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Understanding MLS Preferred Phone Mapping in Brokerkit

Last updated on Jan 28, 2026

Understanding MLS Preferred Phone Mapping in Brokerkit

What is MLS Preferred Phone?

Some Multiple Listing Services (MLSes) provide a "Preferred Phone" field for agent contact information. This field contains the phone number the agent has designated as their preferred contact number, but the MLS does not specify what type of phone it is (mobile, office, or home).

This is part of the RESO Data Dictionary standard used by MLSes across North America, where "Preferred" simply indicates "this is the member's preferred phone."

Why Does This Matter?

SMS/Text messaging requires a mobile phone number. If you try to send a text message to a landline or office phone, the message will not be delivered.

When you import contacts from your MLS integration, the contact's cell phone field may be empty if:

  • The agent didn't provide a mobile number to the MLS

  • The MLS doesn't have a separate mobile phone field

  • The agent only listed their office or preferred phone

What Does the Preferred Phone Mapping Setting Do?

When you enable Preferred Phone Mapping in your MLS configuration:

  • Brokerkit will use the MLS Preferred Phone number as a fallback

  • It will only be added to the Cell Phone field if no cell phone number is already available from the MLS integration

  • This gives you more phone numbers to work with, but with an important tradeoff

The Tradeoff

Pros:

  • More contacts will have a phone number populated

  • You can attempt to reach more agents

Cons:

  • The "preferred" phone might be an office or home landline

  • Text messages sent to landlines will fail to deliver

  • You may need to verify phone numbers before texting campaigns

How to Enable Preferred Phone Mapping

  1. Navigate to Data > MLS Settings

  2. Click the Settings (gear) button next to your MLS

  3. Check the box for "Map Preferred Phone to Cell Phone if Cell Phone is not available."

  4. Click Save

Recommendation

Enable this setting if:

  • You want to maximize the number of contacts with phone numbers

  • You primarily use phone calls (not texts) for outreach

  • You're willing to verify phone types before texting campaigns

Keep this setting disabled if:

  • You rely heavily on SMS/text campaigns

  • You want to ensure all cell phone numbers are confirmed mobile numbers

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