If a seller wants to “take a break until spring”, and pull the property off the market, how should the listing agent proceed?  There are a few factors to consider.

Will the listing agreement remain in place? 

If so, agents should use Temporarily Off Market (TEMP) status.  Under this status, the property is not available for showings or open houses, however, sign removal is not required. Days on Market (DOM) and Cumulative Days on Market (CDOM) do not accrue when the listing is in TEMP status, but will pick up where they left off when the listing is reactivated.

TEMP listings must be returned to Active status before any showing or open house occurs. A listing in TEMP status may not be listed with another firm, and it will automatically change to Expired status on the expiration date.

If the listing agreement is terminated prior to the expiration date, agents should use Withdrawn status. Only Member Participants with head-broker or office-broker permissions in the MLS system can withdraw listings. A listing in Withdrawn status may be listed with another firm. Withdrawn listings cannot be returned to Active status.

The Canopy MLS Board of Directors recently approved a new MLS rule called, “Listing Manipulation” (Section 1.12.1). The rule states:

The listing must reflect the correct status at all times and may not be inactivated through a change of status and then be reactivated to cause the listing to appear as new. The only valid reasons for changing a listing number is the execution of a new listing agreement by a new office, or the execution of a new listing agreement on a property by the same brokerage which is dated following the expiration or withdrawal of the prior agreement.

A violation of this rule is a Category II violation, as described in Section 8.4.2 of the Canopy MLS Rules and Regulations.

When will DOM and CDOM reset?

DOM resets to zero with any new listing with a new MLS number. However, CDOM will only reset to zero if the previous listing closed, or has been off market (Temporarily off Market, Expired or Withdrawn) for more than 90 days. 

Please note, if a listing is in TEMP status immediately prior to expiring or being withdrawn, the next listing’s CDOM will reset to zero if the TEMP date is greater than 90 days, even if the listing expired or was withdrawn recently.