Signed listing agreement required
You must have a signed listing agreement before entering a property as “Coming Soon.”
Seller must approve in writing
Use a Coming Soon addendum or form signed by the seller.
No showings allowed
No one — not even the listing agent — can show the property while it’s in Coming Soon status.
Short time limit
Most MLSs only allow “Coming Soon” for 5–15 days before it must go Active.
Expected active date required
You must enter the date the property will go live (Active) in the MLS.
One-time use
Once the property becomes Active, you usually can’t move it back to Coming Soon.
At least one photo
A front photo or rendering is usually required when you list it.
Advertising rules
You can say “Coming Soon,” but don’t advertise or imply the home is available for showings.
Automatic change
After the time limit, the MLS may automatically switch the listing to Active.
Fines for breaking rules
Violating Coming Soon policies (especially by allowing showings) can lead to fines.
📍 Examples:
ValleyMLS (Huntsville area): Max 5 days in Coming Soon.
Greater Alabama MLS (Birmingham area): Allows up to 15 days.
West Alabama MLS: No Coming Soon status allowed.
Here’s a practical checklist to follow when deciding whether to list a property as “Coming Soon” in Alabama (or to verify compliance):
Check your MLS’s specific rules
Get the latest rules & regulations from your MLS (or REALTOR® association).
Find the “Coming Soon / Off-Market / Pre-Marketing / Temporary Off Market” section.
Obtain written seller authorization
Use a Coming Soon addendum (or form) that explicitly gives permission.
Make sure the seller understands showings are prohibited until Active.
Set the expected on-market date
Choose a date within the allowable timeframe (e.g. within 5, 6, 10, or 14 days as your MLS rule allows).
Enter that date in the MLS when creating the Coming Soon status.
Enter the listing promptly (if required)
Some MLSs require the listing to be entered in Coming Soon status within a certain number of business days after listing agreement.
Some MLSs may impose fines or penalties if delayed.
Provide at least a primary photo
Most MLSs require at least one exterior or rendering photo with the Coming Soon listing.
Limit marketing / advertising
When marketing, clearly use “Coming Soon” language; do not mislead that showings are already allowed.
Some MLSs disallow distribution to third-party syndication/portals until Active date.
Don’t allow showings
Under no circumstance should showings or previews happen while in Coming Soon status.
Violations may trigger fines or forced status change.
Monitor the time window
Stay alert to the expiration of the allowed Coming Soon period; transition to Active (or Withdrawn) before or when required.
If your MLS auto-rolls status after the time window, verify that it does so properly.
Avoid relisting as Coming Soon
Once the property becomes Active (or moves status), check the MLS rules about whether you can use Coming Soon again (often prohibited or restricted).
Be ready to transition early
If the property becomes ready sooner (repairs done, photos ready), be prepared to flip it to Active status ahead of schedule (if allowed).
Here are particular rules from Alabama MLSs / Realtor associations to illustrate how the principles are applied locally:
No status transfer: Listings may not be transferred from any other status into COMING SOON. Birmingham Association of REALTORS®+1
Eligible property types: Includes residential (single family, condo, multi), land, rentals, commercial. Birmingham Association of REALTORS®
Promotion permitted: Coming Soon listings can be promoted on the MLS public website, MLS-contracted apps, etc. Birmingham Association of REALTORS®
The rules document states that the MLS will accept exclusive listing contracts, etc. (less specific on duration in that excerpt) Birmingham Association of REALTORS®
Duration: The Coming Soon status is limited to 5 calendar days. Huntsville Area Association of Realtors
Seller authorization & documents: An executed listing agreement must be on file, and a Coming Soon addendum must be attached. Huntsville Area Association of Realtors
No showings: Showings (even by listing agent) are not allowed during Coming Soon status. Huntsville Area Association of Realtors
Expected on-market date: The listing must include an “Expected On-Market Date” no more than 6 days later (so your Coming Soon window is short). Huntsville Area Association of Realtors
Photos: A minimum of one photo (front exterior or rendering, aerial, etc.) must be submitted. Huntsville Area Association of Realtors
Transition: If the property is ready before that date, the status can be changed to Active earlier. Huntsville Area Association of Realtors
One-time use / restrictions on reusing: The listing can’t be re-entered into Coming Soon unless certain conditions are met (e.g. listing expired, changed brokers, etc.). Huntsville Area Association of Realtors
Interestingly, the “Coming Soon” provision has been deleted entirely in the West Alabama MLS rules (as of their 2021 revision). CabooseCMS
That means in that jurisdiction, you may not have a Coming Soon status at all (they do not honor it) under current rules. CabooseCMS
Their MLS rules mention typical listing procedures (e.g., how types of properties are accepted) but in the version I saw, I did not find a specific “Coming Soon” section in that excerpt. USAMLS
RealtySouth (a major brokerage in Alabama) has a published Coming Soon Addendum form. According to that form:
The property will be entered in the MLS in Coming Soon status per MLS rules. RealtySouth Resources
The property is not eligible for showings or previews during this status. RealtySouth Resources
The addendum stipulates the Coming Soon status is limited to 15 days max (after which MLS may automatically update to Active). RealtySouth Resources
If Coming Soon is changed to another status than Active, it may be audited. RealtySouth Resources
The Coming Soon status can only be used once per property under that listing. RealtySouth Resources