Did IDX Kill Buyer Agency?
If you wind back the clock, the greatest value of working with an agent as a home buyer was access to inventory – the MLS and "coming soon" listings. There was no internet, and consumers could not reasonably find all of the homes in a market on their own. They were limited to newspapers and magazines. Back then, buyers highly appreciated the service of a buyer's agent to find listings, schedule showings, craft buyer CMAs, offer submission and negotiation, and closing management. IDX allowed the consumer to find listings without an agent, and in some ways, schedule showings. But the rest of the work has remained the domain of the buyer's agent. I am a strong supporter of buyer agency and understand the value of IDX to serve the home buying consumer and their agent; but, I believe that IDX is a child of the offer of compensation. If the listing broker is offering buyer-broker compensation, then it strategically aligns to support programs – like IDX – that allow buyer agents to advertise their services to consumers with home search. Now, the Department of Justice (DOJ) has issued an opinion in the Nosalek case which points the industry toward eliminating any offer of compensation to the buyer agent from the seller/listing firm. The DOJ does not condemn buyer agency; they condemn the relationship of competitors working together with the seller and buyer to determine commissions. They want a clean cut. The seller hires their agent, and pays them. Same is true of the buyer's agent — they get paid by the buyer. The listing broker is no longer incentivized to support the buyer agent lead generation on IDX websites if the offer of compensation is not part of the MLS. Given this new construct, it seems like the best way that MLSs can support buyer's agents is by eliminating IDX. If consumers no longer have access to every listing on the 500,000+ websites, it would increase the need to work with a buyer's agent. The online landscape of property search would dramatically change if IDX was terminated. The only property search solution remaining for consumers would be VOW. VOW requires home buyers to register and hire a buyer's agent to search for property. If you want to see a model property search solution on a broker website without IDX, search homes in Cleveland using HowardHanna.com. Howard Hanna Real Estate Services opted out of IDX, so they only display their own listings to consumers who are unregistered on their site. When you register and agree to use a Howard Hanna agent to buy your home, you see all of the competitor listings. I have long believed that the buyer's agent often does a lot more work to earn a commission than the listing agent, even in today's condition of limited inventory. I want to see the buyer agency survive these class action lawsuits. The best idea that gets my vote is the cancellation of IDX. The one segment of the industry that would be most damaged by the loss of IDX are paper brokers. Those are brokers in license who only use their license to gain data access and do not endeavor to represent home buyers or sellers. I have not conjured up a fix for those companies in the absence of IDX. I guess that they would need to go back to being advertising websites, and advertising in magazines and newspapers may have a comeback. Additionally, ListHub or similar services would presumably have a comeback. To view the original article, visit the WAV Group blog.

Howard Hanna Opts Out of IDX and Tests VOW
Howard Hanna is the largest privately held real estate company in America, closing 113,853 transactions in 2022 – resulting in more than $36 billion in closed sale volume – ranking the firm No. 5 in the nation among all brokerages. HowardHanna.com is also among the most visited websites among all brokerages in America. Also, in the 13-state footprint of the firm, they experience consumer visits that compete head-to-head with many of the top national portals, often exceeding Redfin, Homes.com, and others in core markets. In northern Ohio, the firm has opted out of the IDX program in MLS Now. When consumers search the site HowardHanna.com in those markets on their broker website, they only see Howard Hanna listings unless they are logged in and assigned to a Howard Hanna agent. Users that are logged in see all MLS listings. That is how a VOW website works. VOW pumps up registrations and highlights company listings As you might imagine, consumers do not really understand IDX vs. VOW websites. Howard Hanna has turned this into a lead generation tool. I did a search for Rocky River, Ohio as an unregistered user and the following interstitial appears: "...Our company has 63 listings that match your search criteria out of 105 listings on the market. To view more, click here." Clicking takes the consumer to a registration page. In deploying a VOW, Howard Hanna is also promoting their listings in the market front-and-center. Many visitors to broker websites are drawn there from a yard sign or the firm's reputation. Placing their inventory first makes a lot of sense, especially when you have more than 60% of the listings in a community. For visitors looking for a Howard Hanna listing, they are more easily accessed without sorting through hundreds of listings of other firms. For buyers who want to see all homes that match their search criteria, they create an account. Howard Hanna agent websites were also converted to VOW. They operate just like HowardHanna.com, displaying company listings to unregistered users and all MLS listings to VOW consumers. Howard Hanna continues to advertise listings on Zillow.com One element of the Howard Hanna strategy is the company's commitment to advertising listings on Zillow.com. Although Zillow is a participating broker of MLS Now, the company is also an advertising platform for real estate listings. Howard Hanna maintains an advertising relationship with Zillow, local newspapers, real estate magazines, and other popular real estate advertising firms to widely market listings for sale. Worth noting, Redfin.com is also a VOW real estate website. When Redfin refreshed their feed from MLS Now, the Howard Hanna listings were not displayed unless users register to the website. Howard Hanna listings are in the MLS This should almost go without saying, but Howard Hanna listings are in MLS Now. All agents working with homebuyers can use the CoreLogic OneHome client portal and set up listing alerts. None of the MLS tools or services for agents have been impacted by the selection not to participate in IDX. If you search a Howard Hanna listing by property address, it is interesting to note how many websites are out of compliance with the refresh rules of the MLS. There are numerous sites that have not taken down the listings to unregistered users. I doubt that this is intentional, but merely a result of poor IDX data handling systems. What should other brokers and agents do? All brokers and agents in the market have the option to upgrade their website to a VOW website. Today, HowardHanna.com has a competitive advantage. Given that Howard Hanna is the leading firm in the market, consumers will quickly realize that they are not seeing all the listings from IDX only sites. They are more likely to start using HowardHanna.com. It is important that agents set up searches for their clients in the MLS to view all listings. Brokers should also look into converting their websites to a VOW site. Want to learn more about VOW? WAV Group wrote a series of articles about VOW websites: What Is a VOW and How Can It Help You Grow Your Business? How to Use Your VOW Website for New Customer Acquisition How to Use Your VOW Website to Communicate with Buyers Sell Homes Quickly with a VOW Website How to Use Your VOW Website to Retain Clients for Life In closing, it is exciting to see innovative brokers like Howard Hanna testing strategies to drive more opportunities to their real estate agents. Here are a few other link examples to tests and innovations that we have covered by Howard Hanna: Howard Hanna Syndication Announcement 'Coming Soon' Programs from Compass and Howard Hanna: Find Out How HH Sold 55 Homes in One Month with Find It First Hanna Financial Driving Real Estate Transactions with Buy Before You Sell Program In review of our posts mentioning Howard Hanna, we actually foreshadowed this strategy back in 2012. To view the original article, visit the WAV Group blog.

CoreFact IDX Website

CoreFact provides personal IDX websites for real estate professionals. These websites connect you with your target audience and provide you with the tools you need to capture more business. Unlike most real estate websites that are built with obsolete frames-based templates, CoreFact websites were designed with advanced Search Engine Optimization (SEO) capabilities to help improve your search rankings. CoreFact’s Capture Key Banners make it easy for direct mail prospects to access their home estimate and market activity. The Activity Dashboard gives the agent insight into their prospect’s interaction with their website to help prioritize which prospects to follow up with. With CoreFace websites, users can create a unique landing page (i.e., home page) for every area they farm, allowing them to position yourself as a local expert in multiple locations. Agents can create custom pages that they can use to market their services, or provide value-added content for their prospects. With a CoreFact website agents can set up automated listing alerts that keep their buyers and sellers aware of dynamic market conditions. Users can showcase their listings, or create custom categories of listings like bank-owned properties or luxury listings. Their MLS Search offers Real-Time Results™ Search Engine. This enables visitors to the site change search parameters and see the results update dynamically. No more back and forth using the Modify Search and Submit buttons for every change you make. Advanced applications like Gallery Search and Google Street View® are built into the application. The sites also include a blog. They are built to make blogging as easy as saving a Word Document. Dynamic content like blogging is one of the most important ways to impact your search rankings.

Top Producer IDX and Top Producer Websites

You’re Better than Your Competition! Stop keeping it a secret and let the world know with a Top Producer® Website. Websites Tailored to Fit Your Brand We’ve got hundreds of website designs for you to choose from, and each one is fully customizable. Showcase Your Listings & Satisfy Your Sellers With a Top Producer® website you’ll be able to showcase your listings with attractive layouts, lots of photos, interactive maps, and an open house calendar that lets buyers schedule appointments directly with you. Automate Your Follow-up with Top Producer® CRm Integration Because Top Producer® IDX seamlessly flows lead information into Top Producer® CRM application, you’ll be able to put your follow-up on autopilot, and stay in touch with your prospects effortlessly. Incubate Prospects and Bank Future Business. When you combine a Top Producer® Website with Integrated IDX, you get a lead incubator that can help turn a long-term prospect into a future customer. Your visitors get access to fresh property data, and you get the opportunity to nurture an early-stage prospect into a long-term client.

Team IDX

Team IDX offered by IDX, Inc. creates web pages which are used with a software that creates a channel from your MLS/IDX data feed directly to your team's website or blog. IDX (Internet Data Exchange) is a specific data feed provided by a broker's local MLS. The data feed for your web page mirrors the exact information available on your MLS's website and automatically updates as well.  Team IDX is a solution for two agent teams or small offices. In addition to all of the features offered by Agent IDX, Team IDX includes: Add featured listings, a roster page, and bio pages to your team website Route leads to team members through the control panel, or automate through filters such as price, city, round-robin, etc. Two user levels available: restrict one agent to their own email updates, leads, listings, and iPad/iPhone app No long-term contracts or usage fees

iGoIDX Mobile IDX

RealtyTech provides a mobile Internet Data eXchange (IDX) service for real estate professionals. RealtyTech pulls live MLS data from partnering MLS’s and feeds this information as it is updated to their mobile search solution. This solution allows real estate professionals and homebuyers to search for local listing properties on the go, from the convenience of their mobile device. A real estate professional’s clients can view all the MLS listings available, their name and their phone number on every one of the listings, whether it is the agent’s listing or not. How it works: This mobile IDX search solution allows the agent’s clients to see all the listings by typing in the agent’s website name on their mobile browser. The system detects that they are on a phone and shows the agent’s mobile compatible version of the site, not their regular site. This is designed to provide users with a better viewing experience; mobile websites resize the information on a regular website so that it is easy to see and navigate through via Smartphone.RealtyTech’s mobile IDX solution allows real estate agents and homebuyers to search a neighborhood for listings and open houses with Global Positioning Software (GPS). Note: This functionality only works for agent and client phones that are GPS enabled. Another feature available with the RealtyTech iGoIDX mobile IDX is the Automatic Email Listing Alerts. This feature will allow both real estate agents and homebuyers to send a message when a home becomes available.

RealtyTech Expands Partnership Program with IDX Broker to More Cities in the USA
RealtyTech Inc. has decided to expand its partnership program with IDX Broker to get attract more clients in more American cities. The expanded partnership will serve as the pathway for IDX Broker to attain and retain new clients in unchartered cities. It would also be a step up for IDX Broker to boost operations and understand numerous client dynamics in different parts of the U.S. THOUSAND OAKS, Calif., Jan. 22, 2021 -- RealtyTech has announced that to expand its partnership program with IDX Broker to more cities across the U.S. The news serves as a broader strategy of RealtyTech to solve one of the country's biggest challenges: simplifying how brokerage organizations in America connect with the "right" people. "The expansion will hopefully accelerate our unique joint partner program for years to come," said Uzelac R., the CEO of RealtyTech Inc. The expanded partnership program with IDX Broker will increase the efforts of the platform to help out more people in their home selection. It will also allow customers a powerful and unique experience. RealtyTech understands the comprehensive, modern, intuitive, and tech-oriented approach to get and hold onto more clients. It is an effective way to build trust and manage clients for an extended period. The housing market dynamics are shifting, and IDX Broker intends to move forward in a more progressive direction. "RealtyTech just wants to remain side-by-side with the IDX Broker to deliver the best value to the clients," noted said Uzelac R., the CEO of RealtyTech Inc. The expanded partnership will help IDX Broker to manage and review more service benefits that would attract more customers in the foreseeable future. "RealtyTech wants to lend its hand to IDX broker to navigate the tech-savvy and competitive housing market and deliver the best advisory services to clients," continued said Uzelac R., the CEO of RealtyTech Inc. Amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, attracting new clients has been a tumultuous task for brokers. With millions of investors and brokers ready to trade in risky markets every day, the real estate market has become more saturated than ever. The good news is that external specialists and or brokers understand the process of how to bring in valuable customers. In fact, IDX Broker does more than appease its clients; the platform offers real value through its home selection process to the clients. One of the reasons for the expanded partnership between RealtyTech and IDX Broker is to ensure sustainable growth and success. "IDX broker can now view the expanded partnership as a platform to advance their business practices," added Uzelac R., the CEO of RealtyTech Inc. The partnership also hints at more flexible and customized commission plans in the IDX Broker business model to achieve short-term and long-term objectives. In addition, IBX Broker is not new to real estate territories in the U.S. and can capture the attention of clients in different cities. It will also allow IDX Broker to build and maintain a nationwide reputation. It will also allow IDX Broker to segment and personalize different client preferences in various American cities. At its core, personalized support and dedication will enable IDX Broker to offer its expertise to clients with more freedom. About RealtyTech Richard Uzelac's RealtyTech Inc was created in 2002. Since that time RealtyTech has helped thousands of Agents and Offices to build strong brands and online presences to enhance their real estate businesses. RealtyTech specializes is Websites, IDX, and Internet Marketing and Advertising for the Real Estate Industry. Contact Richard Uzelac directly at RealtyTech Inc. at 805-413-7888 for more information.

FBS
flexmls Web is FBS' flagship MLS product used by large regional as well as independent MLSs accross the globe. flexmls IDX brings the powerful flexmls Web search and display to your website. Hi-res photos, layered mapping, contact management and portal integration, saved searches, and auto updates, all give visitors to your web site reasons to register and become customers. flexmls IDX is typically only available if your MLS is using flexmls Web.

ListingWare
Easy, Effective IDX Solutions for Real Estate

Immobel
Immobel makes Real Estate Global! Whether you want to attract international buyers or win the top listings by offering a true global marketing service to Sellers, Immobel has the solutions you want. Multi language* Globalized IDX for agent, broker and corporate websites plus Globalized IDX for Facebook send your message to the corners of the earth, and attract buyers back to you. The Immobel secure Global Referral Network links half a million professionals in the global community, across languages and borders. The Immobel Global Listing Exchange is an opt-in “ super IDX” where participating MLSes, brands and professional organizations share listings with one another to promote referrals. Displaying agents or brokers have instant national and international inventory to show on their websites, while their own listings get exposure in other markets, too. Real-Buzz.com, powered by Immobel is the leading web 2.0 global real estate portal and networking platform, with blogs, groups, walls and all of the familiar social networking features for both buyers and professionals. Typical clients include: CRMLS, MRIS, NTREIS, MLSLI, FloridaMoves.com, Sotheby’s International Real Estate. *American real estate listings are translated into: Spanish, French, Italian, German, Polish, Russian, Chinese ( Cantonese ) Chinese ( Mandarin ) Korean, Vietnamese, Japanese, and listings from other countries are translated into all of those languages, plus English.

Proxio, Inc.
Proxio’s marketing and networking platform delivers a quick and easy way for real estate brokerages and agents on any continent to internationalize and extend their reach globally. Proxio is a SaaS company (Software-as-a-Service). Virtually overnight, Proxio enables any type of real estate entity – from individual agents and single-office brokerages to MLSs and Realtor associations, to large industry groups and international master franchisors – to reach beyond local markets to expose properties to a global audience, standardize access to real estate listing data across markets, or to connect with brokerages and agents around the world for referrals. With a proprietary platform that operates in 19+ languages and instantly translates real estate listings, Proxio turns real estate brokerages, associations and MLSs into multilingual organizations, able to serve diverse clients and members far better than ever before. At a very low cost, and with no software downloads, Proxio slices across the industry to enable real estate professionals anywhere to connect, communicate and initiate transactions without borders and without friction.