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IDX on your Website

Hi everyone! From what I have heard, custom IDX solutions can be costly, and I don't know if I have the money for that yet. But I am looking to see if perhaps there is a good alternative until I do have the money.

Which company do you use for MLS/IDX home search on your website, what features make it great, and how much does it cost you? Are there features such as customer sign ups to save their searches, or ways to make the site look like your own?

If anyone knows of a good custom that they still feel is reasonable, post that here too!

Thanks!

Lexa

Posted by Lexa Montierth on 07/25/2007 12:44 AM

Comments (20)

idx, mls, website, technology

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20 Comments on IDX on your Website

JUL

2007

here in Florida GTAR offer through Mid Florida region a client interface with IDX. check with you local board or realtors, and your broker.. two of the best place to go for info.

Katrina, (that's my daughter's name!, with red hair even), So your association carries it for everyone?

Hi Lexa,

I use NorthwestIDX (Washington) as my IDX vendor. They charge about $45 a month. The feature I like is the ability for a user to search listings without registering but when they want details on property they are required to give their contact information. (This is an feature that can be turned on or off)

Some here in AR recommend that you don't require registration to view listings. The feeling is that users will just move on to the next website that doesn't require registration. Even though this will be the case in many cases, you will still get a fair number of users that actually register and leave their info. In fact today I had 5 people register and leave their name, email, and phone number. I don't usually get that many names but I typically get 1 or 2 registrations a day.

I use iFrames to integrate the idx solution to my website. I think it looks pretty seamless.

NorthwestIDX isn't available in AZ but I would check out www.MLSfinder.com. I've always liked their interface.

Alex

I just purchased a website that comes with an IDX! I pay 49.95 a month almost half of what I used to pay when I had a Z57 website because I had to purchase the IDX separately.

You can check out my site at www.executivepropertiesonline.com

The company I have now can be found at www.pullan.com. They have NO set up fees through the end of the month and no contracts! You go month to month. Please, tell them I sent you! :-)

Good luck!

I use iHouse2000 for IDX-Pro. It is $29.98/ month. I have my own website so I just use the IDX service from them. It is really good. If you want to test drive it, you can go to my website.

HI Lexa,

If using ARMLS check out the tab for Technolgy/IDX =

Web Developers - FTP data access is only available for the Designated Broker of the office. We do not take requests for FTP access from anyone except the Designated Broker. Please direct your client to the Subscribers Only section of our web site to access the FTP for IDX request form (under Technology and IDX). If your client is a REALTOR subscriber, then FTP access is unavailable. We offer a framed IDX solution for REALTOR members at no additional cost. Please see the directions below for framing.

Good Luck~

In Florida we are able to 'Frame' the IDX web page on the state website http://www.fl.living.net/

http://webapps2.planetrealtor.com/idx/pkg_IDX.pr_IDXSearch?sStateID=FL&sUserType=S&sSearchStateID=FL&sSearchSource=X

We are able to frame an area specific portion, just to our county or city, too.

In the MLS area that I work in the only people that can have an IDX feed are the brokers. I frame my brokers IDX on my web site.

My board provides an IDX solution built into it, the only thing is they can't save their serarches. I also belong to another board and don't like that solution so I use IDX Pro, it costs 30.00 per board a month to use.

JUL

2007

Hi Lexa,

We have an Agent ValuePak for 24.95 per month, and there are ways of getting IDX on your site very inexpensively.

Have a look at the RealtySoft.com homepage, we even have a free trial. Another thing that's useful is the site will syndicate your listings to all the major industry platforms, such as Google Base, Trulia and Oodle.

Have a great day!

Joe Trainor, Director of Sales

RealtySoft.com Inc.

1.866.857.1657 x 113

What part of the country you are in OR how large or small your MLS is may have some bearing on your options. Some very small MLS's only offer an IDX being provided by their MLS vendor. Others have very restrictive rules, like ARMLS, that only allow the broker to sign up (even though the broker could sign up and allow it to be displayed on an agent's site without framing, by the way). Others have restrictions on how many data "feeds" any one company can have (like in the Seattle area), etc. The list goes on and on, from being wide open, like here in the greater Washington/Baltimore area where every agent has a choice of many IDX vendors... to being extremely restrictive with "Agents No, Brokers Yes".

Having researched a lot of IDX vendors for my custom web clients around the country, the common price seems to be around $39.95 per month. Now before everyone gasps... think about it. "Hmmm. $480 per year. Gee, if I just sell 1 $100,000 condo as result of having this cool IDX on my site, I'll bet I'll make a lot more than $480!" 2 transactions and you'll wish you had done it a year ago! Ha!

One of my favorites for ease of use as well as price is IDXBroker.com who provides their services for over 300 MLS's around the country. Very nice solutions, done in CSS and offering Google mapping and the ability to sign up for Email Searches for your visitors as well. Nice lead management back-end too that allows the subscriber to see statistics as well as manage those visitor registrations. Take a look at -

www.terrysellsknoxville.com in Knoxville, TN, www.judithweiner.com in Highland Park, IL, www.elementsrealty.com in Fort Worth, TX or www.patricia4realestate.com in Seabrook, NH to see how they can nicely be incorporated into a custom web site.

AUG

2007

I'd recommend iHomefinder for your IDX solution in Tucson. It has a bunch of lead capture tool and it's easy to manage.

OCT

2007

I use mlsfinder. It works pretty well. Here is what it looks like for us Austin Homes Search

I just came here to read all the responses. I think having the right IDX solution is critical, because it can mean the difference between people signing in (or not).

MAY

2008

I just signed up with www.pullan.com. You should definitely check them out. It also has IDX on their website. Oh they are running a special where there is no setup fee and contract. And the first month is free. Call them and talk to Jonathan Patrick. He was very helpful. Have a great weekend.

OCT

2008

I have a template web site with Alamode aka Agent Xsites. It came with IDX. IDX is part of the package price.

Many of your responses have helped me in answering my own questions about IDX.

I thought most websites came with IDX solutions now I know it costs a little extra but is worth the return.

IDX is a great platform to launch your listings, or recieve or "inherit" other's listings. I would rather IDX a listing and get it sold, because at least 85% of all listings are co broke.

I think the more you network and "share" information, the more successuful you will become.

Everything works and nothing doesn't!

Good Luck!

We framed our mls site and it was pretty easy to integrate onto my site. In fact took about 30 seconds.

OCT

2008

I'm taking the easy way out on this one. As a RE/MAX agent in Northern Illinois we are provided (free of charge) an IDX solution that offers all of the latest bells and whistles...

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