Hey Elite Agents,
Great news from Charleston MLS.
The Board of Directors has approved an update to Section 1.1.6(M) of the Rules and Regulations, and this one is going to make your listing descriptions much easier to write.
🎉 What Changed?
You may now mention financing types and government-backed loan programs directly in your Public Remarks.
That means phrases like:
FHA financing welcome
VA buyers encouraged
USDA eligible
Conventional financing accepted
Assumable loan available at 3.25%
…are now perfectly acceptable.
✅ Allowed in Public Remarks
You may include:
FHA
VA
USDA
Conventional
Assumable loans
Government-backed program names
Examples:
"USDA Rural Development eligible."
"FHA and VA financing welcome."
"Assumable VA loan at 3.25% available to qualified buyers."
❌ Still NOT Allowed in Public Remarks
You still may NOT mention:
Specific lender names
Mortgage company names
Branded loan programs
Loan officer names
Phone numbers or email addresses
Referral language
Not Allowed Examples:
"Preferred financing through Palmetto Home Loans."
"Call Mike Smith at Coastal Lending."
"Ask about HomeReady Plus from ABC Mortgage."
📝 Allowed in Agent Notes Only
If you want to share lender information with cooperating agents, you may place the following in Agent Notes:
Lender/company names
Loan officer names
Contact information
Branded loan programs
🏡 Why This Matters
This change gives you more flexibility to market financing opportunities that can attract buyers, especially:
Assumable low-interest loans
USDA-eligible properties
VA-friendly homes
FHA financing opportunities
These are strong selling points, and you can now advertise them directly to the public.
💡 Melissa’s Broker Tip
When in doubt, ask yourself:
Are you describing a loan type, or are you promoting a lender?
If you're describing a loan type such as FHA, VA, USDA, conventional, or assumable, you're good to go.
If you're naming a lender, loan officer, or specific company program, keep it in Agent Notes only.
🚨 Potential Fine Risk
Including lender names, contact information, or branded programs in Public Remarks can still result in MLS violations and fines.
So yes, you can say:
✅ "Assumable loan at 3.25%."
But not:
❌ "Contact John at ABC Mortgage for details."
Happy marketing!
