The MLS number is a quick and easy way to identify a listed property.  For RMLS of Portland it has always been a seven digit number and the first number described the year it was made active: 9xxxxxx was listed in 2009.  The lower the rest of the number, the closer to the beginning of the year.  For 2010, the MLS number has added a digit: 10xxxxxx.  Once a property is listed, the MLS number stays with the property.  This means that a Realtor can pull up the listing history of a property and see when the listing was made active, sold, expired or other data was adjusted.

A listing that is canceled or expired and put back into RMLS has a new number.  This means that a 10xxxxxxx listing wasn’t necessarily newly listed after New Years.