The new IDX option for Brokers across the U.S. has started a frenzy of inquiries to development companies about implementing it on their sites as soon as possible. Six months after the official NAR mandate, many brokerages are still stuck on what to do- how to implement it, what solution to select, even what rules to follow.

The concept of IDX is simple, and so far, the solutions have remained rather vanilla. A Brokerage decides they want IDX, they contact their board, hire a development company, and presto- they now have their entire MLS on their site. Now they should just sit back and watch the leads come in, right? Well maybe. What if there were other ways to implement IDX data that would benefit different segments of their market? While a large MLS search is most advantageous to the brokerage that would like to be the one-stop-shop for their customers, there are other, more creative ways that IDX can be implemented that are most definitely worth investigating. If Brokerages are to maintain their competitive edge in the years to come, creative IDX implementation is the way to do it.

Depending upon where their located, each brokerage has a different set of challenges for their market. Brokerages in Wyoming deal with a very different market than those located in Florida. In Wyoming, a brokerage may want to concentrate on horse ranches. In Florida, golf communities and waterfront properties are the focus of concentration. How can these two very different Brokerages use IDX to serve their particular market segments? By creating separate web sites and/or search areas that pull only market-specific properties.

For example, a Brokerage in Wyoming has a clientele base interested in ranch properties worth target marketing. A couple of the agents in the office may even specialize in these types of properties, and specifically market this segment of the population. Using IDX, this Brokerage has the ability to create a horse ranch web site with a search engine that pulls only ranch properties available in their MLS system for display on the web site. For instance, the Wyoming brokerage can set up a new domain name, (or a specific section of their web site), design it to attract that segment of the market interested in horse ranching, and implement a full MLS search engine on the site that only pulls ranch properties. In development, this is called a ‘sub set’ of the data and it is allowed by NAR as long as there are appropriate disclaimers on the page that notify the user that the site is only pulling properties from one particular segment of the data. This is an extremely powerful and effective marketing tool for brokerages interested in gaining leverage within a particular market segment.

Creative implementation of IDX data can be done in several of different ways, and can be determined based on your area and your market. As a Brokerage, you must determine which segments of your market and population would be best served by offering this type of site(s). For instance, if your Brokerage is located in an area where there is a considerable amount of ocean-front property, you may want to consider creating a separate web site geared specifically towards this type of customer, and pull only ocean-front properties in the search engine. In addition, on this site, you can offer a wealth of information about ocean-front properties, including photos and statistics on particular beaches, boating, docks, home insurance information, lifestyle, views, etc.

Another way to creatively implement IDX is to pull a subset of the data that highlights a particular community/development of concentration. Perhaps your Brokerage is located in Massachusetts and you have an interest in marketing yourself to consumers interested in purchasing property on Martha’s Vineyard. Using IDX, you can create a separate subset of the data to provide a search engine that pulls only properties for sale on Martha’s Vineyard.

Other options could be based on property type, such as ocean-front condos, golf course homes, mountain view homes, etc. Creative IDX implementation is an excellent way for Brokers (and agents) specializing in a particular area or type of property to market themselves more effectively to their target market.

These are just a few examples of how IDX can be creatively implemented. Depending upon the Brokerage and their location, the possibilities are endless and are limited only by your imagination. Market these sites appropriately, and you’ll be offering homebuyers a powerful, one-stop-shop for their particular interest. It saves them time and gets you leads.

Published: November 22, 2002

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