Flat Fee MLS Rental Listing Questions

The Multiple Listing Service (MLS) is the local property database used by participating real estate brokers and agents. It places your rental property where agents search for homes that meet their clients' needs. Renters working with agents are generally serious about moving, and many have already discussed their qualifications, budget and timing with an agent.

Your MLS rental listing will also be distributed to participating local and national real estate websites. This gives your property broad exposure to prospective tenants and the real estate community.

Yes. Select Premium Properties enters your property into the same local MLS database used by participating real estate agents in your area to find rentals for their clients. Your property appears alongside other professionally listed rental properties.

Select Premium Properties, Inc. is the listing agency that will appear on your MLS listing. ExpressMLSListings.com is our marketing website and online listing platform; that website name will not appear as the listing agency.

Select Premium Properties is a professional brokerage name that does not label your property as a flat-fee or discounted listing. Your rental is presented like other professional brokerage listings within the real estate community.

Your property is listed in the MLS by Select Premium Properties, Inc., a long-established licensed real estate brokerage. The MLS does not display the flat fee you paid to list your rental.

Unlike brokerage names that advertise a discount service, the name Select Premium Properties does not identify your property as a flat-fee listing. It appears as a professional brokerage listing, not as an owner-entered or lesser listing.

We are not a referral website that collects your order and passes it to an unknown brokerage. Your listing remains with Select Premium Properties throughout the listing period, giving you continuity and a clear understanding of which licensed brokerage is responsible for your listing.

Yes. Tenant agents may contact you directly to arrange showings, ask property questions and present applications or lease proposals. You remain the primary contact and make the decisions about your property, including tenant qualifications, lease terms and any compensation you choose to offer.

The contact and showing instructions you provide are included in the MLS listing and the MLS showing service so agents can reach you directly. Your contact information also appears with your property address on SelectPremiumHomes.com.

Any tenant or agent inquiries our brokerage receives about your rental are forwarded directly to you. We do not retain those leads or attempt to represent the tenant in order to earn tenant-agency compensation.

The MLS showing service is ShowingTime, an appointment-management service used by agents to request showings. You receive showing requests directly and may approve, decline or suggest another time. When agents submit feedback after a showing, that feedback is also sent to you.

Real estate companies may list properties only in states where they are licensed. Select Premium Properties provides MLS rental listings in participating areas throughout North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Virginia, Maryland and Pennsylvania.

Our coverage area includes the MLS systems shown on our coverage map. This is also helpful when comparing services: a company advertising listings outside the states where it is licensed may be acting as a referral website and transferring the listing to another brokerage.

Those websites can provide useful additional exposure, but the MLS reaches the professional real estate community and places your rental where agents search for properties for their clients. An MLS listing also gives prospective tenants greater confidence that the property is represented by a licensed brokerage rather than being an unverified advertisement.

The MLS does not necessarily replace your other advertising. It expands your reach by adding agent exposure, professional showing tools and distribution to participating rental and brokerage websites.

The MLS is the professional database where participating brokers enter and maintain listing information. Consumer websites receive listing data from the MLS and display it to the public. The MLS is the original source for your professional listing; websites such as Realtor.com, Homes.com, Zillow and participating brokerage sites are additional destinations.

Your MLS rental listing is distributed to participating consumer and brokerage websites supported by the MLS serving your property. Destinations include Realtor.com, Homes.com and Zillow and may also include Apartments.com and other local, national and brokerage websites.

Rental syndication varies more than sale-listing syndication. Website destinations are controlled by each MLS and independent website and may change at any time.

Many websites display new listings and changes within several hours, while others may take 24 to 72 hours. Realtor.com commonly updates within minutes to several hours after receiving MLS data; other websites may update less frequently.

Each independent website controls when it receives and refreshes listing information, so we cannot guarantee an exact posting time on a particular website.

We enter the information and photos you approve into the MLS. Participating websites then choose which MLS fields to display and how to arrange them. Although we cannot control an independent website's layout, advertising or contact features, corrections made in the MLS normally flow to participating websites during their next update.

Most national websites do not display the owner's contact information beside an MLS listing because they use their own inquiry forms and may prominently feature participating advertisers. Your contact information does appear with the property address on SelectPremiumHomes.com.

The MLS listing and ShowingTime instructions tell agents how to contact you directly. Any inquiry our brokerage receives is also forwarded directly to you.

Any tenant or agent inquiries our brokerage receives about your property are forwarded to the email address you provide. We do not keep those leads or attempt to convert prospective tenants into our own clients. You contact them directly and remain in control of the conversation.

You may request a printable color flyer containing information from your MLS listing from us. Some participating real estate websites may also provide their own printing or sharing options.

When your MLS rental listing is sent to Zillow, it will replace your existing For Rent by Owner advertisement with the professional MLS listing.

If you prefer to maintain your own Zillow rental advertisement, note that request in the Special Listing Instructions field while completing your listing. We can then opt the MLS listing out of Zillow distribution.

You may use your own sign, but our professional Select Premium Properties sign makes it clear that the property is represented by a licensed real estate brokerage and provides space for your telephone number. This can give prospective tenants greater confidence than a generic For Rent sign.

The optional sign is yours to keep, so you may continue using it for future rentals.

A lockbox is optional, but it can make agent showings easier when a property is vacant or you cannot be present. You may rent one of our MLS lockboxes in eligible areas or provide your own combination lockbox.

If you wish, you can provide us with the access instructions and we can place them in ShowingTime so they are released to an agent after the showing appointment is confirmed. If you rent a lockbox from us, it must be returned after the listing ends.

Signs and lockboxes are typically shipped by USPS Priority Mail and generally arrive within two to three days after your property is listed. Tracking information is provided when available. The sign is yours to keep; a rented MLS lockbox must be returned at the end of the listing.

Yes. If you need time to prepare the property or receive marketing materials, choose a future start-showing date during the listing process. We can place the property in Coming Soon status, when permitted by the MLS, and ship the materials before the property becomes Active for showings.

You may provide up to 50 property photos for publication in the MLS and associated real estate websites at no additional charge. This gives you room to show the exterior, main living spaces, bedrooms, bathrooms, outdoor areas, amenities and other features prospective tenants will want to see.

Include a clear exterior property photo and upload the images through your online account or email them directly to us. Some MLS systems permit more photos, but this service includes a maximum of 50 owner-provided images.

Yes. A virtual tour gives prospective tenants another way to explore the property before scheduling a showing, which can be especially helpful for people relocating from outside the area. You may add a link to your virtual tour at no additional charge. Include the link in the Special Instructions field during the listing process or email it to us, and we will add it to the appropriate MLS field.

After your property is listed, you will have access to a forms and resources library within your online account. Required property disclosure forms will be identified for you, helping you understand which documents should be completed and available to prospective tenants and agents. Requirements vary by property and state, so the materials are provided for convenience and do not replace legal advice.

Rental listings are offered in three-month terms, but you may choose an earlier expiration date. An additional three-month term is available for $145 if you need more time.

You are not required to remain listed for the full term. You may withdraw the property before expiration as long as it has not been leased and no application or lease is pending.

Yes, provided the property has not been leased and no application or lease is pending. A $45 early-withdrawal fee applies to process the withdrawal through the MLS, associated websites and our brokerage records.

Yes. Enter your preferred start-showing date during the listing process. Your property can begin in Coming Soon status and then become Active for showings on the date you select.

Yes. Coming Soon status lets agents and prospective tenants know that your rental will soon be available while giving you additional time to prepare the property. Showings are not permitted while the listing remains in Coming Soon status.

Most MLSs allow a property to remain Coming Soon for up to 21 days. Your property will automatically become Active and available for showings on the start date you select. If you become ready sooner, simply email us and we can activate the listing before that date.

After your property is listed, submit changes through the Listing Change form in your online account. This creates a clear written record and helps us enter your instructions accurately in the MLS; for that reason, listing changes cannot be accepted by email, text or telephone.

You may include multiple updates on one form. Changes submitted within the first 24 hours after the listing is entered into the MLS are free. After that review period, a $20 fee applies to each submitted change form. Changes are generally completed within a few hours after we receive them.

You remain in control of the information used to market your property, including your property description, directions and showing or listing instructions. Because the MLS is designed to present listing information consistently, some fields use standardized choices that cannot be customized. Any personalized remarks or instructions must also comply with Fair Housing laws and applicable MLS rules.

A tenant agent may discuss the prospective renter's needs, budget and timing before arranging a showing. The agent can coordinate the appointment, show the property, answer questions about the application process and help the tenant prepare an application or lease proposal. This can save you time and reduce inquiries from people who are not ready or qualified to rent.

The tenant agent may also help keep communication organized and move the process forward when the prospective tenant is interested. You still decide whether an applicant meets your requirements and may conduct your own screening. Because the agent represents the tenant rather than you, you remain responsible for protecting your interests and complying with Fair Housing and landlord-tenant laws.

No. Compensation is negotiable and is not set by law. You decide whether to offer compensation to an agent who brings you a qualified tenant and, if so, what amount, if any, works for your rental.

Your $295 fee pays Select Premium Properties to list the property in the MLS. Any compensation you separately agree to pay a tenant agent is between you and that agent.

No. Under current MLS rules, an offer of compensation to a tenant agent may not be displayed in the MLS listing, including public or agent remarks, photos, virtual tours, uploaded documents or linked pages. This is an industry rule rather than a restriction created by our company.

You may still discuss and negotiate compensation directly with an agent who contacts you about the property.

Agents may contact you directly and ask whether compensation is being offered. You can then discuss the amount and terms privately with that agent before the showing or application proceeds.

You may also communicate an offer through lawful marketing outside the MLS, provided it complies with applicable laws and MLS rules.

Compensation is negotiable, so the amount may be discussed separately with each agent. Any difference should be based on legitimate business terms and applied in compliance with Fair Housing and other applicable laws.

We highly recommend putting any compensation agreement in writing so both parties clearly understand the amount, conditions and timing of payment.

You communicate with prospective tenants and agents directly and decide the rent, deposit, lease terms, tenant qualifications and any agent compensation. This keeps you in control of the landlord-tenant relationship.

Select Premium Properties remains the listing brokerage and must receive the completed lease and related status information within 48 hours after the lease is signed by you so we can update the MLS and maintain the transaction records required of the brokerage.

Select Premium Properties, Inc. is a long-established, fully licensed real estate brokerage owned and operated by Principal Broker Stephanie Smith. We have more than 25 years of flat-fee listing experience and are licensed in North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Virginia, Maryland and Pennsylvania.

Real estate licensing is public information, so you do not have to rely only on what a website tells you. You may independently verify our brokerage and broker licenses through the official state licensing agencies below:

North Carolina license verification
South Carolina license verification - choose Real Estate Commission
Georgia license verification - search Stephanie J. Smith or license 366731
Virginia license verification - search Smith, Stephanie
Maryland license verification - search Smith, Stephanie
Pennsylvania license verification - search Stephanie Smith or license RM423650

You manage showings, tenant screening, applications, lease terms and negotiations directly. Your most important responsibility is to keep us informed of changes affecting the listing so the MLS remains accurate.

When the property is leased, please send us the fully executed lease and complete the applicable status form in your online account within 48 hours after you sign the lease. This allows us to update the listing status and complete the brokerage's required transaction processing.

The MLS may assess fines or other charges when required documents or status changes are not received within its required time frames. Any MLS fine or charge resulting from an owner's failure to provide the required information on time will be charged to the property owner.

Although you manage tenant selection and lease negotiations directly, Select Premium Properties remains the listing brokerage. We need the fully executed lease to verify that the property has been rented, update the MLS accurately and complete the brokerage's required compliance and recordkeeping responsibilities.

The lease also provides the information needed to report the final rental terms required by the MLS. It is retained as part of the brokerage transaction record and is not used to take control of your landlord-tenant relationship.

The time depends on how much information and how many photos you have ready. Many owners complete the process in approximately 30 to 60 minutes. You may save your progress and return later if you need to gather measurements, photographs or other property details.

You will review the required listing documents before the $295 listing payment is requested, so you can understand the terms before committing.

We work seven days a week and can usually prepare a complete listing for the MLS the same day it is received. Processing time depends on receiving complete, accurate information, signed documents, suitable photos and payment.

You may choose same-day listing when available, Coming Soon status or a future start date. After the listing is entered, independent websites update according to their own schedules.

You first enter your property information and review the required listing documents. The $295 listing payment is requested only after those documents are available for your review.

Payment may be made securely online using the payment methods offered during the listing process. Your listing is then prepared for submission to the MLS you selected.

A tenant agent—sometimes called a renter agent—represents the prospective tenant. That agent may help the tenant locate rentals, arrange showings and prepare an application or lease proposal.

Select Premium Properties is the listing brokerage, but under this flat-fee service you remain the primary contact and manage the rental directly. Throughout our website, we use the clearer term tenant agent for an agent representing a prospective renter.