September 10, 2025

Contact: Kim McMillan, 704-993-8384

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Canopy MLS had been considering making policy and system changes to expand seller listing options and to help agents better meet the needs of their clients prior to the National Association of Realtors® (NAR) announcing its MLS policy changes in March. The policy and system changes outlined below were approved by the Canopy MLS Board of Directors at its August board meeting and were made independent of the NAR policy updates that Canopy MLS declined to adopt.

“This was not a process we took lightly.  We utilized several mechanisms to garner feedback from our agents, including a scenario-based survey to gauge the level of understanding our agents have regarding what is currently permitted under the Canopy MLS rules,” said Anne Marie DeCatsye, Esq., CEO of Canopy Realtor® Association/Canopy MLS. “The survey also asked for input on potential rules and system changes to better address clients’ privacy and security concerns, Clear Cooperation, and Coming Soon policies.”   

Canopy MLS is implementing the following immediately:

Clear Cooperation Policy (CCP) Update:

• The submission requirement will remain at one business day. Canopy MLS will also adopt the interpretation that one-to-one, agent-to-agent communications about listings do not trigger CCP.

Firm Exclusive Agreement Update:

• The Firm Exclusive Agreement will be updated to allow agents and brokers within the listing brokerage’s firm to share listings directly with their clients and customers through one-to-one relationship communications.

For example, Private one-to-one, agent-to-agent communications do not trigger CCP requirements. However, multi-brokerage communications about a listing will constitute public marketing under CCP.

By year-end:

Coming Soon-No Show Status Modification:

• Price changes made while in Coming Soon–No Show status will be recorded but will not appear in the listing’s history, Recent Changes, Market Watch reports, or Hot Sheet updates.
• Once the listing becomes Active, the Original List Price and Previous List Price fields will update to reflect only the new price.

Early next year:

• New Listing Option: Limited Exposure
• Gives sellers more control over how much visibility their Active listing receives.
• During Limited Exposure:
• Days on Market will not be tracked.
• Price history will be recorded but not displayed.
• Showings will be allowed.
• Listings will be excluded from data feeds (IDX, VOW, Syndication).
• New Listing Option: Firm Exclusive
• Can be entered into the system but will be viewable only by agents within the listing brokerage.
• Price changes will be recorded but will not appear in the listing’s history, Recent Changes, Market Watch reports, or Hot Sheet updates.

“These updates and options are intended to provide our agents a way to better serve their clients' preferences in our marketplace,” said Charisma Southerland, 2025 president of Canopy Realtor® Association/Canopy MLS. “Members are encouraged to ask questions and contact MLS Compliance for assistance as these changes are being implemented.”

For information about Canopy MLS, visit our website: CarolinaHome.com. For interviews with 2025 Association/Canopy MLS President Charisma Southerland, Realtor®/Broker with Allen Tate Company, or Canopy MLS CEO, Anne Marie DeCatsye, Esq., please contact Kim McMillan.

Canopy Realtor® Association owns and operates Canopy MLS, the region’s primary source for accurate and timely property data in a multicounty service area, including the Charlotte MSA, Asheville MSA, and Hickory-Lenoir MSA, spanning across North Carolina and South Carolina to outside the Carolinas. Canopy MLS provides the latest technology, tools, and analytics that real estate licensees utilize to support consumers with their residential real estate transactions.