Yes. Your team can override or enhance MLS descriptions on selected listings while all other fields keep syncing from the MLS. With MLSimport, you choose if the description keeps syncing or stays frozen, and you can do that per feed or per listing workflow. That protects custom copy on key properties while the plugin keeps pulling fresh prices, photos, and status changes for everything else.
How does MLSimport handle MLS-synced descriptions versus manual edits?
You can turn off description sync while all other MLS fields keep updating like normal.
Imported listings from MLSimport land in WordPress as regular property posts, with the main description saved in the standard content field plus extra meta fields. Your editors work in the normal WordPress editor, not a locked screen. The plugin then runs scheduled syncs, often hourly as a rough rule, to refresh mapped fields like status, price, photos, and coordinates from the MLS feed.
In the MLSimport field-mapping screen, you decide if the MLS “Public Remarks” or description field is part of the sync profile. If you leave description mapped with full sync, every update from the MLS replaces the content area, which works fine when you do not plan to edit copy. If you turn description sync off for that feed, the plugin still updates all other mapped data but stops touching the content field, so your manual edits stay safe.
This setup lets you start from the MLS description, then flip the description field to “no further sync” once your writer has improved the text. MLSimport keeps tracking changes for status, price, and images without rolling back your copy. Because the description storage uses normal WordPress fields, you can also place page-builder blocks or shortcodes around it without weird overwrite behavior during later syncs.
Can we selectively override descriptions on only some imported listings?
You can safely enhance descriptions on chosen listings while the rest of the feed stays fully automated.
Any property that MLSimport creates can open in the WordPress editor and be edited like a normal post. Your team can pick a few priority listings, rewrite the description, add subheadings, or insert extra images and media. As long as the description field or added custom fields aren’t in the active sync set, future MLS updates won’t overwrite that work. The rest of the feed keeps syncing on the normal schedule with no extra steps.
A simple pattern is to keep description syncing on at first, then, after editing a specific property, change that one listing’s content setup by copying the MLS text into another meta field and unmapping the main description in MLSimport. You can then add an “Enhanced Copy” tag or category in WordPress so your team can quickly find which listings have custom text. This tag is local to your site, so the plugin’s updates never touch it.
Theme tools can use that tag to highlight those listings differently in loops or grids, without changing how the feed itself runs. The plugin keeps pulling fresh prices and status changes for all listings, including the enhanced ones, because numeric and structural fields stay mapped. At first this feels like an all-or-nothing switch. It isn’t. You mix automatic import with hand-written text only on properties that deserve extra focus.
- Editors can open any synced property post and rewrite or expand the main description field.
- Fields removed from MLSimport sync keep their manual content on every future MLSimport update.
- Local tags like “Enhanced Copy” help your staff track listings with custom descriptions.
- The theme can flag enhanced listings while MLSimport still refreshes price and status.
What configuration options prevent MLS updates from overwriting our custom copy?
By adjusting mapping rules, you can freeze text fields while structural data like price keeps syncing.
Inside the MLSimport mapping UI, each feed lets you toggle description sync on or off, so you can stop updates for that single field without touching others. Certain text fields can be marked “import once,” which pulls the MLS value the first time and then ignores later changes for that field only. That pattern works well when you want an initial MLS description but plan to refine it locally after launch.
| Option | What it controls | Effect on custom copy |
|---|---|---|
| Description sync toggle | Include or exclude remarks from regular updates | Stops MLS from overwriting edited descriptions |
| Import once flag | One time import for some text fields | Locks text after first pull from MLS feed |
| Separate agent remarks mapping | Maps private remarks away from public content | Keeps internal notes out of public description |
| Unmapped custom fields | Local ACF or theme fields for extra text | Remain untouched during every synchronization |
| Per feed field profiles | Different rules for different MLS sources | Lets one feed freeze copy while others sync |
Because unmapped local fields are never touched, you can place extra marketing text, bonuses, or SEO blocks into custom fields or ACF groups while MLSimport keeps working only on its mapped set. Using separate mapping for private “Agent Remarks” also helps with compliance, since those comments stay in the backend and never show on public pages. I used to think this mapping stuff was overkill, but a few switches give tight control over which words the MLS can change and which words stay local.
How does MLSimport work with themes to add extra SEO content around MLS data?
You can wrap synced listing data with unique SEO content that never gets overwritten by MLS updates.
Compatible themes such as WPResidence treat MLSimport properties as native posts, so you get full layout control over where MLS fields appear. You can place custom content blocks, videos, or neighborhood writeups above or below the synced data, often using Elementor or the theme’s template builder. Those blocks usually pull from theme fields or ACF groups, which aren’t mapped to the MLS feed at all.
Because the plugin only updates fields you mapped for synchronization, side sections like FAQs, local guides, or calls to action stay fixed even when the MLS changes price or status several times in a week. That lets you aim for strong SEO by adding a few hundred words of unique text around each important listing, without worrying about sync jobs wiping it. Actually, this part is where many teams relax, because MLS data stays fresh and extra content keeps building search value.
FAQ
Can we keep most descriptions syncing but freeze only a few key listings?
Yes, you can keep global description sync on and lock only selected properties with local workflows.
A common pattern is to let MLSimport sync descriptions everywhere at first, then for a few priority listings copy the MLS text into another meta field and stop editing the synced field. Your writers then place their improved copy into unmapped custom fields or the main editor after turning off description sync for that feed. That way most listings stay hands off, while a chosen group gets handcrafted text that never gets overwritten.
What happens if the MLS later changes or deletes a description we already customized?
If description sync is disabled or set to import once, later MLS text changes won’t touch your custom copy.
When description stays in the active sync set, the MLS change wins and your edits can be replaced on the next run. To protect a finished rewrite, adjust the mapping so that field is either excluded or marked import once before the next scheduled update. Other fields like price, photos, or status still refresh, so visitors see accurate data wrapped in your stable, improved description.
Are we allowed to modify public remarks while staying within MLS compliance rules?
Yes, you can usually enhance public remarks, but you must follow your MLS’s branding and content rules.
MLSimport gives you the technical control to edit or replace descriptions, but it doesn’t change the rulebook from your board. Many MLS(Multiple Listing Service) systems allow extra neighborhood context or calls to action, while they limit certain claims or branding in remarks. A safe path is to keep required credits and broker info mapped from the feed, then add your own text around the main description field in separate blocks that still respect those standards.
Can we start with full description sync and later switch to manual control without reimporting?
Yes, you can adjust mapping later so new updates stop touching descriptions, with no need to reimport listings.
A practical workflow is to launch with full sync so every listing has MLS text on day one, then, once your content team is ready, flip description to import once or off in MLSimport. From that point forward, the plugin updates only structural fields like price and status. Your editors then clean up and expand descriptions where needed, knowing the sync jobs won’t roll their work back.
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