For NY Agents & Brokers · Updated November 2026

7 Listing Data Practices Every NY Agent Should Follow

Wrong square footage, an old tax figure or a bedroom count that doesn't match the photos. Small listing errors cost you credibility and can turn into disputes later. Here's how to get the data right before you publish.

By John Manfred, Manfred Real Estate Learning Center

The Short Answer

Treat every listing field as a business record. Build the listing from source documents, not memory. Make square footage and room counts defensible, keep remarks factual, check that photos match the property today, have a second set of eyes review it before it goes live, and treat every change as new data. Accurate listings protect you and lead to better pricing advice.

Practice 1

Start With Source Documents, Not Memory

Don't build a listing from what the seller remembers or from the last time the house was listed. Pull the deed, tax record, survey, prior appraisal or floor plan, and the seller's documents for updates like a new roof or furnace.

If you can't verify a fact, say it's unverified or leave the field blank when your MLS rules require verified information.

Practice 2

Make Square Footage and Room Counts Defensible

Square footage is the field buyers question most. Note where your number came from (tax record, appraisal, builder plan or your own measurement) and follow your MLS's rules for how it's reported.

Be careful with finished basements. Appraisers generally don't count below-grade space as above-grade living area, so list it separately. The same goes for bedrooms and baths: count only what you can support.

Practice 3

Write Remarks That Inform Without Creating Risk

Good remarks describe the property: its features, updates, layout and location facts. Avoid claims you can't back up and any wording that signals a preference for or against a group of people. Both the federal Fair Housing Act and New York's Human Rights Law apply to real estate advertising.

Using AI to draft remarks? Review every line yourself. See how AI marketing can build your brand and our advertising compliance checklist.

Practice 4

Create a Photo and Media Checklist

Photos, floor plans and virtual tours must show the property as it is now. Retake photos after renovations or seasonal changes, and label any virtual staging clearly.

Before you publish, remove anything private: family photos, mail, documents, alarm panels, license plates and anything that shows the seller's schedule.

Practice 5

Build a Review Process Before You Hit Publish

A second reviewer catches what you miss when you've looked at a listing too long. Have a teammate or your broker check four areas:

Practice 6

Treat Changes as New Data, Not a Quick Edit

A price change, a new status or a finished repair can affect more than one field. When something material changes, re-review every field it touches, update the remarks and photos if needed, and keep a dated note of what changed and why. Your listing reaches many sites at once, so accuracy carries everywhere. See whether agents can control listing distribution.

Practice 7

Use Better Data to Give Better Advice

Accurate listings make accurate comparables, for you, other agents and appraisers. When your data is clean and your research reaches beyond one local MLS, your pricing advice gets stronger and easier to defend. Explore MLS listings across New York State and the top tools for listing exposure.

Printable One-Page Checklist

Before You Publish a Listing

Print this section (Ctrl+P or Cmd+P) and run through it on every new listing.

Better Listings, Better Reach

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