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Why YOU NEED your own IDX!

Despite the term "IDX" being tossed around in the real estate world for some time now, there are still many REALTORS® that have no idea what it is and a few that perhaps THINK they know what is.

If you are a real estate agent and you don't have your own personalized IDX service on your website you are doing yourself a HUGE disfavor. If you can hang with me for a bit here, I will explain why:

Let's say I am one of the 87% of home buyers that begin my search for a home on the internet (NAR stats). I can either "Google" a particular search phrase such as "North Conway NH homes for sale" or perhaps I search using an agents name I found online or maybe even an agency website.

My obvious goal is to find a North Conway home for sale ( for example) that meets my expectations. If I happen to land on an agents page that is full of cool stuff I might stay and look at virtual tours and browse through the "My Listings" but ultimately I know that this isn't everything. I want to look at ALL the homes for sale in the town I am searching. So I click on the link that leads me to the full MLS search. Here is where an IDX comes to play.Most agents are aware that NNEREN ( our New Hampshire, Maine and Vermont MLS Board Feed--replace your mls board here) provides a free MLS feed that you need to "frame" (i.e. insert into your website or blog)

Great! You now have all the listings on your site--But is it really so great? NO, it really isn't. Why? Because the free MLS feed is like a "go-cart" compared to a car--and your WEB visitors KNOW THIS.

A peronalized IDX is a fully featured powerful race car you provide your web visitors. They want this--how do we know? Because if you do not offer it they are one click away from using a different website that does-and it doesn't cost THEM a penny... so why not?. If you were given for FREE a BMW or a go-cart which would you use?

WHAT a FREE FEED OFFERS:

1. You can search the MLS. The listing agent info is buried a bit so you do have some advantage but not much. NNEREN is pretty good about displaying the listing agent--as are most MLS boards.

2. That's it...

WHAT A PERSONALIZED IDX OFFERS:

1. EVERY listing in the MLS is branded with YOUR photo, YOUR contact info and YOUR email for more information.You might even be able to add a web widget that displays an instant Google chat icon for a user to immediatly contact you in real time--web visitors want info and they want it NOW.

2. Your web customer might decide that writing down all these MLS #'s is a real pain in the butt (ahem) and wish for a "Saved Search Portfolio" that with one click they can build a portfolio of listings they like online.

3. Your web customer might be sneaking in some personal time on the ole' work computer and wish they could share the cool home they just found on your website. They can send that listing to a wife, husband or friend etc with just one click.

4. Your web customer is probably busy as we all are-- and has no time for all this detailed searching. Can't they simply put in the criteria they are looking for (price range, town, number of beds/baths etc) and just get email alerts with the homes that fit this criteria? ABSOLUTELY with a personalized IDX.

Can you see the difference here between the go-cart (free mls) and the super-charged race car (personalized IDX)

SO IS THAT IS?

Nope...not by a long shot. Your clients aren't the only ones that benefit from a personalized IDX. YOU DO AS WELL.....HOW?

Your personalixed IDX has an "ADMIN BACK DOOR" that allows you to see all the people that asked for info, searched your IDX and WHAT they were searching for. THIS IS VERY COOL STUFF.

So, a newspaper ad costs you say $50 bucks for a small one day ad--- You have no idea how many people looked at your ad and what they did when they read it. BUT....for $20 bucks a FULL MONTH (using my favorite IDX provider www.mlscore.com) you get an IDX for your clients AND the ability to see all your leads, what towns they searched, what list price they searched on and how many listings they printed, shared with a friend or saved to thier favorites.

THIS IS INSIDE INFORMATION we all need folks! Now, you have info to modify your advertising or to push a certain area that you found people looking for.

If you are a NH, MAINE or VERMONT agent you contact our very own ActiveRain pal, Kim Carpenter who is the new owner of www.MLScore.com and sign up for what has to be the best bargain in the area--just $20 bucks a month. Compare that to anyone else.

If you are outside the NH/VT/ME world than seriously consider signing up with your own local IDX provider--do a Google search to find them. So many agents overlook this very powerful means of internet leads and strategic information

Sean

Posted by Team Wright Realty | Jim Marks on 06/23/2008 09:48 AM

Comments (21)

idx, mlscore, nneren, stats

21 Comments on Why YOU NEED your own IDX!

JUN

2008

Well that was a great post. I am still trying to digest everything but it is definitely something I can use, which I did not know about before. thanks

Sean, there's lots of good information in here and makes me wonder if I'm using my IDX to its full potential.

Hey Anthony: Thanks...and thanks for hanging in there and reading it all. I really did try to edit it to make it shorter but there was too much to say. ;)

Hi Christine: Thank you and if you have any IDX questions I would be glad to help out. Contact me anytime!

Great post Sean and thanks for the advice.

Kim sent me the information and Jay is taking a look at it. I agree it looks pretty good.

Thanks Joshua and Kathy...How's things in "Coldwell Banker Land" down in Arkansas? Are things picking up for you guys like it is here?

Hey Miss Monika: Yeah, a customized IDX makes a huge difference. The reports are great ...we have found that it is often a predictor of changing town or price interest which is hugely helpful. Sellers love it as well to see the activity on thier listing or that listing demographic.

Hope all is well...

Sean

Sean - NO ONE could have said this better!!! Thanks Sean! Once REALTORS start using a personalized IDX, they will see the benefit!!!

I actually left out a bunch of stuff but it was getting so long I was worried people would stop reading...I am not just a cheerleaer for a personalized IDX, I KNOW it works. The IDX has just been a mystery to many real estate agents and with good reason-I just hoped to open a discussion on it here for those who wanted more info.

OCT

2008

Great post! I am fully aware of the huge benefits of a personal IDX. However, my board does not allow individual agents (non broker owners) to have their own personal IDX... This creates a problem for me and my business everyday.

Wow, what great information We are working on this as we speak!

There is no question that a fully integrated custom IDX is the way to go. However, you should be prepared to spend $3,000 to $5,000 for the service.

Ryan: I have to assume that Bellingham has certain MLS restrictions or additional fees for you to expect it to cost 3-5K. Perhaps for an all inclusive expense of a website, CMS and IDX it would cost that much but for an IDX you include on your website, there aren't any services out there right now even close to that figure. All are under $1,000/ year most under $500...

Sean

Love the IDX only wish that it were available in my area of Ventura County, CA. Does anyone know of an IDX is available in southern CA that can be a personalized IDX? Much appreciated!

Sean ~ No, I think that we might be talking about different services. I am thinking of a fully customized IDX that is 100% integrated into a website. The cost is in the programing hours. I don't consider the MLScore a fully custom IDX because it is still framed into your website and not indexed (by Google) the same a integrated custom.

Don't get me wrong, I think that MLScore appears to have an excellent service and clearly provides real value to agents. Also, I think that Kim is a great person and will happily endorse her product.

It is an important part of branding and it must incorporate a good lead capture system. If you do not follow up with the leads your money and time will be wasted.

Hi Sean,

Thanks for the added information. I have been trying to revamp my website and have been thinking about the IDX service. After reading your blog, it inspired me. I am going to follow through and make it happen!

Now knowing the the personalized IDX is the way to go!

Great blog!

Thanks,

Mandy

Thanks for the info. I've been thnking about adding this to my site. I need to get more prices.

OCT

2008

Ryan: Actually mlscore is a fully customized IDX and allows for SEO specific modifications to not only the meta tags and keywords but even the H1, H2 and body content of the town searches to help optimize the personal account. I will agree that an integrated IDX that is wholly part of your website is a better option for the look/feel since you don't need to frame or leave your agent site but from a search engine friendly aspect it isn't an obstacle if you build your site properly. In my market of the top five websites that dominate the SERP only one website has an integrated IDX--all the others frame a 3rd party solution ( like mlscore). The key is in creating specific pages for say, " Conway New Hampshire Real Estate" and then framing that specific search string you perform in your IDX. The specific page, with the title tag, header and some body content are often more SEO friendly than the integrated IDX engines. I understand where you are going with the concept though...I just wanted other folks to know there are some workarounds. Plus, I spent two years developing and programming mlscore before selling it to Kim so perhaps I am a bit jaded..;)

DeAndrea: You are totally right...no lead system is worth anything if you don't followw through. We actually implemented a follow up program here on all our leads in an effort to get some accountability from the agents on the leads. Web leads need a different type of nurturing...one email doesn't work.

Mandy: Thanks! I was inspired to include the post because I was surprised at how many agent sites I would visit and see only their listings or perhaps just the office listings...It is no wonder Zillow and Trulia and even REALTOR.com are still the favorite sites for people to use when we are just giving them a glimpse of the market. I actually believe that Monika McGuiliccudy is on the cutting edge of agent websites. She uses Wordpress for her 'website'/blog so she is able to include tons of personality and make that connection with people--as well as use the new media ( video. slideshows, podcasts) to highlight her listings AND she includes a 3rd party IDX for when the viewer wants to do a full search of the MLS. She also totally dominates google/msn/yahoo because her "blogsite" is updated so often and is content rich with her local real estate info...I think blogsites with an IDX--integrated or framed is going to be the future for agents. it is the one differentiating thing we can do to stand out from the huge franchise websites and others like Trulia and Zillow.

OCT

2008

Sean...thanks for the "enlightenment" about IDX. I thought I understood, but you proved me wrong. As a cost savings, I'm using our MLS right now (after I just learned I could THIS week!) But we are hoping to launch a new blog/web site next year (real estate closings willing) and it will have all these cool features.....don't want to spill the beans..but I think I've got some great ideas along with who will be doing my site!

NOV

2008

I have the basic MLS search on my site and am currently working on a personalized IDX and am excited to see the benefits. You are right, a personalized IDX is so much better for agents and consumers!

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