MLS Remarks vs. MLS Description

MLS systems have multiple text fields, and confusing them costs agents showings.

Ask five real estate agents what the difference is between MLS remarks and an MLS description, and you will get five different answers — some of them wrong. The terminology varies by MLS system, the fields serve different audiences, and the character limits and rules differ significantly between boards.

Getting this wrong has real consequences. Content meant for buyers ends up in agent-only fields. Legally required information gets buried where buyers cannot see it. And agents waste time rewriting the same information into multiple fields without a clear strategy for each.

This guide clears up the terminology, explains what each field does, and shows you how to write for each one effectively.

The Different MLS Text Fields: An Overview

Most MLS systems have at least three distinct text fields for each listing. The names vary by platform, but the functions are consistent.

Public Remarks / Listing Description

Who sees it: Buyers on public portals (Zillow, Realtor.com, Redfin), agents reviewing listings, buyers using the MLS directly.

What it is: This is the primary description field — the marketing copy that represents the property to the broadest audience. It appears on every portal that syndicates from the MLS. Everything in this field is public and permanent.

Character limits: Vary significantly by MLS board. Common limits range from 250 to 1,000 characters (note: characters, not words). Some boards limit to 2,500 characters. Always verify your specific board's limit before writing.

Content: Marketing-focused. What makes this property distinctive, what are the key features, why should a buyer schedule a showing. Fair Housing rules apply fully.

Other names you may see: Public comments, listing remarks, public description, property description.

Agent Remarks / Showing Instructions

Who sees it: Licensed agents only. Not visible to buyers on public portals.

What it is: A private field for agent-to-agent communication. Showing instructions, lockbox information, offer presentation preferences, and property disclosures that are relevant for agents but not appropriate for public marketing.

Character limits: Typically more generous than public remarks — often 500-2,500 characters depending on the board.

Content: Showing instructions (call/text/ShowingTime), lockbox type and code (some boards prohibit codes; use a general description instead), offer presentation preferences (escalation clauses allowed? Best offers by X date?), seller circumstances (occupied or vacant, days/times available), and any required agent-facing disclosures.

Fair Housing: Applicable. Even agent-only remarks cannot contain discriminatory language.

Other names you may see: Private remarks, agent notes, confidential remarks, showing instructions.

Property Highlights or Feature Fields

Who sees it: Varies by MLS. Many systems display feature fields publicly in structured formats separate from the description text.

What it is: Structured data fields for specific property attributes — features like "hardwood floors: yes," "pool: yes," "school district: Lincoln USD." These are form fields, not free text.

Why they matter: Feature search filters on portals are powered by these fields. If you mark "pool: no" on a property that has a pool, buyers filtering for pool properties will never see your listing — regardless of what the description says.

Content: Accurate, complete data matching the actual property. These fields feed search filters and automated property matching.

Why the Terminology Confusion Happens

The word "remarks" is used to describe the public field in some MLS systems (FMLS, Georgia MLS) and the agent-only field in others (MLSListings, NWMLS). "Description" is used for the public field in some systems and does not exist as a field name in others.

The practical rule: when you enter your listing, identify which field is visible to the public (buyers) and which is visible only to agents. The naming convention your MLS uses is less important than understanding the audience for each field.

If you are unsure which field is which in your MLS system, add a test phrase like "test public visibility" to a field, activate the listing in preview mode, and see if the phrase appears on Zillow or Realtor.com within a few hours. The field it appears in is your public field.

What to Write in Each Field

Public Remarks: Write for Buyers

Your public remarks are marketing copy addressed to a buyer who is reading 20 listings and deciding which ones are worth their time. Write accordingly.

Structure:

  1. Opening hook: the property's single most compelling feature (1-2 sentences)
  2. Interior highlights: kitchen, primary suite, any distinctive architectural features
  3. Practical features: lot, garage, systems, renovations
  4. Location context: school district, proximity to key destinations
  5. Call to action: "Schedule a private showing" (brief)

Length guidance: Write to your MLS board's character limit, but aim to use 70-90% of available characters on most listings. Shorter descriptions tend to underperform — buyers use description length as a proxy for whether the agent is engaged and the property is worth their time.

Do not include: Showing instructions, lockbox codes, seller circumstances ("motivated seller"), price reduction history, agent commission notes, or anything that belongs in the agent remarks field.

Fair Housing: Apply the full standard. No discriminatory language, no prohibited terms, no neighborhood descriptors that could imply protected class characteristics.

Agent Remarks: Write for Agents

Your agent remarks field is a professional communication to licensed agents. It should contain everything an agent needs to efficiently show and evaluate the property.

Essential content:

  • Showing instructions (ShowingTime, app, call first, lockbox, etc.)
  • Lockbox location and type (supra/combo — do not include codes in MLS)
  • Occupancy status (owner-occupied, tenant-occupied with 24-hour notice, vacant)
  • Showing availability (available anytime, M-F 10am-5pm, 24-hour notice required)
  • Offer presentation preferences (escalation clauses accepted/not, offer review date, best by date)
  • Contact preference for offers (email, fax, through MLS)
  • Any seller circumstances agents should know (estate sale, divorce sale, corporate relocation)

Example agent remarks: "Showingtime — easy to show. Supra lockbox front door. Vacant, leave lights off and secure. Seller requests all offers by Sunday 6pm via Showingtime. Escalation clauses acceptable. Disclosure package available through DocuSign — request through listing agent. Exclude the kitchen island (personal property). Pre-approval required with all offers."

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Character Count Strategy

Many agents underutilize the public remarks field because they are unsure how much to write or default to a shorter description to avoid exceeding limits. Here is a practical framework.

Understand Your Board's Actual Limit

Do not guess. Log into your MLS, create a test listing, and count the characters in the public remarks field. Note whether the limit counts characters (including spaces) or words. Copy the number into your listing workflow documentation so you are never writing blind.

Use Available Characters Strategically

Different property categories warrant different description lengths:

Entry-level and mid-range residential (under $500K): Use 75-90% of available characters. Buyers in this range are comparison-shopping actively and read descriptions carefully.

Luxury properties ($1M+): Use 90-100% of available characters. Luxury buyers expect comprehensive descriptions and interpret brevity as lack of attention or effort.

Investment properties: Use most available characters for financial data. Cap rate, income, lease terms, and improvement history all belong here.

Vacant land: Description lengths can be shorter if the key data (acreage, zoning, utilities, access) is captured in feature fields. Do not pad land descriptions with marketing language that obscures practical information.

MLS Syndication: What Gets Published Where

When your MLS pushes data to public portals (Zillow, Realtor.com, Redfin, Homes.com), the public remarks field is published. The agent remarks field is not published to public portals.

This syndication determines the practical impact of what you write. A well-written public description will appear on every portal where buyers search. A well-written agent remarks field affects only agents and stays within the MLS.

Some MLS boards allow photos to be sequenced with the description in mind — the hero photo that appears on portals is the first photo uploaded, and the public description is the companion text. Think about the first impression as a photo + description combination, not just text in isolation.

Common Mistakes in MLS Text Fields

Putting Showing Instructions in Public Remarks

"Call listing agent to schedule showing" in the public remarks field tells buyers nothing useful and wastes character space. Showing instructions belong in the agent remarks field only.

Putting Marketing Copy in Agent Remarks

Marketing language ("spacious," "beautiful," "must see") in the agent remarks wastes space that should be used for operational information agents need.

Omitting Critical Offer Information

Not including offer presentation preferences (review date, escalation clause policy, required documentation) in agent remarks forces other agents to call and ask — which adds friction and may cause some agents to skip the showing.

Ignoring Character Limits Until Submission

Writing a 2,000-character description and then cutting it at submission time produces inconsistent copy and loses the most compelling content you had developed. Know your character limit before you write.

Not Updating Fields When Circumstances Change

If showing availability changes (tenant gives notice, seller's schedule changes), update the agent remarks. If a date-specific offer review passes without an offer, remove that date from the agent remarks. Stale agent remarks create confusion and reflect poorly on listing agent professionalism.

AI Generation and Multiple Fields

AI listing description tools like ListingKit generate public-facing MLS description copy — the marketing text that goes in your public remarks field. The generated description is fair housing compliant, property-specific, and within typical MLS character limits.

The agent remarks field still requires manual input: showing instructions, lockbox details, offer terms, and seller circumstances. These are operational details the AI cannot know from photos and property data. Build a personal template for your agent remarks that you customize per listing, covering all the standard information fields, and you will save time without sacrificing completeness.

The Bottom Line

The distinction between public remarks (buyer-facing marketing copy) and agent remarks (agent-facing operational information) is the most important distinction in MLS text fields. Write the public field to engage and inform buyers. Write the agent field to enable smooth showings and clear offer processes.

Understanding which field your MLS calls which name matters less than understanding the audience for each. One is a buyer. One is an agent. Write accordingly.