Protecting data in Flexmls is important. Avoid deleting photos or documents, as it could be a violation of the realMLS’ copyright. This information was introduced in March 2020, but let’s take another look!

How to Avoid Deleting Photos

Don’t delete your listing photos, instead make them private! To make your photos private, go to Menu. Under the Add/Change section find Change Listing.

After you select the listing you wish to change, go to Media and then select Photos. Select the individual photos or all photos you would like to make private.

Then, choose one of the following options: Mark Private or Mark Private While Off-Market. Mark Private means only members can view the photos regardless of listing status. Mark Private While Off-Market means the photo will automatically be made private when the listing is in an off-market status.

Private photos are no longer syndicated to the internet. This means only members can see private photos as they remain in Flexmls for historical purposes and for other members to use for comparables. RealMLS treats the photos like any other piece of data, as it will not be removed solely because the listing changes status.

Why is Making Photos Private Important?

Not only are you avoiding a potential $200 violation, but deleting photos results in members having incomplete and degraded information on affected listings and comparables. By making photos private instead of deleting them, you are limiting potential copyright infringement.

Data Integrity stresses that it is vital that the property be presented as it was during it’s time on the market and at closing. Here are a few photo reminders from Data Integrity:

• The primary photo cannot be made private.
• One photo minimum to submit when listing, with the exception of Commercial for Sale and/or Commercial for Lease.
• At least one of the photos submitted must show most of the total home/building/lot including a front exterior photo or rendering.
• Unless under the course of actively marketing a listing, photos should only be deleted under extremely rare circumstances. Call when in doubt.