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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