If you are buying or selling a home in East County San Diego, privacy matters. And there is an important new update designed specifically to protect homeowners after their property closes.

CRMLS has implemented an updated rule that changes how listing photos are displayed once a home is no longer for sale. Here is what that means for you as a consumer.

What Is Changing?

Under the updated Rule 19.2.4 (Display Content – IDX):

Once a listing moves into Closed, Leased, Expired, or Canceled status:

• All interior and additional photos will be removed from third-party websites

• Only the primary exterior photo will remain visible publicly

• All photos will remain stored inside the MLS for professional and historical purposes

In simple terms, once you close on your home, detailed photos of the inside of your property will no longer be visible on public websites.

What Are Third-Party Websites?

Third-party websites include popular home search platforms that display listings through IDX (Internet Data Exchange). These are sites consumers commonly use to browse homes online.

After closing, your listing photos will automatically be removed from these public-facing sites.

You do not need to request removal. You do not need to follow up. The system handles it automatically.

Why This Rule Was Created

This change comes directly from homeowner and agent feedback.

Many sellers have expressed concerns about:

• Interior photos of their home remaining online after the sale

• Floor plans and layouts being publicly accessible

• Personal spaces visible to anyone searching the internet

• Privacy and security risks

Once your home is no longer for sale, there is no reason for detailed interior photos to remain publicly available.

This rule addresses those concerns.

What Stays and What Goes

After closing:

Removed from public websites:

• Interior photos

• Backyard photos

• Garage photos

• Detailed room images

• Any photos beyond the primary image

What remains publicly visible:

• The primary photo (typically the main exterior shot)

What remains inside the MLS:

• All original listing photos

• Property details

• Historical listing data

The MLS keeps everything for professional use, including accurate comparable sales and valuation analysis. This ensures real estate professionals can continue to run reliable market data and comps.

Nothing is deleted from the MLS database. It is simply removed from public display.

Does This Affect Home Value or Market Records?

No.

The MLS retains all listing photos and property information as part of the permanent historical record. Brokers and agents still have full access to:

• Prior listing photos

• Property descriptions

• Sales history

• Data needed for accurate pricing and comparisons

This change does not alter market data. It only limits public-facing visibility after the transaction is finalized.

Do Homeowners Need to Do Anything?

No action is required.

CRMLS automatically removes excess photos from finalized listings, including historical ones.

Previously, agents often had to manually request or remove photos after a sale. That process could take time. Now, it happens by default.

This saves time and improves consistency.