“Coming Soon” sounds like a way to market before the rules apply — it isn’t. It’s the trigger for the rules, not an exemption from them.
Short answer
Yes, with a real constraint attached. A “Coming Soon” post is “public marketing” under CREA’s REALTOR® Code Article 30.2, which requires compliance with the REALTOR® Cooperation Policy — residential listings must go on an MLS® System within three days of public marketing starting, unless the seller has signed a written confirmation opting for an office exclusive instead. RECO’s ordinary advertising rules, including the mandatory brokerage-name requirement, apply to the post itself.
Effective January 3, 2024, CREA’s REALTOR® Cooperation Policy defines public marketing as “any type of marketing of a listing to the public or to anyone not directly affiliated with the brokers and licensees of that brokerage” — a yard sign, a flyer, a digital ad, a newsletter mention, or a “Coming Soon” social post all qualify. Once that marketing starts, the listing has three days to reach an MLS® System. The policy doesn’t ban pre-MLS marketing outright: sellers who genuinely want privacy can choose an “exclusive,” but only after being told the tradeoff — REALTORS® must disclose the benefits of MLS® exposure, including “greater exposure of the property to more potential buyers, which may result in more offers,” and a seller who declines must give written confirmation that they understand the disadvantage and are choosing not to market publicly.
A coming soon post is still advertising, full stop — RECO’s Bulletin 5.1 brokerage-name requirement and Bulletin 5.3’s accuracy standard (“current, accurate, and does not misrepresent facts”) both apply to it exactly as they would to any other ad. Don’t publish a price or terms you haven’t confirmed with the seller in writing, and don’t let “coming soon” framing imply an offer date, showing schedule, or availability you haven’t actually set. Treat the post as the start of your three-day clock, not a way around it, unless you and the seller have made the exclusive election in writing.
See also: what must appear on your advertising and how accurate square footage must be.
A 30-minute call is enough to build a compliant coming soon and exclusive-listing process before your next file.
