FlexMLS “Area” Field Removal Scheduled for January 27, 2026. Body of Water Field Impacted.

On January 27, 2026, the long-standing “Area” field in FlexMLS will be removed across all MichRIC MLS’s, including WMLAR MLS. We recognize that this change may feel disruptive—especially for members who have relied on the Area field for many years—but it is being made to improve search accuracy, data consistency, and listing visibility across shared MLS systems.

After conferring with the MichRIC CEO and completing system testing, it became clear that the County field is a universal, standardized data point used consistently across all MLS data shares. The Area field, by contrast, has been applied inconsistently over time, creating limitations that often worked against members rather than helping them.

Why the Area Field Is Being Removed

Through testing, we found that using Area as a search criterion frequently restricted results due to inaccuracies or inconsistencies in how Areas were assigned to listings. In some cases, valid listings were excluded simply because the Area field did not align correctly.

Additionally, several partner MLSs within MichRIC’s data shares do not use Areas at all. As a result, searches relying solely on the Area field may have unintentionally excluded listings from those systems. Removing the Area field helps ensure members see complete and accurate results across all participating MLSs.

What to Use Instead

With the removal of the Area field, members are encouraged to use more precise and standardized geographic boundaries, including:

  • County
  • City or Municipality
  • Custom map overlays (using the polygon tool)

These options improve search accuracy, ensure more comprehensive results across data shares, and ultimately provide greater visibility for listings to all MLS Participants and Subscribers.

Important Changes to the Body of Water Field

Important Changes to the Body of Water Field

Alongside the Area field removal, the Body of Water field will also be updated. The key change is that it will no longer be tied to Area.

For example, if a property is located on Green Lake, members will simply select Green Lake and the appropriate County. If multiple bodies of water share the same name across different counties, selecting that name will return results from all applicable counties. Members can then narrow results using County, map overlays, or other geographic filters.

This update allows MichRIC to clean up and consolidate duplicate and variant body-of-water names, resulting in clearer, more consistent, and easier-to-use search options. While MichRIC will complete most of this cleanup prior to January 27, some manual cleanup may still be required afterward.

Member Action Required: Update Saved Searches

Any saved search that currently relies on the Area field may become overly broad or inaccurate once the field is removed. Members—especially those using saved searches for active client notifications—are strongly encouraged to review and update their searches before January 27.

How to Edit a Saved Search:

  1. Click the saved search name to open it on the search results page.
  2. Click the Edit Search tab to adjust the parameters.
  3. Adjust your search criteria using County, City, Municipality, or a map overlay.
  4. When finished, click Save > Save Search.

MichRIC will also broadcast reminders to all MichRIC associated users/subscribers to edit their saved searches.

Key Takeaways for Members

  • Update saved searches now to prevent overly broad results and maintain accurate client alerts.
  • Use alternative geographic boundaries in place of the Area field such as County, City, Municipality, or map overlay.
  • Expect some manual cleanup for the Body of Water field after January 27.
  • Proactively communicate with clients if your saved searches are impacted.

While this change requires some adjustment, it ultimately strengthens FlexMLS by improving accuracy, consistency, and listing visibility. Taking a few minutes now to update saved searches will help prevent confusion and ensure reliable client communications moving forward.

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