in place to enter a “Coming Soon” listing which explains the limitations of the “Coming Soon” status.

3. Coming Soon listings will be viewable to all MLS Participants.

4. Coming Soon listings will not be syndicated unless approved by MMG.

5. Coming Soon listings will not be included in the IDX and data feeds.

6. Coming Soon listings are not allowed to be placed into open house or broker tour modules with MLS. .

7. Coming Soon listings are only searchable within the Paragon MLS.

8. Once a listing has been moved from Coming Soon to Active status by the agent, it cannot revert to Coming Soon with that same broker.

9. Days on Market (DOM) re-sets when the status is changed to New/Active.

10. Agent showing is allowed.

11. Once Coming Soon status is entered, public marketing is allowed.

12. Allow Coming Soon data to be in Broker back-office feeds (no front-facing data component) (Brokerages own data only)

13. Photos are optional.

On March 25, the National Association of REALTORS® (NAR) introduced Multiple Listing Options for Sellers, including a delayed marketing exempt listing policy.

MLSs have until September 30, 2025, to implement this policy. For now, nothing is changing for Bay East MLS Subscribers. We are actively reviewing the details and gathering information. Our existing Coming Soon status rules may already align with this policy, but we will assess any necessary adjustments and communicate updates. 

Tired of chasing pay stubs, W-2s, and bank statements? RentSpree’s new income verification report provides a rundown of an applicant’s bank deposits, helping you make sure their reported income matches what they put in the bank.

As a Bay East member, income verification is now automatically included in your RentSpree screening package at no extra cost to you. Applicants pay $49.99 for the complete package.

Go to your Lease Rental listing, select “Yes” for the RentSpree Online Application field and you are all set.

Go to  RentSpree account today to learn more! 

You now have more control over listing photos. You can mark photos as either:  

Private: Photos remain within the MLS only, or   

Public: Photos are in the MLS and can be shared with third-party platforms to maximize exposure. 

These options empower you to manage how your listing photos are presented and marketed, catering to your client’s preferences and needs. 

This feature is currently available for Active and Pending status, we are working with our MLS Vendor to expand that to other statuses as well.  

How to Mark Photos as Private:

1. Go to your listing in LISTINGS – Maintain Listing.
2. Open the Picture Administration module. 
3. Select the photos you want to mark as private. 
4. Click Mark Private on the menu bar. 
5. Click Close to save your changes. 

Please contact our Support team at 925.730.7100 if you have questions.

Starting March 3, 2025, Paragon will introduce a new optional field called “Property Faces” on the listing input screen. This field allows listing agents to specify the property’s directional orientation, with selection options including East, North, Northeast, Northwest, South, Southeast, Southwest, and West.

While this field is not required, buyer agents can incorporate it into their search criteria when provided, making it easier to find properties that meet their clients’ preferences. Additionally, the selected direction will be displayed in Listing Reports, offering greater insight to potential homebuyers.

This enhancement is designed to provide more valuable details to assist buyers in their home search. We encourage listing agents to take advantage of this new feature to better showcase their properties!

Starting Tuesday, March 11, MLS Rule 12.16 (s) will change, allowing all photos of sold listings to be displayed on IDX websites. Previously, only the main photo was permitted. This update aligns our MLS rule with our data-share MLSs.

What This Means for You:

· What is Internet Data Exchange (IDX)? IDX allows brokers and agents to display Active, Pending, and Sold listings on their public websites.

· Can I prevent specific photos from appearing on IDX websites? Yes, you now can mark them as “Private” while your listing is in Active or Pending status.

· What if I need to mark photos private after I mark a listing sold? You would need to email us at mlsservices@bayeast.org providing the MLS#, Address, and which photos to update.

· When I mark a photo “private” what does that mean? These photos remain in the MLS and will be restricted to go to 3rd party sites/vendors.

· How do I mark a photo “private”?

1. Go to Listings tab -> Maintain Listing

2. Click on Select and Action link for that listing

3. Open the Picture Administration module

4. Select the photos you want to mark as private

5. Click Mark Private on the menu bar and close to save changes

· What if I mark a photo private but change my mind? No problem, select the photos and now click “Mark Public”

Updated MLS Rule 12.16 (s): Use of Sold Listing photos on Broker/Agent Website

· Previously: Only the main photo could be displayed; no additional photos are permitted.

· Effective March 11: This restriction will be removed, allowing additional photos to be displayed on approved IDX websites.

Click here xto get more information about IDX. If you have any questions regarding this rule change, please contact MLS Services at mlsservices@bayeast.org

We want to inform you of an important update to the MLS rules regarding Coming Soon listings in Broker back-office feeds.

Previous Rule:
“Allow Coming Soon data to be in Broker back-office feeds (no front-facing data component) (Brokerages own data only).”

Updated Rule:

“Upon request all Paragon MLS Coming Soon data can be in Broker back-office data feeds. However, Coming Soon listings may not be displayed or integrated into any public-facing products or websites, except for listings belonging to the listing brokerage.”

This update clarifies that broker back-office data feeds include all Paragon-generated Coming Soon data. It also outlines how this data can be used within broker back-office systems and what Coming Soon information, if any, can be publicly displayed.

If you have any questions about this change, please don’t hesitate to reach out to us at mlsservices@bayeast.org