Warnings and Errors (when saving a listing)

When you're adding a new listing or updating an existing listing, you may encounter warnings or errors after you click the Validate for Publishing or Save Changes button.

Please do not ignore the message that comes up on the screen- doing so may prevent you from saving your work. Make sure to read the screen carefully so you understand what caused the warnings and/or errors. Each flagged field has a Fix this link that brings you directly to the listing input tab where the problem lies:

Understanding the difference between warnings and errors (and knowing how to address them) will help you enter and update your listings more efficiently.

The major difference between warnings and errors is that warnings will not prevent you from saving your changes or publishing the listing. A warning is simply a heads up that there are fields on the input form that should be reviewed before saving or publishing. You can still save your changes or publish the listing without addressing those fields, but it is recommended that you review those fields to ensure their accuracy.

Examples of common warnings include:

• Mismatches between the tax record data and the listing information (such as address, parcel ID, square footage, number of bedrooms, etc.).
  • When entering a Rental for a multi-family property, the bedroom count will be flagged because the number of bedrooms in the unit for rent will not match the tax record, which shows the total number of bedrooms for the entire property. Make sure to enter the correct number of bedrooms for the unit that is being rented (not the total number of bedrooms for the entire property). This will generate a warning that will be reviewed by our Compliance team, but you can still proceed with publishing the listing.
• Specific words in free-text fields (such as Remarks) that could conflict with fair housing guidelines or go against the NAR Settlement requirements.
  • For instance, iterations of the word show (showing, showings, ShowingTime) are permissible in most cases, but entering no showings is not allowed and would trigger a follow up Data Checker Inquiry Notice from our Compliance department.

For warnings that are generated by individual words, it is important to understand that the context in which the word is used is vital in determining whether it is indeed a legitimate issue. For example, words such as due and bonus are automatically flagged as possibly violating terms of the NAR settlement. However, if those words are not used in the context of compensation or commission, they are permissible- you can ignore the warning and proceed with saving your listing. 

Note: We understand that there are instances where words are incorrectly identified as being in violation. We are currently working to develop a system for reviewing free-text fields that is better equipped to consider the overall context in which words are used before flagging it as a possible issue. This should greatly reduce the number of warnings that end up being false positives.

It is crucial, however, that you remain cognizant of the language (and context) you’re using in these fields.

Errors, on the other hand, will prevent you from saving your changes or publishing the new listing. When you have errors on your input form, you will not see a Save Listing button in the top right corner:

Examples of common errors include:

• Missing paperwork (Coming Soon Addendum, Lead-Based Paint/Property Condition Disclosures).
• Mismatches between the Beds Total field and the number of bedrooms entered in the Room Details section.

If you encounter errors on your input form when trying to publish your listing or save your changes, you will not see a Save Listing button in the top right corner. Your only option is to click the Validation Check Failed arrow in the upper left to get back to the listing input form and address the issues that caused the error.

Once you have addressed all issues, click Validate for Publishing (or Save Changes) again and you should be all set. If you have not fixed the issue that triggered the error, you will not be able to save your changes or publish the listing.