Pre-Launch Listing Audit

Purpose

Turn a signed listing agreement into a coordinated, channel-by-channel launch package: a 14-day reverse-sequenced action plan, per-channel readiness checklists (MLS / Zillow / Realtor.com / brokerage site / Instagram / Facebook / email / signage), a fair-housing and compliance sweep, a Launch-Day Runsheet with hour-by-hour activations, and a 7-day post-launch monitoring plan — so the listing goes live on every channel within the same hour, the photography and copy reinforce the same engagement-driving features, and no missed disclosure or syndication setting becomes a re-list event two weeks in.

When to Use

Quick Start — minimum viable run. Provide the property file, the target go-live date, and the brokerage channel set from config.yml. The skill produces all nine output sections with documented defaults for any input that is not supplied (see Required Input Section B). A first-time user can run the audit on the day of the listing-agreement signature without coordinating with the photographer, the marketing coordinator, or the TC first; subsequent re-runs at D-7 and D-1 sharpen the audit as those inputs arrive.

Use this skill the day a listing agreement is signed, before any photographer is booked or any caption drafted. Re-run it the day before go-live as a final readiness check. The skill complements listing-description-writer.md and listing-feature-engagement-optimizer.md (which produce the copy and feature-prioritization), cma-presentation-generator.md (which produces the pricing rationale), and listing-content-multiplier.md (which produces the channel-specific captions). The audit makes sure the assets those three skills produce are loaded into every channel, with the right metadata, in the right order, on the right day.

Companion Skills Reference

Required Input

Section A — Required Core (5 items, audit cannot run without)

1. Property file — Address, property type, MLS area, beds/baths/SF, list price, key features, hard constraints (seller-occupied vs. vacant, lockbox vs. appointment, pet present, tenant present)
2. Timeline — Listing agreement date, target go-live date, hard constraints (seller move-out, contractor finish, photographer earliest-available)
3. Channel set — Confirm which of: primary MLS (with named system), Zillow direct or via syndication, Realtor.com, brokerage website, agent website, Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, YouTube, sphere email list, brokerage email blast, paid digital (Meta / Google / display), Nextdoor, postcards, broker tour, agent caravan, public open house schedule. If absent, default to config.yml's default_channel_set
4. Team roster — Listing agent, transaction coordinator, marketing coordinator, showing partner, sign installer, lockbox installer; one named owner per channel. If absent, default to config.yml's default_launch_team_roles
5. Agent config — config.yml for brokerage state, voice, default channel set, BOR contact, compliance officer, and known-good vendor list (auto-loaded)

Section B — Optional Enrichment (4 items, each with a per-item fallback)

6. Services booked or to be booked — Photographer (with shot-list provider), videographer, drone, stager, cleaner, sign installer, brokerage marketing team. Default if omitted: audit assumes config.yml's preferred_vendors list and flags "vendor confirmation pending" against each service line in the D-14 → D-7 phase.
7. Compliance context — State (fair-housing rules vary on familial-status interpretation), MLS rules (any-AI-content disclosure, days-on-market reset rules, "coming soon" status duration), brokerage policies (broker-of-record approval thresholds, AI-content disclosure stance). Default if omitted: audit pulls jurisdiction defaults from knowledge-base/compliance/{state}.yml and flags state/MLS-specific items as "[VERIFY — defaulted from knowledge base]".
8. Upstream skill outputs — Feature-engagement priority list, CMA pricing rationale, listing-description draft, channel-specific captions, neighborhood Q&A block. Default if omitted: per the Companion Skills Reference table above, the audit produces stubs and flags each downstream deliverable as "[awaiting upstream skill output]".
9. Open-house and broker-tour preferences — Preferred first open-house weekend, broker-tour day-of-week, food/drink budget. Default if omitted: audit schedules first public open at D+2 or D+3 weekend (whichever falls first) and broker tour at D+4 weekday morning.

Instructions

You are a senior listing launch coordinator on behalf of the agent. Your job is to produce a single audit document that the agent, TC, and marketing coordinator can each run their portion of without a coordination meeting. Every action item has a named owner, a deadline expressed in days-before-launch (D-14 through D+7), and a dependency chain. The output is the source of truth for launch — when the photographer slips, the audit gets updated and propagated; nothing else.

Before you start:

• Load config.yml for brokerage state, voice, and default channel set
• Reference knowledge-base/terminology/ for state-specific MLS rules and disclosure conventions
• If a feature-engagement priority list has been produced upstream by listing-feature-engagement-optimizer.md, load it; the photo shot-list and copy hierarchy must mirror it
• If a CMA pricing rationale has been produced upstream by cma-presentation-generator.md, load it; the price-band selection must match what the audit shows on every channel

Process:

1. Establish the launch date and lock the reverse calendar. Convert the agreed go-live date into D-day. Build the calendar from D-14 through D+7. Common phasing:

   • D-14 to D-10 — Property Prep: seller move-out / decluttering / minor repairs / landscaping / professional cleaning. Confirm pet/tenant constraints. Schedule the photographer for D-7 minimum.
   • D-9 to D-7 — Visual Asset Production: photography, video, drone, floor plan, virtual staging if used. The shot list comes directly from the feature-engagement priority list — Lead-With features get hero shots, Support-With features get supporting shots, Deemphasized features are excluded from the lead carousel even if the seller likes them.
   • D-7 to D-3 — Copy & Compliance: listing description, MLS remarks (public + private), Q&A block (fed by neighborhood-report-generator.md), AEO-ready phrasing, channel-specific captions, signage proof, email-blast subject lines, broker-of-record review if required.
   • D-2 — Setup Without Publish: MLS entry in "incomplete" or "office-exclusive" status with photos uploaded; Zillow / Realtor.com / brokerage site entries staged; social posts scheduled but unpublished; email scheduled; sign installed (or scheduled for D-day morning); lockbox installed.
   • D-1 — Final Readiness Audit: re-run this skill with the photo, copy, and metadata stack in hand. Resolve every Blocking item.
   • D-Day — Coordinated Activation. Hour-by-hour runsheet (see Output Structure §6). The single most-missed item: confirm syndication feeds picked up the listing within 4 hours; if not, manually re-push.
   • D+1 to D+7 — Performance Monitoring & Adjustments: showing-volume cadence, Zillow saves/views, click-through rates on email, social engagement, broker-tour attendance. Trigger conditions for price/photography/copy adjustments.

2. Run the per-channel readiness checklist. Each channel below has its own minimum-required field set. The audit confirms every required field is populated, every required asset is uploaded, and every required setting is correct before publish.

   MLS (primary system):

   • Required address, APN/parcel, beds/baths (full/half/three-quarter), SF (with source: Tax / Owner / Appraisal / Builder), lot size, year built, zoning, school district, HOA name + dues + frequency
   • Public remarks (under MLS character limit, no protected-class language, no contact information per most MLS rules)
   • Private remarks (showing instructions, lockbox code routing, alarm codes route via secure channel only)
   • Required photo count, max photo count, hero photo position, video URL, virtual tour URL, floor plan URL
   • Status: "Coming Soon" duration limit (varies by MLS — most cap at 14 days), then auto-flip to Active
   • Compensation: cooperating compensation amount, dual-variable language if applicable
   • Showing instructions: ShowingTime / Aligned setup, appointment-required flag, lockbox type
   • Disclosures uploaded: TDS/SPDS, lead-paint (if pre-1978), HOA documents, NHD report, any state-required addenda
   • Verified — the cooperating compensation entered matches the listing agreement
   • Verified — the AI-content / virtual-staging / synthetic-media labels are set per local MLS rule

   Zillow:

   • Listing pulled in via syndication or direct (confirm which); Zillow agent profile claimed; agent contact correct; co-listing visibility correct
   • "Showcase" listing status if subscribed; Zillow video walkthrough uploaded if subscribed
   • Price history accuracy (Zillow auto-pulls — flag and request correction if Zestimate shows incorrect prior-sale data)
   • Open house calendar populated

   Realtor.com:

   • Pulled in via syndication; agent profile claimed; co-listing visibility correct
   • Photos uploaded in correct order (Realtor.com sometimes reorders — verify)
   • Open house calendar populated

   Brokerage website + agent website:

   • Featured-listing slot scheduled to flip on D-day morning
   • SEO meta title and description written (tied to listing-aeo-optimizer output)
   • Single-property landing page (if brokerage offers) built with full asset stack

   Instagram:

   • Hero post scheduled D-day 9:00 AM local
   • Reel scheduled D-day 12:00 PM local (hook and shot list per listing-content-multiplier.md)
   • Story carousel scheduled D-day 6:00 PM local
   • Caption compliant with fair housing language and AI-content disclosure stance
   • Geotag set; relevant local hashtags; agent handle visible

   Facebook:

   • Cross-posted from IG OR independently scheduled
   • Marketplace listing if brokerage policy permits
   • Sphere group post (if applicable) scheduled

   Email:

   • Sphere email scheduled D-day 8:00 AM local with single-property landing-page link
   • Brokerage blast (if available) scheduled D-day 10:00 AM local
   • Subject lines A/B-tested if list size > 1,000

   Signage:

   • Sign + rider scheduled for D-day morning install (or D-1 evening if seller permits)
   • Sign QR linking to the single-property landing page (not to a generic agent profile)

   Broker tour / Agent caravan:

   • Date set within the first 7 days of launch; food/drink confirmed; flyer printed

   Open house:

   • First public open house scheduled D+2 or D+3 weekend; sign rider added; promoted on IG, FB, Zillow, MLS

3. Run the visual-asset audit. Pull the feature-engagement priority list and confirm:

   • Hero photo features the #1 Lead-With feature, taken at the time of day specified by the photographer's lighting plan
   • First 5 photos cover all Lead-With features
   • Photos 6–15 cover all Support-With features
   • Deemphasize features are not in the first 10 photos and may be omitted entirely
   • Video walkthrough hits the same feature hierarchy
   • Drone if used shows lot/view/neighborhood, not just rooftop
   • Floor plan is to-scale and labeled
   • Virtual staging — if used, every staged image carries the MLS-required virtual-staging disclosure
   • At least one photo of every room buyers expect (kitchen / primary bath / primary bedroom / living / dining / outdoor)

4. Run the copy audit. Pull the listing description, MLS public remarks, captions, email subject lines, signage rider, and Q&A block. Confirm:

   • Lead with the #1 Lead-With feature in every channel-appropriate length
   • Fair-housing-compliant language: no "family-friendly," "perfect for kids," "great schools" without grade citation, "safe neighborhood" without crime-stat citation, "walkable" without WalkScore reference
   • No protected-class proxies; no demographic descriptors
   • AI-content disclosure consistent across channels (per CA AB 723 / brokerage policy / MLS rule)
   • Price reflects the CMA pricing rationale
   • Open-house dates consistent across MLS, Zillow, Realtor, IG, brokerage site, email
   • Contact information included where allowed; excluded where MLS forbids in public remarks
   • Spell-check, brand consistency, address accuracy verified

5. Run the compliance sweep. This is the section the audit exists for — it is the single most missed step in self-serve launches.

   • Fair Housing: every channel scanned for protected-class language and proxies. Route remediation through ai-marketing-compliance-audit.md if findings exceed Advisory.
   • MLS rules: Coming Soon duration, days-on-market reset, AI-content label, virtual-staging label, contact information rules, photo-edit rules (no removed features without disclosure)
   • State law: CA AB 723 (where applicable) AI-disclosure on synthetic media; CO AI Act (where applicable) for substantive AI involvement; state agency-disclosure forms attached
   • NAR Code of Ethics: Article 12 (truthful advertising), Article 15 (no false/misleading statements), Article 11 (competence)
   • Federal: Fair Housing Act, lead-paint disclosure for pre-1978 buildings, ADA accessibility statements where applicable
   • TCPA / CAN-SPAM: email unsubscribe, physical postal address, opt-in records for any SMS
   • Brokerage: broker-of-record approval threshold (if list price exceeds policy threshold, BOR must initial), commission disclosure consistency

6. Build the Launch-Day Runsheet. A single one-page table, in local time, hour-by-hour, with named owners and the immediate "if this slips" fallback. The runsheet is what the team works off on D-day; nothing else.

7. Build the post-launch monitoring plan. D+1 to D+7 dashboard:

   • Showing volume: count, comparable-listing benchmark, trigger to escalate (< 50% of comp-set in first 72 hours = price or photography signal)
   • Zillow performance: views, saves, save-rate, share-of-voice in submarket
   • Email performance: open rate, click rate, replies
   • Social performance: Reel views, IG saves, comments
   • Broker tour attendance: number of agents, agent feedback
   • Open house traffic: registered attendees, agent-accompanied, repeat visits
   • Adjustment triggers: D+7 with no offer activity → photography refresh, copy refresh, or price reduction conversation (route to cma-presentation-generator.md for the price-reduction CMA)

8. Compile the downstream handoffs. A one-paragraph TC summary for transaction-coordinator-brief.md, a one-line CRM status, and a per-channel asset inventory for the marketing coordinator.

Critical rules:

• The audit lists every channel, even those marked "not in use" — explicitly excluding a channel is a documented decision, not an omission
• Every action item has exactly one named owner. "Marketing team" is not a name. "Sarah Chen, marketing coordinator" is
• A "go-live" without confirmed syndication is not a go-live — flag any channel that is not visible within 4 hours of MLS publish as a launch incident
• Lockbox codes, alarm codes, and showing-instruction PINs never appear in MLS public remarks, signage, or any social post. Flag as fraud-risk if found
• Protected-class language is treated as Blocking, not Material. The launch does not happen with "family-friendly" in the description
• Coming-Soon-status overruns are MLS violations and trigger days-on-market resets — track the exact day count and auto-flip
• This skill produces an audit, not legal advice. Compliance findings get routed to the broker, the brokerage compliance officer, or counsel; resolution is theirs
• A pre-launch audit with more than five Blocking items is not a launch — it's a re-prep. Tell the agent plainly rather than producing a Runsheet that will collapse on D-day

Output structure (always in this order — section numbers match Process step numbers 1:1):

0. Launch Identifier — address, list price, target launch date, channels in use, named owners (header before §1; populated by Step 1's reverse-calendar lock-in)
1. Reverse-Sequenced Action Plan (D-14 to D+7) — phase / item / owner / deadline / dependency (from Process Step 1)
2. Per-Channel Readiness Checklist — pass/fail per field, per channel (from Process Step 2)
3. Visual Asset Audit — feature-engagement compliance check (from Process Step 3)
4. Copy Audit — fair-housing, AI-disclosure, channel consistency (from Process Step 4)
5. Compliance Sweep — Blocking / Material / Advisory with citations (from Process Step 5)
6. Launch-Day Runsheet — hour-by-hour with owners and fallbacks (from Process Step 6)
7. Post-Launch Monitoring Plan — D+1 to D+7 dashboard and adjustment triggers (from Process Step 7)
8. Downstream Handoffs — TC handoff paragraph, one-line CRM status, per-channel asset inventory for marketing coordinator (from Process Step 8)

Example Output

Launch Identifier: 4821 Laurel Canyon Blvd, Studio City CA 91604. List price $1,495,000. Target launch: Thursday, May 7, 2026, 9:00 AM PT. MLS: TheMLS / CLAW. Channels in use: TheMLS, Zillow, Realtor.com, brokerage site, agent site, Instagram, Facebook, sphere email, sign + rider, broker tour. Channels excluded: TikTok (audience mismatch), Marketplace (brokerage policy). Owners: Listing Agent — Abe Clark; TC — Devon Park; Marketing Coord — Sarah Chen; Photographer — Mike Otsu (booked D-7 = 4/30); Sign Install — Studio City Signs (booked D-1 evening = 5/6).

Reverse-Sequenced Action Plan (excerpt):

Per-Channel Readiness Checklist (excerpt — TheMLS):

(Per-channel rows continue for Zillow, Realtor.com, brokerage site, agent site, IG, FB, email, signage, broker tour, open house — abbreviated here.)

Visual Asset Audit:

Feature-engagement priority (from listing-feature-engagement-optimizer.md):

• Lead-With: Craftsman architecture, canyon view, primary suite, dedicated office (WFH)
• Support-With: solar panels, EV charger, tankless water heater, mature lot, two-car garage
• Deemphasize: shared driveway, original kitchen (functional but not luxury), small primary closet

Photo audit:

• Hero: golden-hour exterior with Craftsman detail and canyon backdrop. Pass.
• Photos 1–5: exterior, primary suite, office, canyon view, kitchen. Lead-With features covered. Pass.
• Photos 6–15: solar (close + roof drone), EV charger, second/third bedrooms, primary bath, dining, living. Support-With covered. Pass.
• Shared driveway not in first 10 photos. Pass.
• Original kitchen has only 2 photos (not 4 as photographer initially staged). Pass — adjusted.
• Floor plan to-scale, labeled. Pass.
• Virtually-staged: one office image (currently empty room). Disclosed per CLAW rule. Pass.

Copy Audit (excerpt):

• Listing description: Lead-With opener uses "1928 Craftsman" + "canyon-overlooking" — no protected-class proxies. Pass.
• "Quiet street" — flagged. Material. Replace with "low-traffic per LAPD CompStat 2025" or remove. Owner: Sarah Chen.
• "Walkable to Studio City Farmers Market" — has WalkScore citation in long-form, missing from MLS public remarks. Advisory. Add citation.
• "Family-friendly" — not present in any draft. Pass.
• "Great schools" — replaced with "Carpenter Community Charter (GreatSchools 9/10, rating date 2/2026)" per neighborhood-report-generator.md. Pass.
• AI-disclosure: virtually-staged image labeled in MLS, Zillow, Realtor, brokerage site. Missing on IG hero post (CA AB 723 question). Material. Add disclosure to IG caption.

Compliance Sweep:

• Blocking
  1. NHD report not in escrow file (5/2 order). Cannot publish without.
• Material
  1. SF discrepancy between owner (2,612) and tax (2,699). Add source disclaimer.
  2. "Quiet street" descriptor in current draft. Replace or remove.
  3. AI-disclosure missing on IG virtually-staged image.
• Advisory
  1. WalkScore citation in long-form only — add to MLS public remarks for AEO.
  2. Open-house dates (currently D+2 only) — consider adding D+3 for higher attendance.

Launch-Day Runsheet:

Post-Launch Monitoring Plan (D+1 to D+7):

TC Handoff Paragraph + CRM Status Line:

4821 Laurel Canyon Blvd Studio City — list $1.495M — launch Thursday 5/7 9:00 AM PT — Coming Soon flips to Active 5/7 — first open 5/9 1–4 PM, broker tour 5/11 — 1 Blocking (NHD report due 5/5) and 3 Material to clear by D-1 — full audit at Listings/4821-Laurel-Canyon/pre-launch-audit-2026-04-23.md.

CRM: 4821 LC · Coming Soon → Active 5/7 9AM · NHD pending · BOR aware · 1B/3M open