“The buyer wants to have all of the pictures of their new home taken off of the MLS. What can I do?”
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Timing is everything. While the new owners of the property can decide how or if they want their home photographed going forward, they don’t have control over what was done in the past. The data entered by the previous listing agent on behalf of the previous owners –including photographs— is under the control of that listing agent who must also remain in compliance with California law. Specifically, California Civil Code 1088 (C) which states that all listing data, including photos, must be maintained for a minimum of three years.
What can be done with the express, written permission of the listing agent is removing virtual data attached to the listing along with setting the syndication permission (which appears on the listing under the title “Publish To Internet”) to NO to remove the prior listing from being included going forward in IDX feeds.
Keep in mind that the listing data which helped your seller purchase their new home will be a part of the same data set that will help them when they decide to sell in the future. Additionally, finding good comparables is driven by having accurate and complete listing data in the MLS, theirs and everyone else’s. Maintaining data integrity –including the photos-- makes it easier for everyone, agents and clients alike.
First published in the Office Liaison Report on 2022/12/20.