Is Your Listing Video MLS-Compliant? What Agents Need to Know
Most MLS platforms and syndication partners like Zillow, Realtor.com, and Redfin have rules about what can and can’t appear in listing media. A video that breaks those rules can get rejected, pulled after the fact, or in some cases trigger a complaint from a competing brokerage. Here’s what actually matters.
The core rule: no price, no contact info, no brokerage promotion inside the video itself
Most MLS compliance issues come down to one theme: the video shouldn’t function as an ad for the agent instead of the property. That generally means avoiding:
- Listing price overlaid on the video (prices change, and outdated overlays cause confusion or disputes)
- Phone numbers, email addresses, or “call me” CTAs baked into the footage
- Prominent brokerage or agent branding that overshadows the property
What’s usually fine
- A small, tasteful logo watermark (check your specific MLS’s exact size/placement rules)
- Room labels or captions describing the space (“Primary suite,” “Updated kitchen”)
- Background music, as long as it’s licensed for commercial use
Why keeping price and contact info out of the video actually helps conversion
Beyond compliance, there’s a practical upside: a video that doesn’t show the price or a phone number gives a viewer exactly one path to learn more — contacting you. Overlaying that information in the video removes the reason to reach out.
Building compliant videos by default
The safest approach is to use a tool that doesn’t default to price or contact overlays in the first place, rather than remembering to strip them out every time. Visual Property Agent’s video tour generator exports clean MP4/WebM files with only what you explicitly add — captions, a logo watermark you control, and music — so there’s nothing to accidentally leave in that could cause a compliance problem.
Before you upload to your MLS
- Check your specific MLS’s media guidelines — rules vary by board
- Confirm your music is licensed for commercial/real estate use
- Keep any logo watermark small and in a corner, not covering the property
- Leave price and contact details for the listing description, not the video itself
