MLS Updates: School fields changing to pick lists & more
Changes are coming to the WMLAR MLS system starting March 3, 2025 which will bring the system in line with national standards necessary to maintain a key certification.
To improve data consistency, WMLAR’s MLS service provider, MichRIC is rolling out updates that will affect school fields and other listing details.
These changes will take place in two phases and will help ensure better data sharing, increased accuracy, and compliance with RESO standards. Here’s what you need to know:
Phase 1: School fields change to pick lists (March 3)
Currently, the Elementary School, Middle School, and High School fields are open text fields, allowing agents to manually enter school names. This will be changing to a single-select pick list to improve accuracy and standardization.
We’ve worked with data providers to compile comprehensive school lists for each field. However, we understand that some schools may be missing. If you notice a missing school, you can request it to be added using this form..
Phase 2: Additional MLS updates (Week of March 10th)
The second round of updates will include:
✔ Small verbiage changes, such as renaming “Mid Cent Mod” to “Mid-Century Modern.
✔ More noticeable adjustments to ensure data consistency and RESO compliance.
✔ Better MLS data sharing with other platforms by increasing common fields.
Rest assured, no existing data or options will be removed! If a field already exists during a data update, the information will transfer automatically, ensuring past listings remain intact.
Why This Matters for You
These updates may seem like a big shift, but they enhance the accuracy of MLS data, making your job easier when listing properties or pulling comps. Plus, improved data standardization helps listings display more consistently across MLSs and real estate websites.
