Real estate professionals can quickly find themselves overwhelmed when faced with the myriad of options out there for incorporating MLS search into their website. Lets start by defining a few key terms.

iFrame- The most basic, and common method of presenting MLS search on real estate websites. This is essentially a “page within a page”. Since the information presented inside of an iFrame isn’t actually on your website, you don’t receive SEO benefit from the content. This is the method most associated with IDX service providers (see below).

IDX-  (Internet Data Exchange) is a method of sharing data pulled from the MLS system. This information is usually made available by 3rd party service providers. IDX service providers offer subscribers the ability to easily provide MLS search on their website via a packaged product.

FTP- An FTP (File Transfer Protocol) server lets you download the entire IDX database, at fixed intervals it sends full updates and a new download of all the data. The downside is the delay in the updates, which occur on a set schedule.  

RETS– The RETS (Real Estate Transaction Standard) was launched in 1999 by the National Association of Realtors and related groups. RETS which was originally created to overcome the difficulties presented by the existence of a large number of organizations desiring to share and distribute real estate information with others. Prior to RETS, much of the data exchange was done using the FTP protocol, which did not allow for queries, and required transfer of complete datasets. RETS was created from the ground up as a new framework to attempt to address the need for a common and efficient standard for the exchange of real estate data. Most North American MLS data exchange service providers use the RETS protocol.

The Two Primary Methods for Implementation

IDX Service Providers

In most cases, IDX is provided by 3rd party providers who host the data on their servers. The search function is provided to an agent’s website through an iFrame (or similar tool). IDX Service providers offer low start-up cost and a quicker set-up, but typically require a monthly subscription costing more in the long run.  Something to consider is that all SEO benefits are received by the service provider and NOT the client. The framed IDX provider is a middle man. If search engine ranking is your priority, IDX feeds may not be the option for you.

Pros:

  • Faster set-up
  • Lower start-up costs
  • Turn-key solutions available

Cons:

  • Data is not hosted locally and therefore MLS data provides no SEO benefits to the client
  • Higher long-term costs due to subscription structure
  • You own nothing (cancel service, lose the product)

Examples: IDX Broker.com, IDXcentral.com, and iHomefinder.com

If you are looking for a quick solution with minimal short-term investment, IDX service providers may be the way to go. These providers will offers a clean well designed option with plenty of features.

Organic MLS Search Solutions

With organic MLS search, the data is pulled from the MLS server and hosted on the client’s web server (via RETS or FTP). Start-up cost tends to be higher but when compared to the long-term subscription based services is a much cheaper option.  SEO is greatly improved due to the fact that all MLS data is hosted and served from the client’s web server. Organic MLS solutions connect the MLS feed directly to your server rather than being routed through a third party. Eliminating the middle man ensures that your site gets all of the SEO value of the data and associated traffic,

Pros:

  • Lower long-term costs
  • SEO benefits from hosted data
  • You own the product (no monthly subscription fees)

Cons:

  • Slower to set-up and customize
  • Higher up-front cost

Examples:  Realtyna.com and RETS Pro

Summary

For most real estate professionals the simplest choice is to use an iFrame provided by an IDX vendor. iFrame integration can provide property search functionality on your website at a lower cost with faster implementation, but the drawbacks should not be overlooked. IDX vendors prevent the client from benefiting from the traffic utilizing your MLS search.  

Implementing an organic search feature utilizing FTP or RETS will help you rank higher by capturing the full SEO benefit provided by the data presented on your website. RETS is superior in terms of data control and update frequency and is the standard of the future.