Outspoken SoCALMLS General Manager Russ Bergeron once told Agent News that anyone who pays an MLS over $25 a month for listing services is crazy. While some other large MLSs are charging members as much as $350 a month for Broker Reciprocity solutions, Bergeron has put his profits where his mouth is. With its long-time technology partner, HomeSeekers, SoCalMLS is debuting a new IDX solution called IDXnet(tm) to its 20,000 members - without adding new fees.

IDXnet allows brokers and agents to frame in MLS-wide search and display features on their personal and office Web sites, whether they are hosted by HomeSeekers or not.

How does it work? IDXnet is set up from an opt-out system. If a broker wants to participate, a link is provided that the broker can frame on the office Web site. The listing content is controlled via the MLS database – only IDX listings are available. If the brokers' agents want to run IDXnet listings on their sites, too, they are also welcomed to use the link.

If a broker wants to opt out of the IDX program, then his or her agents will not be able to show the IDXnet listings on their Web sites.

Bergeron hopes that, unlike a neighboring MLS where a major brokerage firm opted out, reducing the listings by more than five percent overall, that SoCalMLS will have full participation by the brokers.

"We haven't yet sent out the "Opt Out" packets to the brokers," says Bergeron. "Prudential California has already indicated that they will participate so competitive pressures might prevail. I'm hoping that will be the case - the success of IDX is that the majority participates."

Now about those fees, ...or lack thereof. How is such economic magic accomplished? IDXnet links directly to HomeSeekers, so visitors to an agent’s web site will have access to advanced Internet marketing features such as virtual tours, multiple photos, mapping, neighborhood information, school lists, and financial calculators. The IDX system will even e-mail listings directly to consumers if they want them.

"By using the HomeSeekers’ database and infrastructure, we avoided placing a burden on our MLS system to support IDX. In our area, I could easily see the load on our system doubling to accommodate consumer access," Bergeron explains.

What's in it for HomeSeekers? No doubt the company hopes its agent-friendly approach will help it sell of some of its agent productivity software and lead generation tools, like its popular template Web sites, among others.

“HomeSeekers will continue to develop products with which our customers can control the real estate transaction – whether in the areas of listing or buying, advertising on the Internet or managing a transaction," says B.J. Rone, CEO of HomeSeekers.

IDXnet cements a long-standing business relationship between SoCalMLS and HomeSeekers, at least in Internet years. According to company lore, back in 1995, SoCalMLS and HomeSeekers pioneered the introduction of MLSs to the Internet, making SoCalMLS the first MLS to place their listings inventory online.

MLS listings on agents' sites are nothing new either. SoCalMLS was among the first to enable HomeSeekers Web site customers to show their MLS inventory on their personal Web sites, long before Broker Reciprocity was a NAR mandate.

"Even back then we were trying to offer a product that would keep our customers on the client’s desktop.” says Bergeron. “CityNet™ was instantly and widely accepted as the vehicle for promoting the value of an agent without losing them to a competing web site. Now we are taking it one step further with IDXnet.”

The two companies have also recently announced the cutover of SoCalMLS to HomeSeekers' Internet MLS system, XMLSweb™.

“The timing is right to be introducing this system to our customers,” says Bergeron. “The past couple of years have seen a dramatic increase in the Internet capabilities of our customers. They are now ready to take advantage of the benefits of such a system.”

“This is just the beginning,” he continues. “We are positioned to take advantage of the Internet today, as well as into the future."

Published: October 1, 2001

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Blanche Evans is the award-winning senior editor of Realty Times, the Internet's leading independent real estate news service. She is featured daily on the Realty Times Video Network in the "Realty Viewpoint" segment. Blanche has been named one of the "25 Most Influential People In Real Estate" by REALTOR Magazine, and has been twice recognized as a "notable." In 2005, she was named "Top Reporter Covering the NAR" by Delahaye-Bacon's. Blanche is a renowned author of five real estate books. Her newest, Bubbles, Booms and Busts: Make Money In Any Real Estate Market, McGraw-Hill, was rave-reviewed by The New York Times. She was also selected from hundreds of real estate experts to contribute to Donald Trump's book, Trump: The Best Real Estate Advice I Ever Received: 100 Top Experts Share Their Strategies, Rutledge Hill Press, and is featured on page 68. Order Now Review - Honors In 2006, Blanche was selected among scores of candidates to author two consumer real estate guidebooks for the National Association of Realtors: The NAR Guide to Home Buying, and The NAR Guide to Home Selling, Wiley & Sons. She is currently planning two new books for the NAR and its members.       Known for her keen insight into real estate industry issues and for her ability to make complex subjects easy to understand, Blanche is a sought-after keynote and continuing education speaker. Real estate organizations from MLSs, to brokerages, to franchisors, to associations hire her to provide up-to-the-minute analysis of real estate industry news and advice on how to improve revenues. Her passionate delivery, peppered with stinging wit, is a huge hit with audiences and fans. Don Klein, CEO Greater Nashville Association of Realtors, Blanche Evans, Richard Courtney, president 2007, GRAR "The GNAR membership meeting last week featured Blanche Evans as the keynote speaker. Her comments and insights resonated extremely well with those in attendance and we have had many requests for copies of her PowerPoint Presentation. She was a terrific part of the membership meeting and convention program!" - Don Klein, CEO Greater Nashville Association of Realtors Coverage from WSMV, Nashville - 8-14-2007 That Interview Guy - Get Inside The Head Of Today's Generation 2007 AE Institute Session - To purchase 2006 AE Institute Session - Parts 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 HouseValues Mastermind call - Parts 1 2 Blanche's fireside chat with Jeremy Conaway, HAR - Click here. To contact Blanche, email her at . For more articles by Blanche, click here.