Imagine, if you will. You are about to take your property off the market. It has been up a while and has not sold. You want to try again after giving it a little rest. You would like to have it look fresh on the MLS when it goes back up and know that Days Active in MLS showing as DAM will reset back to zero when the property is relisted. However, you know that CDAM, which tracks Cumulative Days in MLS, keeps accumulating when a property is relisted. How long do you have to keep your property off the market before it looks like a completely new listing? I’ll explain.
New MLS Rule Affecting How Long It Takes for a Listing to Reset
There is a new rule in the California Regional MLS changing the time it takes to reset listings. As of November 19, 2025, Cumulative Days Active in MLS (CDAM) resets in 30 days instead of the 90 days it used to take.
Background on Days Active in MLS
When you have a property listed in the MLS, the number of days your property is on the market is tracked and posted on your listing. This is how buyers can easily tell how long a property has been listed for sale. This was traditionally called Days on Market or DOM, but is now called Days Active in MLS or DAM.
When you let a listing expire or cancel and then relist the property on the MLS, the Days Active in MLS (DAM) will reset back to zero, but the Cumulative Days on MLS (CDAM) still accumulate, showing how long your property has been available on the market.
It does not matter if you change agents or stay with your original agent; CDAM still accumulates. Before the rule change, the only way you could get a complete reset with CDAM was to take the property off the market for a full 90 days. Now you only need to take your property off the market for 30 days for the CDAM reset.
FYI - The days your property is under contract or in escrow do not add to DAM or CDAM. We have a blog and video called Do Days on Market for Homes Matter that goes into the subject more in depth.
Why Did the CRMLS Make This Change To Cumulative Days?
In a statement that was put out by the California Regional MLS, they said:
“This change is coming based on a reevaluation of how best to display the current market. Previously, it took several months to create an accurate market analysis. Now with faster information tools, we’ve found that a complete picture of the market can be more accurately reflected in just 30 days.”
The statement focuses on the evaluation of the market, while the general public may be interested in something else. Economists look at time on the market to evaluate the market, but buyers and sellers typically look at how long a particular property has been on the market to evaluate that specific piece of property.
Buyers know basic information like price and size before even looking at a property. If they are considering writing an offer, the first thing a buyer will ask is how long it been on the market. They do this with hopes of getting some insight as to the motivation of the seller.
The decision to change the rule was probably made by some committee that, for whatever reason, felt 90 days was too long. This rule change seems to favor sellers more than buyers and may be a byproduct of the current market. However, what matters now is that you know the rule change.
What Does the New Rule on Cumulative Days in MLS Mean for Sellers?
Knowing that Cumulative Days Active in the MLS resets after 30 days is important information if you are a seller considering taking your property off the market. You no longer must wait 90 days to appear new to the market. Now, you only must wait 30 days.
This could be helpful for sellers during the holidays. The holidays can be a slower time of year, and you may not feel like showing your home while you have company in town. Now you can take it out of the MLS for 30 days and look fresh when it comes back on.
If you do have a listing expire and plan on relisting, you may want to consider waiting 30 days versus putting it right back on. Of course, this is a more complex decision you will want to discuss with your agent.
What Does the New Rule on Cumulative Days in MLS Mean for Buyers?
Buyers often want to know how long a property has been on the market to help them gauge the motivation of a seller. This can be good information to have when you are about to write an offer.
Now that the CDAM resets in 30 instead of 90 days, buyers might want to dig a little deeper. Buyers tracking how long a property has been on the market will now want to look at the property’s listing history and not just the summary.
Sophisticated buyers know the listing history, including price changes, is permanently recorded in the MLS, and any agent who is an active member of the MLS will have access. Your agent should be checking this for you, and of course, it never hurts to ask.
Bottom Line
There is a new rule in the California Regional MLS changing the time to refresh Cumulative Days Active in MLS, known as CDAM from 90 to 30 days. This new rule started on November 19, 2025.
Days Active in the MLS, now called DAM, is used to track the number of days a property has been actively listed in the MLS. This refreshes every time a property is listed, regardless of the agent. Cumulative Days Active in MLS, now called CDAM, counts the number of days a property has been actively listed on the MLS, including if it has been relisted.
Sellers need to be aware of this number when relisting because buyers pay attention to how long a property has been on the market. Buyers who are tracking how long a property has been for sale should look at the property’s listing history and not just rely on the posted CDAM.
Buyers and sellers should consult their Realtor®, who will be able to best obtain the listing information and guide as what it all means.
Thank You
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