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Questions and AnswersIn this section we hope to answer most questions you have regarding IDX and your website. If you do not find your question and/or answer here, please feel free to contact us.
IDX is the process that converts the MLS listing database to a database that can be integrated within any website. IDX Broker Pro accomplishes this process for you daily and automatically, without any maintenance on your end. Above is a simple illustration of how this process works.
IDX is an acronym for Internet Data Exchange. IDX is the policy instituted by the National Association of Realtors (NAR) to govern how MLS member participants can display active MLS listing information on their websites. In simple terms, IDX is the means of extracting the data from a Multiple Listing Service and delivering it to a website for public consumption. IDX is sometimes called Broker Reciprocity or IDD.
Who can participate in IDX/Broker Reciprocity? This depends on the rules established by your local board and/or multiple listing service. Since your board/MLS is independently governed, these rules might be different than rules of another boards and MLS's. Normally all Broker members (Participants) may participate in IDX/Broker Reciprocity. Agents (Subscribers) may, or may not, participate in Broker Reciprocity program depending on the rules. Sometimes individual agents can display IDX data directly on their personal websites with permission of their Broker, sometimes they cannot. Our staff can help you determine if this is the case, we just need to know the name of your local board/MLS.
A "Participant" is the Broker member, or Principal Broker member of a Multiple Listing Service.
A "Subscriber" is the non-Principal Broker member of a Multiple Listing Service (I.E. an Agent).
How can I add IDX to my existing website? This is what we specialize in! Our staff can work with you, or your designer and get IDX on almost any existing website. Implementation of the IDX data can be accomplished in several ways. Before you get too excited, there are a few forms we will need to send you. Your local board/MLS requires you fill out paperwork and get authorized to receive the IDX data.
I am a web developer and my client has asked me to help get IDX added to their site. Can you help me? We sure can!. To help speed the process along, it will help if you can provide the name of the Realtor Association and or MLS used by your client. Keep in mind that in some cases, your client might hold membership in multiple MLS's. It will also help if you can tell us about the license held by your client. Are they an Agent or Broker? This information will be used to determine if they are qualified under the rules of the local board/MLS to receive the data on their website. Some MLS's do not allow Agents to display these tools, so to save everyone the headache, it would be good to eliminate this part of the equation right away. FYI: We will not use your clients contact information to contact them client directly without first coordinating with you.
I'm a Broker. How can I take advantage of IDX/Broker Reciprocity? You are probably already participating since your listings are being displayed on other websites. The next step is to add IDX to your website to start capturing leads much like your competitors have been doing. We can work with you or your website developer to get IDX delivered to your website. If you really want to get a jump on the competition, consider signing up for our "Small Office IDX" service. This multi-user account can help boost the number of leads managed by your Agents........and help you generate a greater sales volume as a result.
I'm an Agent. How can I get IDX/Broker Reciprocity? It depends on the policies of your local board/MLS. Most boards have stopped limiting IDX to only the Principle Brokers and now allow the IDX data on agent websites as well. Check out our MLS coverage page to see if your Multiple Listing Service allows Agents. When you are ready to get stared, we can work with you or your website developer to get IDX delivered to you.
Why would I want to let someone else display my listings on their website? Think of it as free advertising. The more exposure for your listings the better! The more places your listings show up, the faster they are likely to sell. The bottom line is that no one gets paid until the property closes. The Internet has taken a once closed MLS system and opened it up for consumers to make faster and better informed buying/selling decisions. IDX opened the door for free advertising on tens of thousands of websites. Why would I want to display someone else’s listings on my website? When you display these listings on your site, you give consumers one more reason to keep coming back to your site. Your site, and thus you, become a tremendous resource for home buyers in your area. Plus, homebuyers today are looking for information........specific information. Adding IDX to your website can help answer some of the questions about what homes are available in the MLS.
How can I opt-in to my IDX/Broker Reciprocity program? Most boards/MLS have already included all member Brokers and Agents by default. It is likely you were automatically opted-in the Broker Reciprocity program some time ago. In most cases, a Broker must explicitly ask to opt-out and sign the official paperwork to do so. Brokers who have opted-out may opt back in by submitting the proper paperwork from their board. Only in a few rare cases has the board/MLS chosen to have opt-out as the default. In these rare cases, we can help provide you, or your Broker, get the paperwork to opt-in the program.
Broker Reciprocity isn't for me. How can I opt-out? Brokers (and supporting Agents) who decide not to participate in Broker Reciprocity may submit the opt-out form provided by their local board/MLS. However, opting-out is not a great idea since your listings will not be displayed on the Internet at all. Opting out will greatly decrease exposure for your listings, and in our opinion, should be seriously reconsidered. Furthermore, opting-out of the Broker Reciprocity will decrease the ability getting the benefit of this powerful marketing tool, which will decrease sales.
Why should I care about Broker Reciprocity? Broker Reciprocity allows for the greatest amount of exposure for property listings. The power of the Internet, combined with the power of IDX has seriously leveled the playing field and helped to maximize the visibility of listings. If you don’t display IDX on your website, potential buyers are probably not going to frequent your site in favor of your competition.........who does provide these search tools. Broker Reciprocity has given the "little guy" some of the same marketing potiental as the "bigger guys".
Who governs Broker Reciprocity? Broker Reciprocity is governed at the national level by NAR. Each local board/MLS also has a set of policies of their own.
When was the Broker Reciprocity policy approved? The NAR Board of Directors originally approved the policy on May 22, 2000. Since that time the NAR has made several revisions. IDX has been around for a few years, but recently it has become critical to the online marketing successes of real estate professionals.
What is the general level of participation in an any MLS IDX program? Participation in any IDX program varies greatly. We have seen some cases where participation is below 50%, or as high at 100%. Participation is on the rise as more Brokers across the country choose to be involved in the program. Based on experience, we believe the average participation rates nationwide are somewhere in the 70-75% range.
Does the IDX data contain any confidential information? No. The IDX data fields available for display to the public are approved by the board/MLS and do not contain confidential information.
Is it required to identify the listing firm information on search results? Most of the time some information that identifies the listing firm is required. This is usually some combination of the listing agent name and/or phone, or the listing office and/or phone. Every board/MLS requires a different combination. The "rule of thumb" is that we are required to display the listing Broker or Agent name. Because of this we attempt to place this information at the very bottom of the page in an inconspicuous location.
How often do you update the data? While we are generally only required by the various MLS's to refresh the data once a week, we try as hard as we can to get a new set of data every 24 hours. Because of the automated email service we provide, it is important to maintain the quickest turn around time possible. In some rare cases photos are delayed for more than 24 hours only because they are not immediately available to us.
What does VOW stand for and how is it different from IDX? VOW is an acronym for Virtual Office website. VOW's are an effort to distinguish property listings on the Internet from the displays governed by the IDX policies. The primary feature of a VOW is the requirement that visitors register by entering an email address and receive a password prior to accessing MLS listing data. Some MLS participants also post terms of use on their VOW's and require visitors to agree to those terms. In contrast, IDX allows brokers to include each others listings on their websites, with the consent of the other broker. The MLS data presented by IDX is slightly less detailed, and viewers of the data can choose to remain anonymous.
Do you offer VOW's as a part of your services? No, we do not currently offer VOW's as a part of our services. Think of our IDX services as a hybrid, or advanced IDX, that spans the gap between traditional IDX and VOW. While traditional IDX only offers basic search capabilities, our IDX system allows for saving properties and email updates, both of which are more advanced features similar to VOW's. Also, VOW's have come under fire in recent years because of the types of information displayed to the public. Due to the volatility of VOW rules and the liability surrounding the content provided by VOW's, we have chosen to stick to our advanced IDX system. A good article from 11/03 about the problems of VOW's can be found here. A more recent article is here.
I don't have a website but I want to get started. Can you help me? No problem. Our staff has the skills to provide you with a fantastic new website. Plus, we have worked with several very talented and motivated web developers and designers and will gladly help you contact them if you prefer.
Should I build my own website? We would counsel you to seek the help of a professional web developer. While construction of a site on your own is likely to be the least expensive option, we recommend sticking to what you do best: selling real estate. Leave the web development to the people who design and build websites for a living.
Do I have options for a website? In our experience, a real estate website comes down to two basic choices: template or custom. Template: Quick to setup (some providers offer self-setup) and can be delivered with a minimal initial cost. However, it is likely your template will not be too different than the thousands or tens of thousands of other templates out there. And remember, you get what you pay for. Templates offer the least customization or site design/layout. Custom: For those willing to make the investment in a full featured custom website, you can and probably will get access to many options. A custom designed, hand built website will give you and the end user (the home buyers) a richer, fuller experience. Make sure to work with a reputable business that has experience in designing a website that fits your needs and budget. We have worked with many wonderful designers who are more than qualified and we can certainly put you in contact with them.
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