I receive calls and emails daily for a WordPress Real Estate plugin that will magically import data from a MLS database into a WordPress real estate website. That plugin does not exist and never will.
There are hundreds of local MLS Boards nationally. Each Board owns and maintains their own data and therefore all have different data fields and formats. So it would be necessary for a developer to develop not 1, but hundreds of plugins. Additionally, most MLS Boards constantly change their fields. So each of these plugins would have to be maintained to ensure service interruptions would not occur and the proper data was delivered to the end users. This would be a maintenance nightmare not unlike those experienced by Open Realty users.
In addition to the maintenance headaches, Local Boards and the National Association of REALTORS® would find it difficult if not impossible to police a WordPress Realty plugin for compliance. In addition to redistribution issues many local boards have, each have their own compliance rules and regulations. The Boards may require submissions of search templates for compliance reviews prior to displaying publicly. A prime example of this Metrolist in Denver. Violation of compliance rules and regulations for display of data can lead to fines as much as $1,000 per occurrence. Since the site owner can change template layouts on the fly so to speak, this could lead to costly compliance issues.
Many Local Boards have implemented security protocols to protect “their” data. Any so called WordPress Real Estate plugin that would import data for redistribution on a Broker/Agent site would need to store the data on servers used by the Broker or Agent’s website. Not all dedicated servers would meet the stringent security requirements of many Local Boards.
With these compliance and policing issues it is only reasonable to expect that NAR and the local boards to enact policies prohibiting such plugins in the not so distant future resulting in the loss of any time and money spent chasing this myth.
There are a couple of WordPress plugins out there for real estate that are completely misunderstood when it comes to functionality. There is NO WP plugin that will import the MLS data directly into your real estate website. The process for the listings data to get into your website is as follows:
I recently ran across a competitor that claims to have a WordPress Real Estate Plugin in beta. This competitor makes no mention of the fact that in order to use the plugin you must first be an IDX/RETS client of theirs. Is this deceptive advertising or an oversight? That is for you to decide.
Before I get slammed with anymore emails about a magic real estate plugin to import MLS data into a Joomla or Drupal website let me state that they do not exist for the same technical reasons as WordPress.
In addition to all the reasons above you should rethink any attempt to locate or use a WordPress Real Estate plugin. Those REALTORS® that have pursued the magic WP Real Estate Plugin Myth have wasted a great deal of time and money in addition to most likely breaking a few compliance rules along the way.
For the REALTORS® that have managed to use one of these plugins with some success after paying the vendor’s data mapping fees, constant maintenance fees, extra server storage and extra bandwidth fail to understand they end up with only part of a system and the search functionality is the simplest part of any IDX/RETS solution for MLS. The heart of any RETS/IDX solution is the CRM for lead management and is powered by the capabilities of the system to effectively capture and manage leads.
With all the years of training and experience dealing with FSBO vs. REALTOR® services you would think this article would NOT be necessary and that I was just “Preaching to the Choir” about “do-it-your-self” professional services however, the calls and emails for the WordPress Real Estate plugin just keep coming in.
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I do believe you are wrong...
The Diverse Solutions plugin which you (almost) refer to does it. The plugin my company (HomeQUest) is about to release next week does it.
While it may not be magical, it definitely exists.
I can't speak for the Diverse Solutions product, but the HomeQuest platform is everything you describe above, along with the CRM backend for capturing and managing leads. We pay the connection fee the MLS charges, and the monthly fees (which do all vary as you stated). We don't require any additional anything. It's simply $80 a month for our CRM software, the IDX feed, and the plugin for use in Wordpress.
We've been using the product extensively at our brokerage (M Realty in Portland) and already have nearly 2000 users in the additional markets outside of Portland using the HomeQuest platform.
So, next time you get one of those dreaded calls asking for something you think doesn't exist, just have them call us. Thanks!
-Jeff
Jeff I am NOT wrong. Please read my reply in its entirety.
It is not difficult to use a MLS Data Feed with a Wordpress website AFTER you map the raw data to your platform. We have been doing this since 2005. The point of this post was to explain to REALTORS® that simply loading a Wordpress plugin to pull RAW DATA from a MLS directly into your website was not possible. The only way this can be achieved is to have a developer to map (program) the data from each MLS Board to a specific platform and then export to the website.
You can’t skip the mapping (programming) process which is what you are suggesting. Sure if HomeQuest or DS has a particular MLS Board mapped they can “magically” make your Wordpress website carry listings….. IF you are an IDX/RETS Client. Well there is nothing magical there; the UltimateIDX has been doing that with Wordpress, Joomla and Drupal real estate sites since 2005.
If you don’t believe me go to the HomeQuest website and click on the “Buy” button. They have 6 MLS Markets that they offer services for. That means that they have the raw data from these 6 MLS Boards mapped (programmed) to their system/platform.
The UltimateIDX has always been an advocate of Open Source CMS for REALTORS®. We were the first IDX vendor to call for REALTORS® to stop using proprietary software and stop being held hostage by their Webmasters. Our IDX/RETS solutions have been 100% compatible with Open Source platforms for years now. We continue to develop useful plugins for Wordpress, Joomla and Drupal at no charge to the real estate community.
So as far as HomeQuest offering a CRM and lead capturing, I hope so. But they can ONLY do it in a market that they have mapped (programmed) and that was the point of the article.
Very clear post explaining why the wordpress real estate pluging does not exist and will never will. Now I can say that I got a clear and reasonable answer, thanks!
.-= Buenos Aires real estate´s last blog ..Punta del Este – Seaside Luxury Property =-.
Oh, my bad. I thought this was the point of your article:
"... a Wordpress Real Estate plugin that will magically import data from a MLS database into a Wordpress real estate website. That plugin does not exist and never will."
As far saying "they can ONLY do it in a market that they have mapped (programmed)" you are correct. BUT, what if "they" are working on mapping the whole country? With the support of the NAR. There goes the neighborhood...
I don't really want to argue. In the end it doesn't really matter. We'll just keep doing our "magic" and you keep doing yours.
-Jeff
.-= Jeff Bernheisel´s last blog ..Quick IDX Map Tour =-.
Jeff and SEOWolf, I think you are sort of talking about slightly different things.
I think SEOWolf is describing the difficulties in developing a universal IDX plugin solution for WordPress that would work with arbitrary (all) MLS boards data; whereas Jeff is talking about a specific implementation of an IDX plugin done for a limited number (6?) MLS boards. (Jeff, think about the difficulties of taking your plugin to other MLS boards)
SEOWolf, I would still cautiously disagree with you about using the words "impossible" or "never". Even though RETS standard allows for huge variability in implementation (a big grief and a sore subject on its own), it is also possible to bring disparate RETS sources into one coherent system and yet preserve regional specifics and be able to enforce regional rules. My company is doing it and we have a good chunk of MLS board feeds in Canada and a couple in the US that are all imported into a single system and displayed with full regional specifics and rule enforcement. We meet challenges every time we take on a new RETS source, but no show-stoppers so far.
It's also true about rules: if the user is in control of their pages, they can always end up violating a rule by their MLS board. For example: they can display an exclusive (non-MLS) listing on a sidebar while displaying MLS listing results, which is a violation of rules in many boards. However, if the IDX plugin is restricted to containing and adhering to all the rules within a display "frame" or "viewport" of listings; then it seems to me that's a fine solution, as long as the user is aware of their responsibility to know and follow the rules.
We currently have an "embeddable" IDX that is possible to drop in via a js scriptlet, and WP implementation is not far off.
SEOWolf, even though you use harsh words about proprietary CMS and advocate open-source ones, like WP or Joomla (I assume); I do understand and largely agree with your point. However, consider that WP and other open-source CMSes have only recently begun to target their usability for non tech-savvy users...
Just my 2 cents,
-Bill
Thanks for chiming in Bill.
You make a lot of great points.
I apologize if my tone came off too harsh. That was not my intention. I simply think it is time for Agents to stop chasing a Unicorn.
Coming from a family of REALTORS® I know and understand how hard Agents work for their money these says and I add new IDX/RETS Clients weekly that have been sold a bill of goods.
Maybe “never” or “impossible” is too strong of language. Yes, it is possible to have a Wordpress plugin import raw data from every MLS into any website but it is certainly not practical.
If I am reading your comment correctly, your firm still imports the data via a RETS Client and exports to real estate websites just as the UltimateIDX does.
I still think that compliance will be an issue in the future. As an industry we have a history of pushing the envelope and replicating bad practices. This is a very competitive industry. Case in point reciprocal linking. When the Search Engines got enough of the games they simply pulled the plug on reciprocal linking and 50 state directories and even a lot of well intentioned Agents suffered.
Yes, there are challenges with every RETS feed and I honestly do not anticipate any meaningful improvement on standardization in language in the near future. We play the hand we are dealt and keep adding MLS markets as demand calls for.
Thanks again for the feedback Bill!
SEOWolf, I think we handle listing data differently. We don't have the "export" step. We import the listings into our systems and then provide application pages with searches, active listings, office listings, pre-defined seaches and forms, VOW, etc... All of this does depend on a subscription to our services on a monthly basis. On a WP, since you are in the server-side game, you don't need to pull raw listing data from the db, you can pull already formatted "views" into the WP.
Take a look at http://beta.kungfurealty.com (my test site)
and a WP site with our JS plugin (non-WP specific):
The views can come from anywhere... In a WP plugin these views would be "inlined" into the page. Hope, this makes sense.
Cheers,
--Bill
Nice site Bill.
Yes I understand the process completely.
As I stated we have been doing Wordpress sites for years.
The UltimateIDX system works with virtually any website but Wordpress is becoming our favorite platform.
A Drupal site that uses our system can be seen here http://www.otisahearn.com
TTYL
Hi again Jeff,
You said:
And I stand by that statement. You must first import the raw MLS data, map it to your system/platform. Your customers receive the data rehashed from your database, NOT the raw MLS data directly with is exactly what I said will never exist and your next statement proves that.
You said:
I wish them luck on mapping the entire country. “They” will soon find out that the vast majority of Local Boards in major markets charge IDX/RETS vendors thousands of dollars annually for data feed access. If NAR really wanted to support their Members they would mandate data access at reasonable fees as to give REALTORS® a choice of vendors. NAR dodged the bullet with the DOJ last time around, but the way the many of the Local Boards structure access fees prohibit open competition and most likely have anti-trust implications.
You said:
I’m not arguing either Jeff. Just trying to keep it real and we both know there is nothing real about “magic”. Just a lot of smoke and mirrors. Just like the Wordpress real estate plugin.
Keeping it real? You're spinning this into something WAY more complicated than it is and needs to be. But, it's making for great conversation!
Do the end users (the agents) really give a crap about all this behind the scenes stuff? Nope. They say they want a plugin that gives them listings on their Wordpress site. DONE. Diverse and HomeQuest both do this. We also both have CRM solutions on the back end of our platforms. They could care less if it's RAW data, or cooked data. As long as the listings and the correct info show up...
If someone calls us that is not in our service area - we add them to the queue prioritized on size, cost, and # of requests. We currently have 38 MLSs on that list. It's growing daily. I believe Diverse has even more than we do, for now. Getting the MLS's to actually work with us, take our $$, and setup the feed to serve our (and their) clients has been the most challenging part of all this.
As far as fees - HomeQuest pays the data connection fees. The end user pays a flat $80 a month for the IDX feed, Wordpress plugin and the CRM. Part of my job is to make sure we get enough users in each area to support the data connection fees.
So... I'm not sure what we're even disagreeing on anymore. But trust me, there are no smoke an mirrors here. We're just giving people EXACTLY what they want.
-Jeff
.-= Jeff Bernheisel´s last blog ..Quick IDX Map Tour =-.
The basis of my article was that there is not a plugin that can import the data directly from a MLS data feed so I think the disagreement started here:
Now that we have established the fact that the plugin does not exist I don’t think we are in disagreement about anything.
As for "just giving people EXACTLY what they want" the UltimateIDX has been doing that on Wordpress sites for years.
I have enjoyed our exchange Jeff and appreciate your feedback. Wishing you the best of luck on your endeavor. ;-)
Do agents care? Yes! I do!!
Its dangerous to assume anything about Realtors not wanting features. CRM features are essential. Realtors also want control. They want to change features, add fields, select what to display and not to display.
In my experience working with Real Estate companies, most are just barely satisfied with their solution but would change it if it wasn't for the bizzar price tag they have been suckered into or that they risk so much as a result of switching to something better suited.
I'm a fan of WordPress, its a big part of the game but its not the only part.
Excellent points Jared!
I think the article does well to describe what you were saying. After all we all get contacted and it goes something like this.
"I read somewhere you have a free plugin that will put idx/rets into my WordPress"
The premise here being that its a one size fits all. In that regard, it does not exist and can't really. Here is why in summary.
1) No two MLSs are ever alike so the idea that a plugin could assist in the integration of "one size fits all" is not realistic.
2) Hosting and servers vary way to much for a plugin to be successfully applied at a wholesale level.
I've been building plugins for three years and I've been building websites for 11 and working with all the RETS and IDX scripts like vieleRETS and our home grown RapidRETS I honestly can't forsee how anyone could claim such a plugin could exist. When we built JRealty we had more than 1100 downloads but ran into countless issues with integration of IDXs into Joomla. I send everyone to UIDX for such things.
This "discussion" baffles me. Of course Homequest and DS don't have magical MLS plugins that they give away for free that work out of the box for every MLS in the country. Is that the strawman you are trying to take to court here?
Like other IDX programs you must set them up to be compatible with the local MLS on the ground. Granted, I'm only running 2 different IDXs on 2 different sites, so I'm not an expert, but it seems simple to me.
The difference with a plugin from my understanding is that the IDX integrates with a WP site instead of being framed. This should allow you to better see where your visitor goes and should increase the SEO of your site if listings show up as "pages" with their own URL.
If this post was meant to be a sales pitch it certainly sent me running in the opposite direction. (and no I'm not a client of either DS or HQ)
.-= Geordie Romer´s last blog ...
I wasn’t attempting to take anyone to “court”. The post was intended to be a way to point REALTORS® to a link that call or email me looking for a Wordpress plugin that imported the MLS data into their website instead of regurgitating the same response over and over. It was NOT intended to be a sales pitch however I allowed advocates of DS and HQ to hawk their products without edits.
Geordie you are basically correct about the way it works. Each vendor must first set up the Local MLS. However;
"Difference" ?? We do not offer a “framed” solution and never have. As far as SEO benefits goes the UltimateIDX produces unique SEF URLs and unique Meta Tags for every listing in the MLS on a Wordpress, Joomla, Drupal or HTML website and has for years. All of this is done on our Client’s domain, not ours. Our Clients have a complete history of every listing viewed by each Lead in their CRM. Nothing new here Geordie.
Sorry I sent you running in the other direction Geordie but this post was never intended to increase sales. It was meant to save time, educate and kill a myth.
Thanks SEOWoft for the clear reply, I'm thinking about starting a real estate blog and the info you provide will help me a lot deciding which platform should I use.
Good information - I will think twice before using a word press real estate plugin.
There are some useful Wordpress real estate plugins out there. I just don’t care for any product that misrepresent what it is they do and to lead REALTORS® to believe that a WP plugin to import raw MLS data in a “one size fits all” format even exists is deceptive IMHO.
Well really i too heard about the myth but after reading the your post I am cleared about the news that its was just a rumor.
Interesting post. I have done work in the past with feeds and importing the data into a website. I also run a WordPress Real Estate plugin called the FireStorm Real Estate Plugin. I'm by no means trying to advertise it here or degrade your post but I feel it is very possible. I'm currently working on an IDX feed for my plugin actually and so far it is looking very promising.
.-= FireStorm Interactive´s last undefined ..If you register your site for free at =-.
I'm actually surprised at the confusion. I re-read the post a few times to be sure I got it and I do.
I think what Mack was trying to point out is this; Lots and lots of people will send an email saying, "I need a free plugin that I can put my MLS / IDX / RETS feed into my WordPress Blog" Or something similar. The request is straight forward enough but the solution however, isn't straight forward.
From the plugin developers perspective, Its not possible to make a plugin that will map, target, then import IDX / RETS feeds from the END USERS perspective unless the plugin has some sort of API call to a solution provider that has already mapped the data specifically for their plugin. I wrote a lengthy article about this on one of my blogs. There are way to many variables for a plugin to allow an end user, to select their IDX or RETS feed type, download it successfully, extract successfully, map the CSV data to any particular database and table structure, update with any regularity and be turnkey enough to be called a one size fits all.
A case in point was the mapping I did for a WordPress client that wanted Augusta GA MLS in his blog but didn't have enough room on his VPS account to download the 192k images so we build in hot linking features and setup the download and processing of listings on a CRON. I could not have foreseen a plugin that could have done that specifically for his project. However I could see a service provider having already mapped ready as a turnkey solution. That being said we look at what could be done.
There are plugin developers out there that are publishing free plugins that take their API and if you subscribe to their service you get the data in your WordPress site. In that situation its a proprietary solution and it does exist. I would expect that if most commercial proprietary solution providers do not build API's for Joomla, WordPress or Drupal that they will start losing clients at a rapid rate. It makes perfect sense for solution providers to build such plugins and components. I've been doing it since 2006.
I know this isn't a sales post but I can't helping pointing out a few things as far as the time line goes. Who was the absolute first to integrate MLS listings into WordPress? Who was the absolute first to do the same in Joomla? We were! Who was the second one to do something similar by actually building a plugin? We were again! Two separate plug-ins, one for Joomla and another for WordPress.
Does it matter who was fist? Not really, I just like pointing those things out to bolster my ego.