How to Read an MLS Listing
Read a real broker sheet field by field, then use the sample sheet below for fields that only sale listings have. Hover over any field (or tap it on a phone) to see what it means.
Read a real sheet, field by field
Below is the real broker sheet of a rental listing I handle. Hover over any text to see what that field means. Click it for a longer explanation and a question you can send me. The legal unit number, condo corporation number and property manager are blacked out.
4 things to check first on this listing
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Underline colours on the sheet Good signInfoCheck thisCautionHidden
This sheet was printed on November 2, 2026. The price and status may have changed since then.
More fields on a sample sheet — what a sale listing shows
Hover over or tap a field
Sample detached houseSample listing sheet — not a real listing
Basics
The unique number for this listing. If the same home is listed again, it gets a new number. Sending me this number is the fastest way to ask about a home.
The listing status, for example New, Price Change, Sc (sold conditionally), Sld (sold), Lsd (leased), Ter (terminated) or Exp (expired).
The asking price set by the seller. The final price can be higher or lower, depending on competing offers and negotiation.
The address of the home. (This address is made up.) Condo listings also show the unit number.
The nearest main intersection. It helps you find the general location on a map.
The kind of home and its shape, such as Detached, Semi-Detached, Att/Row/Twnhouse or Condo Apt, and styles such as Bungalow or 2-Storey.
Dates
Days on Market — how many days this listing has been up. A relisted home starts counting again, so it helps to look at earlier listings of the same home too.
The date the seller signed the listing agreement with the brokerage.
The date the listing agreement ends. If the home is not sold by then, the listing is extended or ends.
What the seller wants for the closing (possession) date. Words like Flexible or TBA are common. The actual date is set in the offer.
Taxes and Lot
The yearly property tax and the year it is for. It is entered by the seller, so check it against the city tax bill. It can change after you buy.
The lot size, usually frontage x depth. Irregular lots are marked Irreg. Check the exact boundaries on a survey.
The direction the front of the home faces (N, S, E or W). Useful for thinking about sunlight.
The city’s land-use zone for the lot. The value on a listing is for reference only, so check with the city if you plan an addition or an extra unit.
Inside
In “4+1”, the first number is bedrooms above ground and the number after + is extra rooms below ground (such as in the basement). The extra room is not necessarily a legal bedroom.
The number of washrooms. In brackets is count x pieces: a 2-piece has a toilet and sink, a 3-piece adds a shower, and a 4-piece also has a tub.
The number of kitchens. The number after + is usually a basement kitchen.
An approximate range of indoor area in square feet. It usually counts above-ground floors only and may not be measured. One square foot is about 0.093 m².
The approximate age of the home in years, entered by the seller.
The basement condition, such as Finished or Sep Entrance (separate entrance). A separate entrance does not mean it is a legal second unit.
How the home is heated and with what fuel (for example gas forced air), and cooling (for example central air).
Parking and Services
The garage type (Attached or Detached) and the number of spaces inside it.
Total parking spaces, counting both the garage and the driveway.
Whether the home uses city water and sewers, or a well and septic system. Wells and septic systems should be inspected separately.
Remarks and Inclusions
The listing description that buyers see. It is advertising, so check the facts separately.
Extra details, often the items that come with the home (fridge, light fixtures and so on). What is actually included is set by what the purchase agreement says.
Equipment in the home that is rented, not owned (such as the hot water tank). Usually the buyer takes over the rental contract and pays the monthly fee. Check the contract terms.
The listing brokerage (the seller’s side). (This company name is an example.)
Fields only on condo listings (sample)Sample listing sheet — not a real listing
The monthly condo fee. What it covers (heat, water, hydro and so on) is shown in the next field and in the status certificate.
What the condo fee includes. Anything not included, such as hydro, is paid separately.
The direction the unit’s windows face (for example SE).
Whether there is a storage locker and whether it is owned or exclusive use.
Whether pets are allowed. Restrict means there are limits, so check the condo rules.
Real listing sheets differ a little in field names and layout from board to board and system to system. The sheet is filled in by the listing side, so check important details such as size, age and zoning through documents, the city and your lawyer before you sign.