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Is Your Real Estate Site Mobile Responsive?

Wed, 21 Feb 2024 00:00:00 GMT

In today’s digital age, having a website is a must for any business, especially real estate agencies. And with the rise of mobile devices, it is essential to make sure that your real estate website is mobile-responsive. This means that your website can adapt to any screen size, including smartphones and tablets, providing your clients with an optimal viewing experience. With the SimplyRETS WordPress plugin for real estate, you can build a mobile responsive, custom website without any previous coding or development experience.

The Importance of a Mobile-Responsive Real Estate Website

In today’s fast-paced world, people rely heavily on their mobile devices - like phones and tablets - to search for information, products, and even homes to purchase and rent. According to recent statistics, mobile devices account for over 60% of internet searches. This means that if your real estate website is not mobile-responsive, you could be losing potential clients.

Having a responsive user interface can also improve your search engine ranking, making it easier for people to find your site when searching for real estate services on their mobile devices.

Keep It Simple

When designing your mobile-responsive real estate website, keep it simple. Too many graphics, animations, and special effects can slow down your site and make it difficult to navigate on smaller devices. Stick to a simple layout that is easy to read and navigate, and use clear, concise language to communicate your message.

By using the SimplyRETS IDX WordPress plugin, you can create a custom responsive design that highlights your services without the distractions that many generic themes include.

Build with mobile in mind

Using responsive web development tools, frameworks, themes, and plugins is the best way to ensure that your website looks great on any device without needing to build an entirely separate website for responsiveness. A good responsive design will automatically adjust the layout and content of your site based on the screen size of the device that is loading the page. This is essential to making your website easy to read and navigate, no matter what device your clients are using.

Optimize Your Images

Large images can also slow down your website’s loading time and be frustrating for mobile users who may have limited data plans and slower connections. To optimize your images for mobile devices, you can run your images through an image compression tool to get smaller file sizes without sacrificing quality. This will help your website load faster, making it easier for clients to access the information they need.

If you’re using WordPress with the SimplyRETS IDX plugin, all of the images and listing data are hosted for you, which means they won’t slow down your real estate website by storing excessive information in the database. These speedy page loads give users on mobile devices and tablets a better searching experience.

Use a Clear Call to Action

A call to action is a prompt on your website that encourages users to take specific actions, such as filling out a contact form or calling your office. With the SimplyRETS IDX development tools, you can position your call to action prominently on your website by prominently displaying featured listings and search forms. Make it easy for potential clients to contact you and increase your chances of closing a deal.

Today’s world is digital and having a mobile-responsive real estate website is critical. Using a website using a WordPress plugin for real estate like SimplyRETS, you can make sure that your website is easy to navigate, loads quickly, and looks great on any device. This will not only improve the user experience for your clients but also help you attract more clients and close more deals. Visit our website or contact us any time to learn more.

Five Essential Elements of a Lead Converting Real Estate Website

Wed, 24 May 2023 00:00:00 GMT

Are you a real estate agent looking to make the most of your online presence? Having an up-to-date and efficient IDX website is essential for engagement with potential home buyers. Here we will look at five elements that help maximize lead conversion on your site and equip you with the knowledge to create a powerful tool for finding and assisting buyers on their journey to finding their dream home.

Build your real estate IDX website or application with a flexible API

For any real estate professional or agency, having a strong online presence is crucial in today’s digital age. Real estate website IDX, or Internet Data Exchange, is a technology that allows real estate agents to display Multiple Listing Service (MLS) listings on their website.

An application programming interface (API) is a vital tool in real estate technology, enabling the efficient transfer of property listing data from the MLS to an agent’s website or real estate application. With a custom API, you can easily access all the data and functionality you need to create a personalized experience for your clients. Whether you’re looking to add advanced search filters, create custom property alerts, or integrate with other software, the SimplyRETS API has you covered.

Professional Design and Responsive User Interface

Having a professional design and a responsive user interface are key components to creating a successful real estate IDX website or application. A professional design can greatly impact user perception and make all the difference in gaining the trust and credibility of your clients. In addition, a responsive user interface ensures that users can easily navigate and interact with a website or app on any device, from desktop to mobile. With the increasing popularity of mobile browsing, a responsive design has become more important than ever.

When it comes to real estate IDX websites and apps, easy navigation and search functionality are crucial components that can make or break a user’s experience. A well-designed navigation menu and search bar can help users easily find the information they need and enhance their overall browsing experience.

Utilize Plug-and-Play WordPress Integration

Pre-built IDX integrations for WordPress make it easy to build your real estate IDX website and take advantage of many plug-and-play features, like SEO and caching. Alternatively, for a more custom solution, the SimplyRETS IDX developer API offers even more possibilities and flexibility for building your real estate website.

Integrate Real Estate Market Analytics

If you’re looking to truly understand your market and create content that speaks directly to your local audience, integrating market analytics and statistics into your real estate IDX website can be an invaluable resource. These tools can identify the real estate trends that matter most to your local area and create content that delivers the information that your audience is looking for.

An IDX integration is one of the most valuable investments you can make for your real estate business and website. With SimplyRETS as a platform in your real estate technology stack, you can have the power to build a custom IDX website or utilize plug-and-play WordPress integration. The features offered by SimplyRETS will revolutionize the way your clients use the listing information on your website. With our help, you can transform the way clients interact with your listings and unlock immense value from your real estate website.

Six Ways an MLS API Can Improve Your IDX Website

Wed, 17 May 2023 00:00:00 GMT

The Multiple Listing Service (or “MLS”) is a powerful resource for real estate agents and brokers, providing access to detailed property information and facilitating transactions. However, integrating MLS data into a website can be a challenging task.

That’s where the SimplyRETS MLS listings API comes in, offering a streamlined solution for creating websites and applications with MLS data and improving your IDX website.

1. Real-time data updates

One of the biggest advantages of using the MLS listings API is real-time data updates. Instead of relying on batch processing or scheduled updates, the SimplyRETS MLS API provides nearly immediate access to the latest property data, ensuring that your website is always up to date. This is particularly important for time-sensitive information, such as new listings or price changes.

2. Flexible data queries

The SimplyRETS MLS API is easy to get started with and offers tons of flexible data queries, allowing you to retrieve only the listings you need. This can help reduce bandwidth usage and improve website performance, particularly for large databases. With the SimplyRETS MLS listings API, you can also filter results by property type, location, price range, and other criteria, providing a customized search experience for your website visitors. See all the ways you can query in the API documentation.

3. Improved search and display functionality

With the SimplyRETS API, you can improve your website’s search functionality by integrating advanced search options, such as geolocation proximity searches or keyword searches. This can help your visitors find the properties they are looking for quickly and easily.

The SimplyRETS MLS API can also provide more detailed property information, such as property amenities, neighborhood details, tax information, and HOA features, enabling you to create more informative property listing pages.

See the full list of fields we support and try out the API in the documentation here.

4. Increased data security

The SimplyRETS listings API provides a secure and reliable data transfer method, ensuring that your website data remains safe and protected. This is particularly important for more sensitive data like personal information or financial data. Additionally, the SimplyRETS MLS API enforces authentication and authorization protocols, ensuring that only authorized users can query the data.

5. Enhanced user experience with MLS listings API

By improving your website’s search functionality and providing more detailed property information, the SimplyRETS listings API can enhance the user experience for your website visitors.

This can lead to increased engagement, more time spent on your website, and higher conversion rates. The SimplyRETS MLS API can also be used to provide real-time notifications for new listings or price changes, keeping your visitors informed and engaged.

6. Increased efficiency and productivity

By automating data retrieval and processing, the SimplyRETS MLS API can increase your efficiency and productivity as a real estate agent or broker. Building custom software can also help you manage your listings more effectively, with features such as bulk data retrieval or automated data synchronization with other tools. With these API features, you’ll have more time for important tasks, such as client interactions or marketing and making sales.

The SimplyRETS MLS listings API is a powerful tool for integrating real estate data into your IDX website, providing real-time data updates, flexible data queries, improved search functionality, increased data security, enhanced user experience, and increased efficiency and productivity. By integrating the SimplyRETS MLS API into your website, you can provide a better user experience for your visitors, streamline your workflow, and increase your business success.

Click here to learn more or contact us with any questions.

How Can I Add a RETS Feed to My WordPress Website?

Mon, 15 May 2023 00:00:00 GMT

If you’re a real estate professional looking to add a Real Estate Transaction Standard (RETS) feed to your WordPress website, you may be wondering where to start. With the fast-paced and ever-changing world of real estate, having access to the latest property records and listing data from your Multiple Listing Service (MLS) is essential for keeping up with current market technology and trends.

By integrating a RETS feed into your website, you can display the lastest property listings and provide visitors with the most accurate and timely information. Thankfully, technology has made it easy for agents to leverage their websites as a source for getting data from a RETS feed into their systems quickly and effortlessly. In this guide, we’ll walk you through the steps needed to connect a RETS feed to your WordPress website and start harnessing its benefits.

What Is A RETS Feed and Why You Should One on Your Website?

As a real estate agent or broker, you’re always looking for ways to make your website stand out and provide the best experience for potential clients. That’s where SimplyRETS comes in handy.

A RETS feed is, essentially, a way of connecting to your local MLS’s real estate listings, which can allow you to integrate that listing data into your website and provide users with up-to-date information on available properties. Not only does this save you time on manually updating the listings on your website, but it also enhances the user experience by providing accurate and comprehensive search results. Additionally, integrating MLS data from a RETS feed can improve your SEO and help your website rank higher in search engine results.

There are two types of RETS feeds: IDX and VOW. Internet Data Exchange (IDX) feeds are available to all real estate professionals and generally contain active and pending property listings, while Virtual Office Website (VOW) feeds may contain more extended information and information on sold listings. In general, most IDX and VOW feeds are only available to members of a particular MLS. By integrating a RETS feed into your website, you’re making it easier for clients to find the perfect property and improving your chances of closing a lucrative sale.

Steps To Set Up a RETS Feed

If you’re a real estate agent, broker, or developer, you might be wondering how to set up a Real Estate Transaction Standard feed. Setting up a RETS feed might seem intimidating at first, but don’t worry; with some basic knowledge and a little bit of patience, you’ll be up and running in no time.

The first step is to determine your local MLS’s requirements for data access, as each MLS is different. The easiest and fastest way to do this is simply to contact the MLS in the area you want to access property information. Once you have a feed set up, you can use a RETS client software like SimplyRETS to connect to and manage the data within the feed. Once you’ve done that, you’ll be able to retrieve data and keep it up-to-date automatically and start integrating listing information into your website or application.

Too much terminology? Check out our explainer post here.

How to Connect the RETS Feed to Your WordPress Website

Are you not sure how to start adding a Real Estate Transaction Standard Feed to your WordPress website? Well, you’re in luck because it’s a lot easier than it seems.

Once you have a RETS feed set up, as mentioned in the previous section, you can use client software like SimplyRETS to integrate the data into your website. The SimplyRETS WordPress IDX plugin will connect to your RETS feed and allow you to search and display MLS data directly from your website. Just connect your RETS feed to SimplyRETS, install the SimplyRETS WordPress plugin, and start showing listings right away.

But to truly optimize your content, you need to use keywords strategically, make sure your URLs are clean and concise, and take advantage of meta descriptions and other tools. It may take some extra effort, but optimizing your website’s MLS data can make a huge difference in driving traffic to your site. Using our professional software ensures that your optimization is complete.

Integrating MLS data via a RETS feed is an essential component of a successful web presence in the real estate industry. If you’re thinking about starting up your website and integrating a RETS feed for a better and more thorough user experience, SimplyRETS is the perfect solution for you.

With SimplyRETS, you can directly integrate your MLS data into your website. The SimplyRETS tools are built for fast page load speeds and allow for highly customized websites, while maintaining a simple and easy setup. You don’t have to worry about getting overwhelmed - we have included some tips on how to optimize your real estate content on WordPress as well as potential issues that may arise and easy solutions for them. Now it’s time to transform your business by giving your website visitors direct access to MLS content!

Bring your real estate website to life with SimplyRETS.

How to Create Lead-Generating Sidebars for Your IDX Website

Fri, 12 May 2023 00:00:00 GMT

Creating lead-generating sidebars for your IDX website is an important part of building a successful online presence for real estate agents, especially for those using IDX for WordPress. Lead-generating sidebars can help agents convert more visitors into leads, allowing a more efficient process for potential home buyers and sellers to contact them for their services. While there are many ways to approach the design of a sidebar, there are a few key best practices that can help you create an effective one.

Are you a real estate agent looking for new ways to generate leads? Have you thought about adding sidebars to your IDX for WordPress website? First, what exactly is a sidebar? A sidebar is the section of a website that typically appears along the side of a page, often containing more content and links to additional resources.

It can be used to display information such as contact information, lead forms, related articles, etc. With an IDX website, you can also add things like featured listings and search forms to encourage users to browse your real estate listings.

Are you using the SimplyRETS WordPress plugin? Check out the available sidebar widgets here.

Are you looking to optimize your IDX for WordPress pages for your real estate website? Property search and listing details pages can greatly benefit from a sidebar that includes filters, saved searches, and featured listings. With a sidebar, users can easily navigate through your website and find the data that meets their specific criteria.

Choose the right lead-generating content for your WordPress IDX website sidebars. By including interesting content that’s both relevant to your audience and connected to your business goals, you can attract potential customers and encourage them to engage with your brand.
Format the IDX for WordPress sidebar content in an attractive and organized way. Consider organizing your content into categories, using eye-catching icons, and keeping it concise yet informative.
Utilize visuals and colors to draw attention to key links and resources. By utilizing these elements, you can draw attention to key points that are valuable for your viewers. Whether it’s featured real estate listings or a social media post, incorporating visually stunning images or graphics will instantly add value to your content.
Incorporate a call to action (CTA) such as the “contact us” or “schedule showing” buttons. By strategically placing CTAs throughout your IDX for WordPress website, you will not only increase engagement but also drive conversions and ultimately grow your business.
Place links that redirect readers to other parts of your IDX for the WordPress website. Not only do these internal links improve the user experience, but they also boost your website’s SEO.

Effectively utilizing a sidebar on your WordPress IDX website is one of the best ways to help generate leads for real estate agents. If you’re in need of assistance developing an effective sidebar design for your WordPress IDX pages, contact SimplyRETS and let us help you build your custom WordPress IDX website so that you can start generating leads quickly and efficiently!

Benefits of Using the SimplyRETS IDX Plugin for WordPress

Thu, 06 Apr 2023 00:00:00 GMT

Sometimes it feels like there are a million IDX plugins for WordPress available to real estate agents, but how do you know which one is right for you and your clients? Today, we look at the SimplyRETS IDX WordPress plugin and why it’s the best choice for developers and real estate agents to easily build modern real estate websites.

An Overview of IDX WordPress Plugins

IDX plugins for WordPress have been around for years, and WordPress users frequently turn to them when creating real estate websites. IDX stands for “Internet Data Exchange” and allows agents to easily show listings on their websites without having to worry about coding. It is a great way to stay competitive in the industry as buyers increasingly look toward the internet for their property search. SimplyRETS offers an IDX plugin for WordPress that is uniquely tailored to make it easy to incorporate IDX features into existing websites and capture leads. With various customizable shortcodes, data fields, and a variety of search capabilities, they are the go-to IDX plugin for a seamless WordPress experience.

The Benefits of Using SimplyRETS

Anyone thinking about IDX plugins for WordPress should look no further than SimplyRETS! Our customizable IDX solution is the perfect way to maximize your online presence, delivering an easy-to-use customer experience and reliable real estate syndication. With SimplyRETS, you can populate any WordPress theme with IDX, RESO Web API or RETS data from an MLS in a matter of minutes. All plans are affordable and come with technical support to guarantee reliable results without hassle or limitation. Put your trust in SimplyRETS for an effortless IDX solution.

Features of SimplyRETS That Make It Unique

SimplyRETS stands out amongst IDX plugins for WordPress by providing unprecedented flexibility, simplicity, and customizability that works with any theme. Not only can real estate agents quickly set up IDX shortcodes for any website page they can also personalize and design pages based on the ever-changing needs of their clients.

SimplyRETS makes it easy to stay ahead of trends with its robust, backward-compatible design that is made to be adjusted and updated over time, even if you change WordPress themes. It is a truly unique IDX plugin because it includes features like lead capture and integration with ListHub analytics that give agents detailed insight into which elements of their IDX listings generate the highest quality leads; a competitive edge in today’s online real estate landscape.

The Best IDX Plugins for WordPress and You

Are you lost in a sea of confusing technical jargon trying to figure out which of the seemingly infinite IDX plugins for WordPress is the best for your website? Worry no more. SimplyRETS has got you covered. Our comprehensive WordPress plugin makes it easy and efficient to quickly set up the perfect home search experience for clients on any type of real estate website without requiring or relying on any technical know-how or coding. Our intuitive design puts content front and center so that buyers can get what they’re looking for quickly and easily — all with just one click. With SimplyRETS, we give you total control over how your listings are displayed while still being quick, secure, flexible, and powerful enough to suit any business’s needs.

Real Estate Listing Data Terminology: What are MLS, IDX, RETS, RESO, VOW, and DDF?

Sat, 01 Apr 2023 00:00:00 GMT

Do you find yourself confused when searching for IDX solutions and seeing acronyms like MLS, IDX, RETS, RESO, VOW, and DDF? You’re not alone! While these terms might seem intimidating and difficult to understand, they are straightforward. Knowing what each of these means can be an invaluable tool when developing real estate applications and websites.

IDX for Real Estate Websites

The first acronym to understand is IDX, otherwise known as Internet Data Exchange. Internet Data Exchange is a method of transmitting a Multiple Listing Service’s listings and other real estate information to agent and broker websites. Adding IDX to real estate websites allows professionals to display things like active listings and property details.

A good IDX solution will help agents and brokers easily create custom websites with listing search capabilities. IDX is specifically designed for the real estate industry, where the ability to quickly share listings among agents and potential homebuyers is critical, providing valuable access to accurate and detailed real estate data.

MLS

MLS, or Multiple Listing Service, is a database of real estate information, grouped by state or region, that many agents and brokers join to share data on a variety of properties they’re currently selling. MLS’s enable agents and brokers to help one another find buyers for their property in a quicker time frame.

RETS

RETS - Real Estate Transaction Standard - is a technology used to exchange standardized real estate data between various types of software systems that handle real estate information. It’s commonly used among IDX real estate websites and other applications.

RETS was created as a way for multiple listing services to share massive amounts of detailed property data with brokers, agents, and vendors in a secure, consistent format. Although RETS is still the most widely used technology for distributing real estate data, RESO Web API is a more modern format that is being widely adopted by data providers and replacing RETS.

RESO

RESO, the Real Estate Standards Organization, is an amazing resource for those working in the real estate industry. It is a professional standards development organization dedicated to increasing data liquidity across platforms and marketplaces. RESO is responsible for developing and maintaining the RETS and Web API standards.

In short, RESO defines the basic standards on which real estate applications are built. IDX for real estate websites is based on these standards, meaning users can search for properties online consistently without regard for the underlying implementation or database, which helps agents control how their listings appear on websites.

VOW

VOW means Virtual Office Website. This is a type of back-office application that differs from standard IDX for real estate websites. Generally, it provides more detailed information and includes off-market MLS data. This comprehensive service allows real estate agents to access detailed property information, share listings, and interact with customers through their established website. This type of IDX enables agents to efficiently manage client requests and track activity on the website.

DDF

DDF is a system that allows real estate brokers to share their listings with other brokers across Canada. DDF makes it easier for brokers to market their properties to potential buyers and helps increase the visibility of their listings. This means Canadian users can add listings from across the country on their IDX real estate website. Some states in the U.S. have a similar system.

Conclusion

Being familiar with various types of technologies helps you make informed decisions when building an IDX real estate website. The expertise of SimplyRETS in these technologies allows you to create an effective and intuitive website for your own real estate business. With our help, you can transform the way clients interact with your listing information. To start building your online presence now, head to our website to explore more!

Ten Ways to Leverage Your IDX Listings for More Traffic

Fri, 31 Mar 2023 00:00:00 GMT

RETS (Real Estate Transaction Standard) has been around since 1999 and is the most widely used system for syndicating listing information in the United States and Canada. It allows realtors to access MLS data more efficiently, meaning that agents can get their clients up-to-date info on listings quickly and easily. But what does this have to do with driving traffic to your MLS IDX listings? Let’s break it down.

How to Drive More Traffic to Your MLS IDX Listings

Having IDX data integrated into your site by working with SimplyRETS is just the first step. You also need to make sure that people see it! Here are 10 ways that you can use SimplyRETS to integrate your RETS or RESO Web API feed on your website and drive traffic to your MLS IDX listings:

Promote your real estate listings across social media platforms so that potential buyers see them.

2. Create a video tour of the property

Show off your listings in a way that makes people excited about them by creating virtual tours of each one!

3. Blogging

Feature each of your properties or provide helpful advice related to buying or selling homes in general on your blog. This will draw attention back to your site and help increase engagement with potential buyers!

4. Feature your listings on your home page

Promote one or more of your featured properties on the home page of your website so everyone who visits knows exactly what you have available right away.

5. Mobile Responsive Site

Make sure that people viewing your site from mobile devices can easily access all its features so they don’t miss out on anything important while they’re browsing.

6. Build your brand

Create content specifically tailored towards buyers in the area where you specialize, so they know exactly what kinds of services you offer and why they should choose you over another agent.

7. Photography

High-quality photos will draw more attention from potential buyers who may not yet be considering a purchase.

8. SEO

Fill content pages with relevant keywords related to real estate topics and locations so search engine robots can recognize them when indexing online results.

9. Email Marketing

Send out emails at regular intervals with updates about new properties or helpful tips related to buying and selling homes.

10. Paid Search Advertising

Invest money into targeted search engine ads so interested buyers will come directly onto your site when searching for specific terms related to local markets or other criteria related to homebuying decisions.

Leveraging Tech for Success

Using RETS and RESO Web API has made it easier than ever before for real estate agents to eain access to high-quality MLS data quickly and conveniently via an IDX system which can then be leveraged to drive traffic back toward their website through various methods such as social media promotion, blogging, email marketing campaigns, and paid search advertising.

With SimplyRETS’ solutions tailored specifically towards helping agents install and optimize their own custom-built systems powered by RETS and RESO Web API technology, there’s no better time than now for those who want to take advantage of this powerful toolset within this digital age. Want more information on optimizing your MLS IDX listings? Contact us now!

How to Optimize Your Lead Generating IDX Website

Wed, 29 Mar 2023 00:00:00 GMT

The purpose of a lead generating IDX website is to capture contact information from potential clients and generate new sales opportunities for your real estate business. IDX for websites is a powerful tool that can be used to drive more traffic, capture leads, and ultimately increase sales. However, it’s important to understand the anatomy of a lead generating IDX website and how to effectively optimize it to achieve the best results.

What is a Lead Generating IDX Website?

An IDX (Internet Data Exchange) website pulls information on real estate properties from an existing database. The most common example is providing local listing information pulled from a Multiple Listing Service (MLS).

IDX for websites in real estate enables consumers to search for listings, research comprehensive details, and view listing images, all without leaving your website. IDX websites are often used by real estate professionals to showcase their listings, attract new leads, and generate sales.

A lead generating IDX website is fully optimized to capture client leads. It includes features such as registration forms, contact forms, email subscriptions, and more. These features allow users to submit their contact information and become potential leads.

Optimizing Your IDX Website Functionality

In today’s digital world, it’s essential to make sure your real estate website is mobile-friendly and can be accessed from anywhere. Because clients of all kinds generally have a smartphone on them, a large portion of your visitors will likely be accessing your website from their mobile devices, so it’s important to make sure your site is optimized for mobile viewing and data entry. A certain percentage of visitors will still prefer a larger computer screen, so be sure to make your site responsive in all formats.

To be discovered, focus on SEO (Search Engine Optimization) as one of the best ways to get your website to rank higher in search engine results. Strategically stacking your website with SEO keywords will help you increase website traffic and improve your website’s visibility. For example, the SimplyRETS WordPress IDX plugin follows best practices for generating SEO for your real estate listings.

Building User-Friendly IDX Websites

Content is key when it comes to attracting potential leads. You’ll want to make sure your website has informative and interesting content that will engage your visitors. This will help you capture more leads and generate more sales.

With IDX for your website, clients will be able to explore your real estate listings and services. By integrating MLS listings on your website, your website is more expansive and your credibility increases.

Social media is a great way to promote your website and attract new leads. Make sure to post regularly and engage with your followers to build relationships and gain more leads. By including links and references to your real estate website, you can create a steady flow of traffic, especially if there is some helpful advice or observations included.

You’ll want to make sure your website is designed to convert leads into customers. Make sure to include features such as MLS listings search, registration forms, contact forms, and email subscriptions to make it easy for visitors to become leads. For clients looking for a trustworthy place to find their next home, using IDX on your website will help draw them in for a sale.

Lead-generating IDX websites are a powerful tool for real estate professionals to capture potential clients and generate sales. By understanding the anatomy of a lead generating IDX website and optimizing it with the tips above, you’ll be able to drive more website traffic, capture more leads, and ultimately, increase sales.

Adding a WordPress IDX Map Search Shortcode with SimplyRETS

Mon, 27 Mar 2023 00:00:00 GMT

When you are a real estate agent building your website, you want it to be as user-friendly as possible. One way to do this is by adding an IDX map search that allows your visitors to search MLS data and find homes by visually searching neighborhoods and areas of interest.

This can be a stressful endeavor, but there is a way to make it easier. Have you heard about the benefits of using SimplyRETS’ WordPress IDX map search shortcode? This powerful tool is vital for real estate agents and businesses who want to optimize their visibility online. It allows those in the real estate market to easily find listings, showcase properties, and automate their workflow. Let’s look at how to set up a RETS or RESO Web API feed and integrate SimplyRETS on your website so you can utilize the best IDX plugin for WordPress.

What is an IDX Plugin for WordPress?

An IDX plugin is a type of software that integrates with your website to allow visitors to search through your MLS listings. The “IDX” stands for Internet Data Exchange, which refers to the cooperation between brokers for displaying their Multiple Listing Service (MLS) listings online. An IDX plugin gives users access to this data so they can easily perform searches on your website. The SimplyRETS WordPress plugin specializes in this service, so you don’t have to fuss with coding or mess around on the back end of your website.

What are RETS and RESO Web API and How Do they Work?

RETS stands for Real Estate Transaction Standard, which is a protocol used by brokers and agents to share listing information among multiple software systems. It provides a secure way of transferring large amounts of data from one system or database to another. RESO Web API is a new and modernized standard for these types of systems.

Before you can set up an IDX plugin on your website, you need authorization to access an MLS server via RETS or RESO Web API. Once you do have access, you will be able to display and search MLS listing details on your website. Integrating these MLS data feeds yourself can be difficult and tedious, and require a large amount of developer resources. Using the best IDX plugin for WordPress will ensure a simple and successful implementation that anyone can do.

How to Install the Best IDX Plugin for WordPress

Now that we understand why we need an IDX plugin, and what RETS and RESO Web API are used for, let’s jump into how you can get started with installing the SimplyRETS plugin onto your WordPress site. Here are four easy steps that will help you get started:

Get Access to an MLS Feed: In order to start setting up your own WordPress website with an IDX plugin, you need access to an MLS data feed. Depending on the local MLS or board of REALTORS this may take some time, as some areas require more paperwork than others before granting access.
Install the SimplyRETS WordPress Plugin: Now that you have access to the MLS data feed it’s time to install the chosen software onto your WordPress website. Be sure it’s compatible with whatever plugins or themes you may already have set up. SimplyRETS has the best IDX plugin for WordPress and we can help you every step of the way.
Connect your MLS feed to SimplyRETS: With a data feed set up at the MLS, and the WordPress plugin installed on your site, you can connect your MLS data feed to your SimplyRETS account by creating an app in your SimplyRETS dashboard. This will sync the data with your account, giving your WordPress website access to the live MLS data.
Add Shortcodes to Your Website: With your MLS data feed connected to SimplyRETS, you can start display IDX listings on your website by adding short-codes and widgets to the pages where you want to an interactive map search tool for your visitors.

Rules for Displaying Data on Your Website

Using the best IDX plugin for WordPress is an essential component of any successful real estate site. Once your IDX plugin is set up, you need to make sure that you stay compliant with the rules related to displaying MLS data. Be sure to familiarize yourself with your local MLS or board of REALTOTS requirements. There are a few common guidelines you can keep in mind:

All MLS listings should credit their respective source (the MLS).
The data should not be modified in any way.
New listings should be refreshed on your site regularly. This is handled automatically with the SimplyRETS WordPress plugin.

The SimplyRETS IDX plugin offers several built-in features to maintain compliance with any rules and regulations you may encounter.

Using the WordPress IDX map search shortcode offers many advantages over traditional methods of searching through property listings online. Its ability to quickly reference listing data and search via geographical information makes it an incredibly useful tool for a real estate agent’s website visitors.

By following the steps outlined above, anybody can confidently install the best IDX Plugin for WordPress quickly. At SimplyRETS, we understand it can be nerve wracking to do this yourself, especially if you have no experience in web design. So, when you are ready to take your real estate website to the next level, contact SimplyRETS and we will help you get set up.

The RESO Data Dictionary

BuyerAgentEmail

Type: String

The email address of the Buyer’s Agent.

BuyerAgentFax

Type: String

BuyerAgentFirstName

Type: String

The first name of the buyer’s agent.

BuyerAgentFullName

Type: String

The full name of the buyer’s agent. (First Middle Last)

BuyerAgentHomePhone

Type: String

BuyerAgentKey

Type: String

A system unique identifier. Specifically, in aggregation systems, the Key is the system unique identifier from the system that the record was just retrieved. This may be identical to the related xxxId identifier, but the key is guaranteed unique for this record set. This is a foreign key relating to the Member resource’s MemberKey.

BuyerAgentLastName

Type: String

The last name of the buyer’s agent.

BuyerAgentMiddleName

Type: String

The middle name of the buyer’s agent.

BuyerAgentMlsId

Type: String

The local, well-known identifier. This value may not be unique, specifically in the case of aggregation systems, this value should be the identifier from the original system.

BuyerAgentMobilePhone

Type: String

BuyerAgentNamePrefix

Type: String

Prefix to the name (e.g. Dr. Mr. Ms. etc.)

BuyerAgentNameSuffix

Type: String

Suffix to the BuyerAgentLastName (e.g. Esq., Jr., III etc.)

BuyerFinancing

Type: String List, Multi

A list of options that describe the type of financing used. This field is used when setting a listing to Closed. i.e. cash, FHA loan, etc.

BuyerOfficeAOR

Type: String List, Single

The Buyer’s Office’s Board or Association of REALTORS.

BuyerOfficeEmail

Type: String

The email address of the Buyer’s Office.

Type: String

The full name of the buyer’s co-agent. (First Middle Last)

CoBuyerAgentHomePhone

Type: String

CoBuyerAgentKey

Type: String

CoBuyerAgentLastName

Type: String

The last name of the buyer’s co-agent.

CoBuyerAgentMiddleName

Type: String

The middle name of the buyer’s co-agent.

CoBuyerAgentMlsId

Type: String

The local, well-known identifier. This value may not be unique, specifically in the case of aggregation systems, this value should be the identifier from the original system.

CoBuyerAgentMobilePhone

Type: String

CoBuyerAgentNamePrefix

Type: String

Prefix to the name (e.g. Dr. Mr. Ms. etc.)

CoBuyerAgentNameSuffix

Type: String

Suffix to the CoBuyerAgentLastName (e.g. Esq., Jr., III etc.)

CoBuyerOfficeAOR

Type: String List, Single

The Co Buyer’s Office’s Board or Association of REALTORS.

CoBuyerOfficeEmail

Type: String

The email address of the Buyer’s Co Office.

CoBuyerOfficeFax

Type: String

CoBuyerOfficeKey

Type: String

CoBuyerOfficeMlsId

Type: String

The local, well-known identifier. This value may not be unique, specifically in the case of aggregation systems, this value should be the identifier from the original system.

CoBuyerOfficeName

Type: String

The legal name of the brokerage co-representing the buyer.

CoBuyerOfficePhone

Type: String

CoBuyerOfficePhoneExt

Type: String

The extension of the given phone number (if applicable).

CoBuyerOfficeURL

Type: String

The website URI for the co-buyers office.

CoListAgentAOR

Type: String List, Single

Type: String

The full name of the co-listing agent. (First Middle Last)

CoListAgentHomePhone

Type: String

CoListAgentKey

Type: String

CoListAgentLastName

Type: String

The last name of the co-listing agent.

CoListAgentMiddleName

Type: String

The middle name of the co-listing agent.

CoListAgentMlsId

Type: String

The local, well-known identifier. This value may not be unique, specifically in the case of aggregation systems, this value should be the identifier from the original system.

CoListAgentMobilePhone

Type: String

CoListAgentNamePrefix

Type: String

Prefix to the name (e.g. Dr. Mr. Ms. etc.)

CoListAgentNameSuffix

Type: String

Suffix to the CoListAgentLastName (e.g. Esq., Jr., III etc.)

CoListOfficeAOR

Type: String List, Single

The Co Listing Office’s Board or Association of REALTORS.

CoListOfficeEmail

Type: String

The email address of the Co Listing Office.

CoListOfficeFax

Type: String

CoListOfficeKey

Type: String

CoListOfficeMlsId

Type: String

The local, well-known identifier. This value may not be unique, specifically in the case of aggregation systems, this value should be the identifier from the original system.

CoListOfficeName

Type: String

The legal name of the brokerage co-representing the seller.

CoListOfficePhone

Type: String

CoListOfficePhoneExt

Type: String

The extension of the given phone number (if applicable).

CoListOfficeURL

Type: String

The website URI for the co-listing office.

CommonInterest

Type: String List, Single

Common Interest is a type of ownership in a property that is composed of an individual lot or unit and a share of the ownership or use of common areas. A Common Interest Development (CID) is usually governed by a recorded set of Covenants, Conditions & Restrictions (CC&Rs).

CommonWalls

Type: String List, Multi

A multi select list with options like 1 Common Wall, 2 Common Walls, No Common Walls, No One Above, No One Below. Implementation should include rules preventing illogical selection combinations and to ensure consistency with the Property Attached Y/N field.

CommunityFeatures

Type: String List, Multi

A list of features related to, or available within, the community.

Concessions

Type: String List, Single

Are there concessions included in the sales agreement? Yes, No or Call Listing Agent

ConcessionsAmount

Type: Number

The dollar amount of the concessions. If the concessions are made by the seller, some may subtract this value from the sales price as a means of calculating their own true price. If concessions are made by the buyer, some may add this amount to the sale price to create their own true price. Concessions made by both buyer and seller should be subtracted from each other providing a net value. Details of this calculation should be added to the Concessions Comments field.

ConcessionsComments

Type: String

Comments describing the concessions made by the buyer or the seller.

ConstructionMaterials

Type: String List, Multi

A list of the materials that were used in the construction of the property.

ContinentRegion

Type: String

A sub-section or area of a continent. Examples would be Southern Europe or Scandinavia.

Contingency

Type: String

A list of contingencies that must be satisfied in order to complete the transaction.

ContingentDate

Type: Date

The date an offer was made with a contingency. The Listing remains On Market. This is the date entered by the agent reflecting when the change occurred contractually, not a timestamp of when the change was made in the MLS.

ContractStatusChangeDate

Type: Date

The date of the listings contractual status change. This is not necessarily the time the agent made the change in the MLS system, but rather the date of the contractual change.

Cooling

Type: String List, Multi

A list describing the cooling or air conditioning features of the property.

CoolingYN

Type: Boolean

The property has cooling or Air Conditioning.

CopyrightNotice

Type: String

Notice of the legal rights of the owner of the information or data.

Country

Type: String List, Single

The country abbreviation in a postal address.

CountryRegion

Type: String

A sub-section or area of a defined country. Examples would be Napa Valley in the US, or the Amalfi Coast in Italy.

CountyOrParish

Type: String List, Single

The County, Parish or other regional authority

CoveredSpaces

Type: Number

The total number of garage and carport spaces.

CropsIncludedYN

Type: Boolean

Are crops included in the sale of the property.

CrossStreet

Type: String

Nearest cross streets to the property. This field is in addition to, and independent of, the driving directions field.

CultivatedArea

Type: Number

Measurement or percentage of the property that has been cultivated.

CumulativeDaysOnMarket

Type: Number

The number of days the property is on market, as defined by the MLS business rules.

CurrentFinancing

Type: String List, Multi

A list of options that describe the type of financing that the seller currently has in place for the property being sold. i.e. cash, assumable, FHA loan, etc.

CurrentUse

Type: String List, Multi

A list of the type(s) of current use of the property. The current use of the property is an important factor in understanding the overall condition of the land and determining it’s appropriateness for intended use.

DOH1

Type: String

Department of Housing decal number for the mobile or manufactured home. For the first or only unit/section use DOH 1 over DOH 2 or 3.

DOH2

Type: String

Department of Housing decal number for the mobile or manufactured home. For two units/sections use DOH 1 and 2 over DOH 3.

DOH3

Type: String

Department of Housing decal number for the mobile or manufactured home. For two units/sections use DOH 1 and 2 over DOH 3.

DaysOnMarket

Type: Number

The number of days the listing is on market, as defined by the MLS business rules.

DevelopmentStatus

Type: String List, Multi

A list of the Development Status of the property. The developmental status of land is an important factor in selling, purchasing and developing of land properties.

DirectionFaces

Type: String List, Single

The compass direction that the main entrance to the building faces. For example, North, South, East, West, South-West, etc. It may also be known as the building exposure.

Directions

Type: String

Driving directions to the property.

Disclaimer

Type: String

Text that serves as the negation or limitation of the rights under a warranty given by a seller to a buyer.

Disclosures

Type: String List, Multi

Legal or pertinent information that should be disclosed to potential buyer’s agents.

DistanceToBusComments

Type: String

A textual description of the distance to local bus stops.

DistanceToBusNumeric

Type: Number

Numeric distance from the property to the nearest bus stop.

DistanceToBusUnits

Type: String List, Single

A pick list of the unit linear measurement. i.e. feed, meters, yards, kilometers, miles, etc.

DistanceToElectricComments

Type: String

If the property does not currently have electrical utility, is service available and if so, what is the distance.

DistanceToElectricNumeric

Type: Number

Numeric distance from the property to the electrical utility.

DistanceToElectricUnits

Type: String List, Single

A pick list of the unit linear measurement. i.e. feed, meters, yards, kilometers, miles, etc.

DistanceToFreewayComments

Type: String

A textual description of the distance to freeways.

DistanceToFreewayNumeric

Type: Number

Numeric distance from the property to the nearest freeway.

DistanceToFreewayUnits

Type: String List, Single

A pick list of the unit linear measurement. i.e. feed, meters, yards, kilometers, miles, etc.

DistanceToGasComments

Type: String

If the property does not currently have natural gas utility, is service available and if so, what is the distance.

DistanceToGasNumeric

Type: Number

Numeric distance from the property to the gas utility.

DistanceToGasUnits

Type: String List, Single

A pick list of the unit linear measurement. i.e. feed, meters, yards, kilometers, miles, etc.

DistanceToPhoneServiceComments

Type: String

If the property does not currently have phone service, is service available and if so, what is the distance.

DistanceToPhoneServiceNumeric

Type: Number

Numeric distance from the property to the phone utility.

DistanceToPhoneServiceUnits

Type: String List, Single

A pick list of the unit linear measurement. i.e. feet, meters, yards, kilometers, miles, etc.

DistanceToPlaceofWorshipComments

Type: String

A textual description of the distance to local places of worship.

DistanceToPlaceofWorshipNumeric

Type: Number

Numeric distance from the property to the nearest place of worship.

DistanceToPlaceofWorshipUnits

Type: String List, Single

A pick list of the unit linear measurement. i.e. feed, meters, yards, kilometers, miles, etc.

DistanceToSchoolBusComments

Type: String

Distance from the property to the nearest school bus pickup point.

DistanceToSchoolBusNumeric

Type: Number

Numeric distance from the property to the nearest school bus pickup point.

DistanceToSchoolBusUnits

Type: String List, Single

A pick list of the unit linear measurement. i.e. feed, meters, yards, kilometers, miles, etc.

DistanceToSchoolsComments

Type: String

A textual description of the distance to local schools.

DistanceToSchoolsNumeric

Type: Number

Numeric distance from the property to the nearest school.

DistanceToSchoolsUnits

Type: String List, Single

A pick list of the unit linear measurement. i.e. feed, meters, yards, kilometers, miles, etc.

DistanceToSewerComments

Type: String

If the property does not currently have sewer or septic, is sewer service available and if so, what is the distance.

DistanceToSewerNumeric

Type: Number

Numeric distance from the property to the sewer utility.

DistanceToSewerUnits

Type: String List, Single

A pick list of the unit linear measurement. i.e. feed, meters, yards, kilometers, miles, etc.

DistanceToShoppingComments

Type: String

A description of the distance to primary shopping sources such as groceries, gasoline, clothing or department stores.

DistanceToShoppingNumeric

Type: Number

Numeric distance from the property to the nearest shopping.

DistanceToShoppingUnits

Type: String List, Single

A pick list of the unit linear measurement. i.e. feed, meters, yards, kilometers, miles, etc.

DistanceToStreetComments

Type: String

If the property does not have a maintained road or street adjacent to the lot, what are the conditions of access and distance to a maintained road.

DistanceToStreetNumeric

Type: Number

Numeric distance from the property to the street.

DistanceToStreetUnits

Type: String List, Single

A pick list of the unit linear measurement. i.e. feed, meters, yards, kilometers, miles, etc.

DistanceToWaterComments

Type: String

If the property does not currently have water utility, is service available and if so, what is the distance.

DistanceToWaterNumeric

Type: Number

Numeric distance from the property to the water utility.

DistanceToWaterUnits

Type: String List, Single

A pick list of the unit linear measurement. i.e. feed, meters, yards, kilometers, miles, etc.

DocumentsAvailable

Type: String List, Multi

A list of the Documents available for the property. Knowing what documents are available for the property is valuable information.

DocumentsChangeTimestamp

Type: Timestamp

System generated timestamp of when the last update or change to the documents for this listing was made.

DocumentsCount

Type: Number

The total number of documents or supplements included with the listings.

DoorFeatures

Type: String List, Multi

A list of features or description of the doors included in the sale/lease.

DualVariableCompensationYN

Type: Boolean

A commission arrangement in which the seller agrees to pay a specified commission to the listing broker if the property is sold through the efforts of a cooperating broker, but the seller pays the Listing broker a different commission amount if the sale occurs if:1) there is no cooperating broker involved or 2) due to the efforts of the seller directly.

Electric

Type: String List, Multi

A list of electric-service related features of the property (e.g. 110 Volt, 3 Phase, 220 Volt, RV Hookup). Note: the previous “Electric” field was renamed to DistanceToElectricComments

ElectricExpense

Type: Number

The annual expense that is not paid directly by the tenant and is included in the Operating Expense calculations.

ElectricOnPropertyYN

Type: Boolean

Does the property currently have electrical utility available on the property.

ElementarySchool

Type: String List, Single

The name of the primary school having a catchment area that includes the associated property.

ElementarySchoolDistrict

Type: String List, Single

The name of the elementary school district having a catchment area that includes the associated property.

Elevation

Type: Number

The elevation of the property in relation to sea level. Use the Elevation Units field to communicate the unit of measurement. i.e. Feet or Meters.

ElevationUnits

Type: String List, Single

A pick list of the unit of measurement used in the Elevation field. i.e. Feet, Meters.

EntryLevel

Type: Number

A numeric field that describes the level within the structure, SFR or a unit in a building, where the main entry to the dwelling is located. When a unit has one floor it is implicit that this is also the level of the unit itself.

EntryLocation

Type: String

A description of the main entry way to the property. i.e. Elevator, Ground Level w/ Steps, Ground Level w/o Steps, Mid Level, Top Level, etc.

Exclusions

Type: String

Elements of the property that will not be included in the sale. i.e. Chandeliers will be removed prior to close.

ExistingLeaseType

Type: String List, Multi

Information about the status of the existing lease on the property. i.e. Net, NNN, NN, Gross, Absolute Net, Escalation Clause, Ground Lease, etc.

ExpirationDate

Type: Date

The date when the listing agreement will expire. This is the date entered by the agent reflecting when the change occurred, or will occur, contractually, not a timestamp of when the change was made in the MLS. The expiration date of listings, prior to their expiration, cancellation, sale or lease, is confidential information and should be restricted to the agent and their managers, partners or broker.

ExteriorFeatures

Type: String List, Multi

A list of features or description of the exterior of the property included in the sale/lease.

FarmCreditServiceInclYN

Type: Boolean

Specifies whether or not Farm Credit Service shares are included in the price of the property.

FarmLandAreaSource

Type: String List, Single

The source of the measurements. This may be a pick list of options showing the source of the measurement. i.e. Agent, Assessor, Estimate, etc. This field applies to all farm area fields (Cultivated, Pasture, Range, Wooded)

FarmLandAreaUnits

Type: String List, Single

A pick list of the unit of measurement for the area. i.e. Square Feet, Square Meters, Acres, etc. This field applies to all farm area fields (Cultivated, Pasture, Range, Wooded)

Fencing

Type: String List, Multi

A list of types of fencing found at the property being sold.

FinancialDataSource

Type: String List, Multi

The source of the Rental information. For example Accountant, Owner, etc.

FireplaceFeatures

Type: String List, Multi

A list of features or description of the fireplace(s) included in the sale/lease.

FireplaceYN

Type: Boolean

Does the property include a fireplace.

FireplacesTotal

Type: Number

The total number of fireplaces included in the property.

Flooring

Type: String List, Multi

A list of the type(s) of flooring found within the property.

FoundationArea

Type: Number

The area or dimensions of the footprint of the structure on the lot.

FoundationDetails

Type: String List, Multi

A list of the type(s) of foundation on which the property sits.

FrontageLength

Type: String

Textual description of the length of the frontages selected in the Frontage Type field.

FrontageType

Type: String List, Multi

Pick list of types of frontage. i.e. Oceanfront, Lakefront, Golf course, etc. Information about roads or road frontage should be located in the Road Frontage Type and Road Surface Type fields.

FuelExpense

Type: Number

The annual expense that is not paid directly by the tenant and is included in the Operating Expense calculations.

Furnished

Type: String List, Single

The property being leased is furnished, unfurnished or partially furnished.

FurnitureReplacementExpense

Type: Number

The annual expense that is not paid directly by the tenant and is included in the Operating Expense calculations.

GarageSpaces

Type: Number

The number of spaces in the garage(s).

GarageYN

Type: Boolean

A flag indicating that the listing has a garage. This flag may be T/F, Y/N or other true, false or unknown indicator. As with all flags, the field may be null.

GardenerExpense

Type: Number

The annual expense that is not paid directly by the tenant and is included in the Operating Expense calculations.

GrazingPermitsBlmYN

Type: Boolean

Specifies whether or not the property owner has grazing permits from the Bureau of Land Management.

GrazingPermitsForestServiceYN

Type: Boolean

Specifies whether or not the property owner has grazing permits from the Forestry Service.

GrazingPermitsPrivateYN

Type: Boolean

Specifies whether or not the property owner has private grazing permits.

GreenBuildingVerificationType

Type: String List, Multi

The name of the verification or certification awarded to a new or pre-existing residential or commercial structure. For example: LEED, Energy Star, ICC-700. In cases where more than one certification have been awarded, leverage multiple iterations of the green verification fields via the repeating element method.

GreenEnergyEfficient

Type: String List, Multi

Pick list of general green attributes such as energy efficient doors, or appliances without naming specific elements with ratings that may wane over time.

GreenEnergyGeneration

Type: String List, Multi

Methods of generating power that are included in the sale or lease.

GreenIndoorAirQuality

Type: String List, Multi

Pick list of indoor air quality measures without naming specific elements with ratings that may wane over time.

GreenLocation

Type: String List, Multi

Pick list describing efficiencies involved with the property’s location such as walkability or transportation proximity without naming specific elements with ratings that may wane over time.

GreenSustainability

Type: String List, Multi

Pick list of sustainable elements used in the construction of the structure without naming specific elements with ratings that may wane over time.

GreenWaterConservation

Type: String List, Multi

Pick list of general water conserving attributes of the property such as landscaping or reclamation without naming specific elements with ratings that may wane over time.

GrossIncome

Type: Number

The actual current income from rent and all other revenue generating sources.

GrossScheduledIncome

Type: Number

The maximum amount of annual rent collected if the property were 100% occupied all year and all tenants paid their rent.

HabitableResidenceYN

Type: Boolean

Does the property include a structure that can be lived in.

Heating

Type: String List, Multi

A list describing the heating features of the property.

HeatingYN

Type: Boolean

The property has heating.

HighSchool

Type: String List, Single

The name of the high school having a catchment area that includes the associated property.

HighSchoolDistrict

Type: String List, Single

The name of the high school district having a catchment area that includes the associated property. When only one school district is used, this field should be used over the Junior or Elementary Districts.

HomeWarrantyYN

Type: Boolean

Is a home warranty included in the sale of the property? Single select.

HorseAmenities

Type: String List, Multi

A list of horse amenities on the lot or in the community.

HorseYN

Type: Boolean

The Property is allowed to raise horses.

HoursDaysOfOperation

Type: String List, Multi

A simplified enumerated list of the days and hours of operation of the business being sold. i.e. Open 24 Hours or Open 7 Days. For more detailed descriptions use the HoursDaysofOperationDescription field.

HoursDaysOfOperationDescription

Type: String

A detailed description of the hours and days the business being sold is open for business. For a specific list of simplified times the business is open, use the HoursDaysOfOperation Field (enumerated).

Inclusions

Type: String

Portable elements of the property that will be included in the sale.

IncomeIncludes

Type: String List, Multi

A list of income sources included in the GrossScheduledIncome and GrossIncome. i.e. Laundry, Parking, Recreation, Storage, etc.

InsuranceExpense

Type: Number

The annual expense that is not paid directly by the tenant and is included in the Operating Expense calculations.

InteriorFeatures

Type: String List, Multi

A list of features or description of the interior of the property included in the sale/lease.

InternetAddressDisplayYN

Type: Boolean

A yes/no field that states the seller has allowed the listing address to be displayed on Internet sites.

InternetAutomatedValuationDisplayYN

Type: Boolean

A yes/no field that states the seller allows the listing can be displayed with an AVM on Internet sites.

InternetConsumerCommentYN

Type: Boolean

A yes/no field that states the seller allows a comment or blog system to be attached to the listing on Internet sites.

InternetEntireListingDisplayYN

Type: Boolean

A yes/no field that states the seller has allowed the listing to be displayed on Internet sites.

IrrigationSource

Type: String List, Multi

The source which the property receives its water for irrigation.

IrrigationWaterRightsAcres

Type: Number

The number of acres allowed under the property’s water rights.

IrrigationWaterRightsYN

Type: Boolean

Does the property include water rights for irrigation? A Boolean or Yes / No field.

LaborInformation

Type: String List, Multi

Information about labor laws that are applicable to the business being sold. i.e. Union, Non-Union, Employee License Required.

LandLeaseAmount

Type: Number

When the land is not included in the sale, but is leased, the amount of the lease. This is the Space Rent for Mobile homes in a Park.

LandLeaseAmountFrequency

Type: String List, Single

When the land is not included in the sale, but is leased, the frequency the Land Lease Fee is paid.

LandLeaseExpirationDate

Type: Date

When the land is not included in the sale, but is leased, the expiration date of the Land Lease.

LandLeaseYN

Type: Boolean

The land is not included in the sale and a lease exists.

Latitude

Type: Number

The geographic latitude of some reference point on the property, specified in degrees and decimal parts. Positive numbers must not include the plus symbol.

LaundryFeatures

Type: String List, Multi

Add this pick list of features and locations where the laundry is located in the property being sold. i.e. Gas Dryer Hookup, In Kitchen, In Garage, etc.

LeasableArea

Type: Number

The area that may be leased within the commercial property.

LeasableAreaUnits

Type: String List, Single

A pick list of the unit of measurement for the area. i.e. Square Feet, Square Meters, Acres, etc.

LeaseAmount

Type: Number

The amount of any lease the business pays for it’s current location.

LeaseAmountFrequency

Type: String List, Single

The frequency of the LeaseAmount is paid. Monthly, weekly, annual, etc.

LeaseAssignableYN

Type: Boolean

Can the lease at the business’ current location be assigned to another party.

LeaseConsideredYN

Type: Boolean

Will the seller consider leasing the property instead of selling? Single select.

LeaseExpiration

Type: Date

The expiration date of the lease for the business’ current location.

LeaseRenewalCompensation

Type: String List, Multi

A list of compensations other than the original Selling Office Compensation. i.e. Compensation Paid on Renewal, Compensation Paid on Tennant Purchase, No Renewal Commission, Call Listing Office, etc.

LeaseRenewalOptionYN

Type: Boolean

Is there an option to renew the lease at the business’ current location.

LeaseTerm

Type: String List, Single

A pick list of lengths that represent the length of the lease. i.e. Weekly, Month to Month, 6 Month Lease, 12 Month Lease, 24 Month Lease.

Levels

Type: String List, Multi

The number of levels in the property being sold. For example, One Level, Two Levels, Three or More Levels, Multi/Split, Loft. A discreet horizontal plane of interior living space (excluding basements).

License1

Type: String

License number of the mobile or manufactured home. Also known as the Department of Housing label/insignia number. For the first or only unit/section use License 1 over License 2 or 3.

License2

Type: String

License number of the mobile or manufactured home. Also known as the Department of Housing label/insignia number. For two units/sections use License 1 and 2 over License 3.

License3

Type: String

License number of the mobile or manufactured home. Also known as the Department of Housing label/insignia number. For two units/sections use License 1 and 2 over License 3.

LicensesExpense

Type: Number

The annual expense that is not paid directly by the tenant and is included in the Operating Expense calculations.

ListAOR

Type: String List, Single

The responsible Board or Association of REALTORS for this listing.

ListAgentAOR

Type: String List, Single

Type: String

The full name of the listing agent. (First Middle Last)

ListAgentHomePhone

Type: String

ListAgentKey

Type: String

A system unique identifier. Specifically, in aggregation systems, the ListAgentKey is the system unique identifier from the system that the record was retrieved. This may be identical to the related xxxId. This is a foreign key relating to the Member resource’s MemberKey.

ListAgentLastName

Type: String

The last name of the listing agent.

ListAgentMiddleName

Type: String

The middle name of the listing agent.

ListAgentMlsId

Type: String

The local, well-known identifier for the member. This value may not be unique, specifically in the case of aggregation systems, this value should be the identifier from the original system.

ListAgentMobilePhone

Type: String

ListAgentNamePrefix

Type: String

Prefix to the name (e.g. Dr. Mr. Ms. etc.)

ListAgentNameSuffix

Type: String

Suffix to the ListAgentLastName (e.g. Esq., Jr., III etc.)

ListOfficeAOR

Type: String List, Single

The Listing Office’s Board or Association of REALTORS.

ListOfficeEmail

Type: String

The email address of the Listing Office.

ListOfficeFax

Type: String

ListOfficeKey

Type: String

ListOfficeMlsId

Type: String

The local, well-known identifier. This value may not be unique, specifically in the case of aggregation systems, this value should be the identifier from the original system.

ListOfficeName

Type: String

The legal name of the brokerage representing the seller.

ListOfficePhone

Type: String

ListOfficePhoneExt

Type: String

The extension of the given phone number (if applicable).

ListOfficeURL

Type: String

The website URI for the listing office.

ListPrice

Type: Number

The current price of the property as determined by the seller and the seller’s broker. For auctions this is the minimum or reserve price.

ListPriceLow

Type: Number

The lower price used for Value Range Pricing. The List Price must be greater than or equal to the ListPriceLow.

Type: String

Name of the current occupant, if any, of the property being sold.

Type: String List, Multi

A list of expenses for the property paid for by the owner as opposed to the tenant (e.g. Water, Trash, Electric).

OwnerPhone

Type: String

Ownership

Type: String

A text description of the manner in which title to a property is held. Trust, Corporation, Joint Tennant, Individual.

OwnershipType

Type: String List, Single

Current type of ownership of the business being sold. i.e. Corporation, LLC, Sole P, Partnership, etc.,

ParcelNumber

Type: String

A number used to uniquely identify a parcel or lot. This number is typically issued by the county or county assessor. The AP number format varies from county to county. It is recommended that all Parcel Numbers be transmitted without dashes or hyphens.

ParkManagerName

Type: String

Name of the manager of the mobile home park.

Type: String

TaxLot

Type: String

TaxMapNumber

Type: String

Some systems of parcel identification incorporate a method which utilizes a county identifier, a tax book number, a tax map number and a parcel identification number.

TaxOtherAnnualAssessmentAmount

Type: Number

Any other annual taxes, not including the tax reported in the TaxAmount field, as of the last assessment made by the taxing authority.

TaxParcelLetter

Type: String

Some systems of parcel identification incorporate a method which utilizes a county identifier, a tax book number, a tax map number and a parcel identification number.

TaxStatusCurrent

Type: String List, Multi

The current tax status of the mobile home in cases where the land or space is included in the sale.

Type: String

A list of descriptions of the zoning of the property. The zoning codes are often non-descriptive and variant. Zoning Description is a more descriptive form of the zoning for the property, i.e. Agricultural, Residential, Rezone Possible, etc. Specific zone codes must be added to the Zoning field.

How to build a real estate IDX website on WordPress

Thu, 07 Jul 2022 00:00:00 GMT

Whether you are a solo real estate agent or part of a bigger brokerage, having an online precense is a critical part of finding and closing sales. Not only do many people start their search online before contacting an agent, but a place for your existing clients to search and view properties can help increase brand awareness and give you more authority in your local market.

Building a website from scratch can be a big project, though, and it doesn’t always make sense to spend time and money on custom website development. That’s why we’ve focused on building a plug-and-play solution to easily creating WordPress IDX websites for your real estate business.

With that in mind, this post is aimed to give you a general idea of what it takes to build a real estate website to display and search your MLS listings:

Sections

Select a domain name and hosting provider
Choose a free or paid theme
Install the SimplyRETS plugin
Add pages and short-codes

Select a domain name and hosting provider

Selecting a domain name is an important step for attracting organic visitors looking at properties in your market. There are many great ideas and formats you can use when thinking of a domain name, but generally your business name, market area, and the words “real estate” are all good considerations.

WordPress.org has a list of hosting providers that can be used to run a WordPress website and are quick and easy to get started with. Two other common providers not listed there (at the time of this writing) are GoDaddy and AWS LightSail.

With all of these providers, you can purchase your domain name and hosting package all in one place. Once you have WordPress up and running on your domain, you can move on to selecting a theme.

Choose a free or paid theme

In WordPress, a theme provides the overall styling of your website, along with widgets and other options you can use to build out your site. There are hundreds of thousands of free and paid WordPress themes available to choose from. With many of these themes, you can install them to try them out and see if they work for you.

It is not required that you choose a “real estate” themed theme — the SimplyRETS plugin will handle all of the IDX specific features like search forms and map widgets. You can use any one you find that you like; we recommend trying out several and seeing which options suit your needs the best.

Install the SimplyRETS plugin

Great! Now that you have a domain name up with WordPress up and running, and you’ve chosen a theme to cover the styling and design, you can start showing live MLS listings by integrating the SimplyRETS WordPress plugin.

Installing the SimplyRETS plugin is easy: from your WordPress admin dashboard, go to the Plugins -> Add New page, and search for SimplyRETS. When SimplyRETS shows in the search results, click the Install Now button, and then click Activate.

And that’s it!

By default, SimplyRETS will be showing demo data. These aren’t real listings, but contain all the fields, functionality, and features, you need to build out your pages and short-codes.

To show live listings from your MLS, check out our Getting Started Guide. That post will walk you through how to get RETS or RESO Web API credentials from your MLS, and then how to connect those to SimplyRETS.

Add pages and short-codes

Now that you’ve got a new website up and running with SimplyRETS installed, you can start adding pages and widgets to turn your website into an IDX search engine. The SimplyRETS plugin makes it easy to add MLS listing search forms, interactive map searches, featured listing sliders, and much more.

The quickest way to get started is to create a new page (Pages -> Add new), and add these two short-codes to the content body:

[sr_search_form]
[sr_listings]

This will create a page that allows your website visitors to view and search all MLS listings. Both of these short-codes take attributes that can be used to customize exactly which listings are shown. For example, the agent filter can be used to show listings for a particular listing agent.

There are endless different combinations of short-codes and widgets you can use to build a WordPress real estate website. Our plugin demo site has information on all of the available features, filters, and widgets. And of course if you’re looking to build something specific you can contact us any time.

New feature: support for RESO Web API data feeds

Mon, 29 Jul 2019 00:00:00 GMT

One of our biggest goals at SimplyRETS is to make it easy for anyone to build real estate software with listing data by creating simple and modern web development tools that that reliably normalize data from any MLS feed.

This is why we’re excited to announce the newest feature we’ve been hard at work on: SimplyRETS now supports RESO Web API data feeds.

Below you’ll find more information, links, and resources on RESO Web API,, what you can do with it, and how it works with SimplyRETS:

What is RESO Web API?
Can I use a Web API feed with SimplyRETS?
I already use RETS, does this affect me?
My MLS has both RETS and Web API, which do I use?

What is RESO Web API?

RESO Web API is a technical specification that defines how data is transmitted from an MLS. Before Web API, there was the Real Estate Transaction Standard (RETS), which is still the most widely used data format for real estate organizations across the US and Canada.

As web technologies change and how we interact with data becomes more advanced, RESO is making an effort to support more modern standards, which is the main motivation behind Web API:

The goal of this standard is to provide a more open data approach using the widely-adopted RESTful (REpresentational State Transfer) technology in use by many industries today · RESO

This is good news for those of us working in real estate technology! If you’re using SimplyRETS, or a similar tool, there’s no need to pour over the specification - we take care of the technical details for you. But it’s still important to know the terminology and what types of data feeds are available.

What’s true with all technology choices still holds with Web API: there are always tradeoffs. RESO Web API preps the real estate industry for the internet we know today and fixes many issues that come with RETS; that’s a step in the right direction.

Can I use a Web API feed with SimplyRETS?

Yes! Over the last few months, we’ve been hard at work adding support for RESO Web API feeds in SimplyRETS. We finished development, added thorough tests and checks for our API, and are excited to announce that:

Web API connections are now available for all accounts!

Within SimplyRETS, Web API feeds are treated the same as RETS feeds. You can connect a feed to your account, and then access the listing data via the developer API or the WordPress plugin.

RETS and Web API feeds can live side-by-side in your account. You can have both RETS and Web API feeds connected to the same app, manage them under one account, and when you’re working with the API or plugin, there is no RETS or Web API specific knowledge required.

I already use RETS, does this affect me?

SimplyRETS will continue to support both RETS and RESO Web API data feeds. If you already use RETS and your MLS will continue to support it, you don’t need to do anything else.

If you’re using RETS and your MLS is making you switch over to Web API - that’s OK too! When you get your new Web API feed credentials, you can simply add them to your SimplyRETS app and get on with your day!

My MLS has both RETS and Web API, which do I use?

If you’re planning on using SimplyRETS, either will work! The goal of tools like these are to abstract all of the technical details for you so you can start building an awesome app or website. RETS or Web API feeds will generally contain the same listing data and only differ in how you access them, which SimplyRETS takes care of for you.

As noted above, you can even have a combination of different types of feeds connected to the same account.

Future development

Supporting RESO Web API gives us a good head start providing support for the changes we’ll be seeing in the real estate technology industry. The improvements available in Web API vs. RETS will also allow us to start working on new features and services that help create better real estate software and support new use-cases.

We’re excited to continue improving our Web API support and to see the fresh features and ideas it brings up as more real estate vendors start supporting these feeds. As always, we’d love to hear if you have any ideas for features and improvements, or even just want to say hey: drop us a line any time or leave a comment below!

— Cody Reichert, SimplyRETS

Open House Tips: Preparing Your Home for the Big Day

Tue, 24 Apr 2018 00:00:00 GMT

This is a guest post by Suzie Wilson from Happier Home.

If you are trying to sell your home, throwing an open house is a great way to create interest and possibly even get the bids coming in. The key to throwing a successful open house is creating a welcoming environment. The more you do to make the place feel like home, the more other people will want to make it their own.

Here are some of our favorite tips for preparing your home for an open house:

The Cleanest of Clean

A clean house is an appealing home. Whether you live in a renovated Victorian or the latest modern design, it’s not going to look its best if there is dust on the walls and grime on the floors. Consider hiring a house cleaner to do a thorough, professional clean the week or so before your open house and do daily touch ups to keep that sparkling feeling going.

To help your house stay the cleanest of clean, try the following tips:

Always start from the top down: dust light fixtures, wipe counter surfaces, then clean floors.
Keep a microfiber cloth along with homemade glass and surface cleaner for a quick and easy daily wipe down.
Use a hard surface attachment to quickly dust hardwood floors.
Regularly wipe down major kitchen appliances including the refrigerator, dishwasher, and microwave as well as anything you regularly keep on the counter— for instance, your mixer or toaster.
Keep dust at bay by running an air purifier in high-traffic areas.

A Fresh Scent

Fun fact: our brains process both scents and emotions in the same network of brain structures called the limbic system. Furthermore, the brain’s olfactory center interacts directly with the hippocampus— the part of the brain involved in the formation of memories. The better your house smells, the more appealing it will be to potential buyers.

Here are some tips for removing odors and relaying a fresh scent throughout the house:

Remove musty odors from your garbage disposal by grinding lemon and orange peels in there while running warm water.
Neutralize smells caught in soft surfaces— your dog’s bed, your husband’s easy chair, etc…— by sprinkling baking soda on the fabric, letting it sit for about 15 minutes, then sucking it up with your vacuum cleaner.
Add fresh fragrance throughout the home sans irritating perfumes by preparing a batch of stovetop potpourri using dried herbs, spices, fruit, and other natural ingredients.

More Tips for Your Best Open House

Don’t forget the outside of the house! A home’s curb appeal is just as important as what is inside. Make sure your lawn is neat and clean, flower beds are well-kept, and your yard is free of toys and debris.
If your family has a pet — for instance, a dog — consider boarding him on the day of the open house to keep him out of sight and safe. If boarding makes him anxious, look for a pet sitter in your neighborhood that can spend one-on-one time with him throughout the day.
Create an area with handouts that inform guests about the house’s special features, amenities, and any other facts that help your property stand out. This is also a good place for providing refreshments like fresh fruit and coffee.

An open house is a great opportunity to create interest in your property for sale. When throwing an open house, your home has to make its best first impression. It has to be clean, so consider hiring a professional maid service that can do a thorough job then keep up with it throughout the week. A home that smells good makes an emotional connection with open house attendees. Instead of relying on perfumes that can trigger allergies, freshen your home with natural ingredients like baking soda, citrus rinds, and dried herbs and spices. Don’t forget the outside of your home and its curb appeal, keep your pets safe and out of the way on the day of the open house, and provide information for guests on a table with refreshments.

— Suzie Wilson from Happier Home

Drop us a line if you have questions or you’re interested in learning more about SimplyRETS

How we use Assertible to test the SimplyRETS API and website

Sat, 03 Jun 2017 00:00:00 GMT

Behind the scenes at SimplyRETS, we focus a lot of our effort on testing to make sure our API, website, and other web services are always functioning properly. Our infrastructure relies heavily on continuously testing at each step of the development process. One of the tools we rely on the most is Assertible, a tool for testing and monitoring APIs and websites. We use Assertible to monitor and continuously test our API, website, blog, and any other web services in our infrastructure.

The primary components of our continuous testing pipeline are:

Automated post-deploy testing for every push
Scheduled monitoring
Add tests for all new bugs or regressions

Automated post-deploy testing for every push

We use GitHub to host our code and push all new features and bug fixes to Pull Requests. Pull requests are very a convenient way to manage proposed changes to our code. They also offer a ton of hidden features like GitHub Deployments and GitHub status checks.

One reason we love Assertible is that it integrates directly with GitHub and utilizes these hidden features to improve the experience of building web services.

Every time we push code to a pull request we deploy the changes to a staging environment. Immediately after the code is deployed, Assertible runs API integration along with functional website tests against the staging environments. When the tests are finished running, we can view the statuses directly on our pull requests. Additionally, the Assertible Deployments API creates links directly to our deployed web services so we can jump to them for review and sharing:

Because of this strategy, we don’t have to worry about manually testing old features which allows us to focus on the features we are currently building without breaking something. While we also use unit tests extensively, we rely heavily on Assertible for integration testing and functional validation of our API release candidates.

Scheduled monitoring

Scheduled monitoring is another critical component of our continuous testing strategy. We run our tests on scheduled intervals to monitor performance and availability to ensure everything always works and is not causing bugs for users. The same test-suites are reused in the post-deploy step mentioned above.

Scheduled API monitoring and website monitoring has several advantages over post-deploy testing alone:

Ability to validate and test data that constantly changes
Identify regressions that take time to manifest (e.g. background jobs that change the database)
Continuously monitor for downtime across a wide array of endpoints
Continuously monitor for functional defects that aren’t picked up by more simple monitoring services like Pingdom.

We believe that scheduled monitoring is a critical piece of the puzzle and helps us track down bugs before our users hit them!

Add tests for all new bugs or regressions

As part of our overall continuous testing strategy, we rigorously add new tests every time a new bug or regression is uncovered. Because we end up adding tests often, we follow some simple guidelines to ensure the tests aren’t flaky and constantly blowing up our alerting system:

Create the smallest test possible

This generally means confining the test to validate a single feature, regression, or bug.
Test a single specific interface

This is straight forward in our infrastructure. We limit our tests to a single interface and try not to make tests that rely on several services, when possible.
Avoid allocating blobs of data

This goes along with creating the smallest test possible. We’ve found that tests which rely on allocating too much data become flaky. While this is necessary sometimes, it’s important to only allocate the data that’s absolutely necessary to test a single thing.
Refactor or remove old flaky tests

Testing is hard. Often, tests can become flaky or raise false-positives often. Because of this, we refactor and/or remove tests which are causing constant problems. When possible, we try to add tests at the unit testing level.

Some of these approaches are described in more detail on the Assertible Blog in the 4 techniques to reduce API testing errors and improve your QA automation post.

— Christopher @ SimplyRETS

Drop us a line if you have questions or you’re interested in learning more about SimplyRETS

Listings API Tips and Tricks

Thu, 03 Dec 2015 00:00:00 GMT

At SimplyRETS, we try our best to make using our API and services a simple and pleasurable experience. This article describes some simple tips geared towards maximizing the stability and performance of your SimplyRETS application.

1. Always use explicit media-types

It’s very important to always explicitly specify a Content-Type header in API requests. By default, our API and services honor the Content-Type: application/json header as the default and latest version of our API resources.

The downside to always using the latest media type is that as we improve and upgrade our API, you may experience unexpected changes. For example, changes to the JSON keys or the type of a field may change when we make a change. Specifying an exact media type version can prevent this from happening.

To view accepted media types, make an OPTIONS request to the root url endpoint:

$ curl -XOPTIONS -u simplyrets:simplyrets https://api.simplyrets.com/

{
  "vendors": [],
  "expires": "2020-12-12T19:24:40.995Z",
  "endpoints": ["/listings"],
  "accepts": [
    "application/json",
    "application/vnd.simplyrets-v0.1+json"
  ]
}

The accepts field in the returned JSON object is a list of supported ‘Content-Types’ (e.g. what the SimplyRETS server will accept. To always retrieve the latest formats supported by SimplyRETS, use application/json.

NOTE: If you don’t explicitly set a media type (or use application/json, your app may be at risk of breakage when fields in the API are upgraded). This is also explained in our interactive documentation

To explicitly specify a media-type, use a Content-Type with application/vnd.simplyrets-v0.1+json. The v.0.1 is the SimplyRETS API version. When new versions of the API are released, your application will be backwards compatible with v0.1.

For WordPress plugin users, the media type is handled for you automatically.

2. Use narrow API queries

SimplyRETS supports a wide range of query parameters for listing data. If your aiming for performance, it’s important to keep your queries as narrow as possible. For example, if you need to find 4 bedroom, Active, Residential homes, you could start here:

https://api.simplyrets.com/properties?minbeds=4

However, by default the SimplyRETS API searches Residential and Rental, and Active and Pending listings. This means our query is doing a little more work than necessary. The most efficient way to specify the query is to use explicit parameters for each criteria:

https://api.simplyrets.com/properties? \
    minbeds=4& \
    maxbeds=4& \
    status=active& \
    type=residential

It may not always possible to narrow the criteria down this far but it can have worthwhile benefits on the search results and performance.

3. Use the support form in the SimplyRETS admin panel

We use a support email support@simplyrets to handle general support inquiries. We are more than happy to provide top-tier support over email. There is a trick, however, to having your technical issues prioritized directly with our development team.

The quickest way to have your support request reviewed by our development team is to submit it using the Support Request form in the admin panel.

We are enhancing our support request process so we can resolve issues as fast as possible. Keep in mind, if you are having technical problems, it is a good idea to include the following details:

Your query string, even if the query seems obvious
Steps to reproduce
The output you are receiving
The output you expect to receive

In general, including more information helps us narrow down possibilities significantly quicker and will help you get the answer you need directly for our development team.

4. Request Listings Directly

Whenever possible, use the mlsId field to request listings directly. Remember, mlsId is the unique identifier specific to SimplyRETS. Think of mlsId as synonymous with ListingKey from the RESO Data Dictionary

listingId is the MLS# from your MLS. Our listingId is synonymous with ListingId from the RESO Data Dictionary

For example, when dealing with a listing which has the following attributes:

{
  ...
  "mlsId": 1238453,
  "listingId": "N3487923",
  ...
}

You can use the mlsId to query the listing directly:

https://api.simplyrets.com/properties/1238453

Doing so yields in a much faster query. So, for example, if your application shows pages with a single listing and its details, the above query would be better than:

https://api.simplyrets.com/properties?q=N3487923

Note! You should not hard-code pages queries or pages to rely on the `mlsId`. Since an MLS may purge or delete a listing, structure your code to make use of the `listingId` and use the `mlsId` dynamically.

5. Understand listing status and purging

Each day, SimplyRETS deletes old listings from your feed. Old listings are those which your MLS has revoked access and requested it be removed from our servers. This could be because the listing was sold, deleted, or even withdrawn or cancelled.

For example, imagine there is a listing in your feed with an mlsId of 12345 and status Active.

{
  ...
  "mlsId": 12345,
  "status": "Active",
  ...
}

Tomorrow, when requesting the listing, the response returned for the same listing will be an HTTP 404 response status. Even if your account has access to Closed, Withdrawn, or even Terminated listings, you may still experience listings being purged at any given point.

6. The SimplyRETS API has a JSON specification documentation

If you are an advanced user of the SimplyRETS API, you might be interested in diving into our OpenAPI specification. You can find them in .yaml format here:

Using that document, you can generate client code for all sorts of different programming languages and frameworks including Android, Swift, C#, Java, PHP, and many more.

See the interactive swagger editor for more details on code generation (see Generate Client).

7. Use the SimplyRETS status dashboard

Use status dashboard to view any scheduled maintenance, problems, or downtime. You can also see all historical status changes chronologically on the GitHub repo issues page.

— Christopher @ SimplyRETS

Drop us a line if you have questions or you’re interested in learning more about SimplyRETS

Building Interactive Maps

Mon, 30 Nov 2015 00:00:00 GMT

Map real estate search apps are a great way to enhance web app functionality and user-engagement. They can be significantly more user-friendly to use for real estate listing search utilities than standard html forms. Many features in the SimplyRETS API are built with this specific use-case in mind.

For the uninitiated, SimplyRETS leverages your RETS or RESO Web API data feed to provide a more modern and robust API for developing real estate software using listing, open house, and agent data from your MLS. Our services are designed to be simple and effective for any developer to use productively.

In this tutorial, I’ll outline how to build a simple map-based search app using the SimplyRETS API. If you want to skip to the code or follow along with a complete sample, you can use our Github Examples Repo. We’ve prepared a live demo with the code from this tutorial here.

Sections

Background details
Getting set up
- Include dependencies
Adding JavaScript
- Drawing on the map
- Calling the listings API
Conclusion

Background details

The primary feature in the SimplyRETS API which helps with map-based searching is the points query parameter. The points parameter is simply a list of latitude/longitude coordinates (separated by a comma). See our interactive documentation for more details and other query parameters.

A raw query url to our listings api endpoint which uses points should look like:

https://api.simplyrets.com/properties?points=29.723837146389066,-95.69778442382812&points=29.938275329718987,-95.69778442382812&points=29.938275329718987,-95.32974243164061&points=29.723837146389066,-95.32974243164061

Note that points is specified once for each point in a polygon made up of latitude/longitude coordinates.

In order to utilize the points parameter from a web app, we need a few external utilities and libraries for rendering maps on html/javascript pages. I’ll be using Leaflet and OpenStreetMap as a starting point to build the map and access basic map tools. We will also be using a Leaflet extension called Leaflet.Draw

I will use jQuery to make some of the Javascript more simple. However, jQuery is not strictly necessary for this app.

All the tools used in this tutorial are free and open source. You are free to download and use them in your own projects. I have also included the source code for this tutorial on our Github. if you’d like to follow along or reuse it.

Once the foundation is laid, I’ll make API calls to the SimplyRETS listings endpoint, https://api.simplyrets.com/properties, using javascript to retrieve the listing data and populate the map.

The end result of this tutorial should be a simple mapping application which can be adapted for use in many different situations. You can check out a live demo here.

Getting set up

To get started, create a file named index.html and include an html page shell.

<html>
    <head>
        <title>SimplyRETS interactive map search</title>
        <script>
            $(document).ready(function () {
                console.log("SimplyRETS Map Search")
            })
        </script>
    </head>
    <body>
        <div id="#map" style="height: 100%"></div>
    </body>
</html>

This html is enough to get started. You can open this file directly in a web browser (without a web server). Type file:/// in your address bar to navigate to the right folder. Don’t worry if the page is all white yet.

Include dependencies

Next, we need to include some scripts and stylesheets in order to use Leaflet, OpenStreetMap, and jQuery. For the purposes of this tutorial, I will use CDN links. It’s not necessary to download any code manually.

<head>
    <link rel="stylesheet" href="http://cdn.leafletjs.com/leaflet/v0.7.7/leaflet.css" />
    <link rel="stylesheet" href="https://cdnjs.cloudflare.com/ajax/libs/leaflet.draw/0.2.3/leaflet.draw.css" />
    <!--[if lte IE 8]>
      <link rel="stylesheet" href="http://cdn.leafletjs.com/leaflet/v0.7.7/leaflet.ie.css" />
    <![endif]-->
</head>

Include these stylesheets inside the <head> tag of index.html. Do the same for the javascrtipt:

<head>
    <!-- ...stylesheets... -->

    <script src="https://code.jquery.com/jquery-1.10.2.js"></script>
    <script src="http://cdn.leafletjs.com/leaflet/v0.7.7/leaflet.js"></script>
    <script src="https://cdnjs.cloudflare.com/ajax/libs/leaflet.draw/0.2.3/leaflet.draw.js"></script>
</head>

JavaScript

Now that we have our project setup and a code skeleton to work with, we can start writing some javascript to implement our map logic.

$(document).ready(function () {
    // Code goes here.
})

This line of jQuery code ensures that the web page is ready to be manipulated. jQuery handles the details for us. Anything inside the ready(function() { code block will be executed once when the DOM can be manipulated.

Next, we need to setup a Leaflet map.

var map = new L.Map("map")

L.tileLayer("http://{s}.tile.openstreetmap.org/{z}/{x}/{y}.png", {
    attribution:
        '&copy; <a href="http://openstreetmap.org">OpenStreetMap</a> contributors',
    maxZoom: 18,
}).addTo(map)

The capital L is an identifier for the Leaflet namespace. Functions called after the L. are specific to the Leaflet API. In this case, we are initializing a map, then creating a tileLayer which we add to the map. In short, Leaflet applications work by manipulating various layers within the context of a map.

The tile layer on our map is backed by an OpenStreetMap tile png. The maxZoom is set to 18. The higher the maxZoom, the further away the the map will be allowed to zoom out. The final addTo call is where the tile layer is directly associated with the map object.

We use the latitude/longitude coordinates of Houston, Texas to center the map since the SimplyRETS test data is located in Houston.

var houston = new L.LatLng(29.97, -95.35)
map.setView(houston, 13)

L.LatLng is another convenience class which the Leaflet API provides. A LatLng object can be applied directly to the map as a view using setView. The second argument to setView is the initial zoom. 13 is a good enough value to see the entire city.

Drawing on the map

In order to draw Polgons on the map, we need to set up a Leaflet FeatureGroup. FeatureGroup’s are another Leaflet class capable of grouping and interacting with other layers on the map. Using FeatureGroups, we can add our polygon(s) to the map using only a few lines of code.

We set up a basic feature group name drawnItems (for drawn items) and add it to the map using addLayer.

var drawnItems = new L.FeatureGroup()
map.addLayer(drawnItems)

Now, we need to attach the same drawnItems FeatureGroup to a Draw control.

var drawControl = new L.Control.Draw({
    edit: {
        featureGroup: drawnItems,
    },
    draw: {
        circle: false,
        marker: false,
        polyline: false,
    },
})

map.addControl(drawControl)

We created a new Draw control, using our FeatureGroup for drawn items. To connect the Draw control with the map, we use the map.addControl function call (similar to map.addLayer).

If you load the map now, you will see a control panel in the upper left corner:

For the purpose of this tutorial, we focus on the square and polgon tools. Using the draw options when creating the Draw control, we can disable control components which we are not using (e.g. circle, marker, and polyline). For more information see the Leaflet.Draw documentation

Calling the listings API

Now that we have our map, layers, and draw control setup we can finally start pulling listings from SimplyRETS. In order for the draw control to do this, we must implement an event listener callback function which describes what to do when shapes are created on the map using the draw control

Leaflet uses event methods to hook into the Map and run functions. The on function is used to add an event listener to an object (e.g. a Map). For example, map.on('click', function(e) { alert(e.latlng); }); could be used to run a function when a user clicks on the map.

We need to hook into our draw controls 'draw:created' event in order to properly handle draw events on our map.

Since our event listener will be run when a polygon is overlayed on the map, we can outline a set of steps to request data from the SimplyRETS api using the lat/lng coordinates drawn by the user.

Get latitude longitude coordinates from the Draw Control.
Request listings from the SimplyRETS API using the latitude/longitude points as query parameters
Place each listing in the API response as a point on the map.

Start by creating an event callback for 'draw:created'.

map.on("draw:created", function (e) {
    var latLngs = $.map(e.layer.getLatLngs(), function (o) {
        return { name: "points", value: o.lat + "," + o.lng }
    })
})

First, the callback extracts and formats the latitude/longitude points from the new polygon. The argument passed to function(e) { .. } is the event. Unsurprisingly, the event contains a layer for the new polygon. Calling getLatLngs() on the layer will return a list of latitude/longitude points.

The $.map function from jQuery is used to format the lat/lng points into a suitable format for the SimplyRETS points query parameter. The function passed to $.map returns a name/value pair for each point in the polygon and is stored in the latLng var.

An ajax request is then created to submit the latLng points to the SimplyRETS properties endpoint and retrieve listings. We pass in the latLngs variable as the ajax data parameter. This means the list of latitude/longitude points are translated into query parameters in the GET request.

In the beforeSend function, we setup authentication to the SimplyRETS api using test credentials. Using test credentials here is for test purposes only. Use caution when determining how to handle authenticating your credentials from your app.

    $.ajax({
        url: 'https://api.simplyrets.com/properties',
        data: latLngs,
        beforeSend: function(xhr) {
            // Create the correct authentication headers for the
            // SimplyRETS API. Using our trial credentials here is for
            // test purposes _only_. Use caution when determining how to
            // handle your credentials w/ your specific use-case.
            xhr.setRequestHeader("Authorization", "Basic " + btoa("simplyrets:simplyrets"))
        },
        success: function(data) {
            $.each (data, function (idx) {
                var markerLocation = new L.LatLng(data[idx].geo.lat, data[idx].geo.lng);
                var marker = new L.Marker(markerLocation);
                map.addLayer(marker);
            });
        }
    });

    map.addLayer(e.layer);
});

The final bit that’s needed, is a function to run on a successful request with the retrieved listing data. The $.ajax function provides an option named success for a function to with the response data.

Since the data retrieved is in JSON format by default, we can loop directly over each listing in the results using jQuery $.each function.

For each listing, we create a marker location and corresponding marker. To tie it all together, we use map.addLayer to add the marker to the map.

Conclusion

Voila, you should now see markers within a polygon region on your map. You can try a live demo of the code here. The end result of our code can now be used as a starting point in any application which requires map-based search. The code is quite small and can be easily customized:

<html>
    <head>
        <title>SimplyRETS Map Search</title>

        <link
            rel="stylesheet"
            href="http://cdn.leafletjs.com/leaflet/v0.7.7/leaflet.css"
        />
        <link
            rel="stylesheet"
            href="https://cdnjs.cloudflare.com/ajax/libs/leaflet.draw/0.2.3/leaflet.draw.css"
        />
        <!--[if lte IE 8
            ]><link
                rel="stylesheet"
                href="http://cdn.leafletjs.com/leaflet/v0.7.7/leaflet.ie.css"
        /><![endif]-->

        <script src="https://code.jquery.com/jquery-1.10.2.js"></script>
        <script src="http://cdn.leafletjs.com/leaflet/v0.7.7/leaflet.js"></script>
        <script src="https://cdnjs.cloudflare.com/ajax/libs/leaflet.draw/0.2.3/leaflet.draw.js"></script>

        <script language="javascript">
            $(document).ready(function () {
                var map = new L.Map("map")

                L.tileLayer(
                    "http://{s}.tile.openstreetmap.org/{z}/{x}/{y}.png",
                    {
                        attribution:
                            '&copy; %lt;a href="http://openstreetmap.org">OpenStreetMap</a> contributors',
                    }
                ).addTo(map)

                var houston = new L.LatLng(29.97, -95.35)
                map.setView(houston, 10)

                var drawnItems = new L.FeatureGroup()
                map.addLayer(drawnItems)

                var drawControl = new L.Control.Draw({
                    edit: {
                        featureGroup: drawnItems,
                    },
                })

                map.addControl(drawControl)
                map.on("draw:created", function (e) {
                    var latLngs = $.map(e.layer.getLatLngs(), function (o) {
                        return { name: "points", value: o.lat + "," + o.lng }
                    })

                    $.ajax({
                        url: "https://api.simplyrets.com/properties",
                        data: latLngs,
                        beforeSend: function (xhr) {
                            xhr.setRequestHeader(
                                "Authorization",
                                "Basic " + btoa("simplyrets:simplyrets")
                            )
                        },
                        success: function (data) {
                            $.each(data, function (idx) {
                                var markerLocation = new L.LatLng(
                                    data[idx].geo.lat,
                                    data[idx].geo.lng
                                )
                                var marker = new L.Marker(markerLocation)
                                map.addLayer(marker)
                            })
                        },
                    })

                    map.addLayer(e.layer)
                })
            })
        </script>
    </head>
    <body>
        <div id="map" style="height: 100%"></div>
    </body>
</html>

The example code can be found on the SimplyRETS examples repo on Github and is completely free to take and use as you wish. Send us a message any time if you have questions or you’re interested in learning more about.

— Christopher @ SimplyRETS

How to get started

Sat, 09 May 2015 00:00:00 GMT

When you’re ready to build a new website with SimplyRETS, we try to make the process as simple as possible. There are a few things you’ll need to know about how it works, but we break it down into three easy steps to make everything as simple as possible:

Getting RETS or RESO Web API Credentials from your MLS
Creating an app with SimplyRETS
Start building your website or application

Not so bad, right? So let’s go through these!

1. Activate a RETS or RESO Web API data feed

Note! SimplyRETS supports both RESO Web API and RETS data feeds. Your MLS may support one or both of these. There is no difference between them when connected to SimplyRETS.

The first step to accessing live data with SimplyRETS is to set up a RETS or RESO Web API data feed with an MLS (or multiple MLS’s). If you don’t already have this, the process is usually straightforward: just reach out to your MLS via email or phone and request one. The exact process, requirements, and response time is different for each area, but they are well equipped to guide you through the process.

Each MLS has different requirements about setting up a RETS or Web API feed, and how to use the feed - please contact them for specific inquiries. Our faq answers more questions on this. Once you have RETS or Web API credentials, you’re good to go! That’s the only prerequisite for setting up an app with SimplyRETS. Your MLS, or Association of Realtors, will send you a few things:

Example credentials

RETS credentials

Field	Example
RETS login URL *	`http://rets.mls.com:80/rets/Login`
RETS username *	`some-rets-username`
RETS password *	`********`
User-Agent	`some-user-agent/1.0`
User-Agent password	`********`

* - Required information

Web API credentials

Field	Example
Web API URL *	`http://api.webapi.com:80/`
Server token *	`072b8537539514789b389f7b`
Dataset ID *	`MLS`
Client id	`FXpCd9Uj9W4c`
Client sercret	`4922b6957cd692cec9a1d7f1`
Browser token	`7a53fe4901fb443c600ac305`
User-Agent	`user-agent/1.0`

* - Required information

To ensure a successful connection with your Web API credentials, provide as many optional fields as possible when creating your app.

Once you have this information from your MLS, you can proceed to step 2 - connecting your RETS or Web API credentials to SimplyRETS!.

Step 2: Create an App

The second step is to create your app. This gives us all the information we need to get you set up with live listings in the API or WordPress plugin. First, make sure you have created an account: https://simplyrets.com/account.

Create an App

At SimplyRETS, an “app” is simply one of our many services (WordPress IDX, RETS API, or Market Analytics). This step only asks for a few pieces of information:

The domain name where your app will live (something like: http://mywebsite.com). There is an options “sandbox” URL, where you can develop the app or website.
RETS or RESO Web API credentials. This is what you received from the MLS in Step 1. You can add multiple data feeds to a single app if you work in multiple areas.
Select a Payment Plan. You can view all of our available plans here).
Payment information. We will charge your card only when your new app is ready to go and has passed our Quality Assurance Test.

Step 3: Start developing your website or application

Here come’s the fun part. We have everything we need and you’re ready to start developing the best real estate website out there!

When previous step is complete, we’ll start replicating your listings, replicating the photos for those listings, setting up your database, and generating the keys to your new feed! That usually takes about 48 hours.

When the SimplyRETS app is ready, you’ll get an email and you can log in to your account to get your new API credentials…that’s it!

With those API credentials, you can either plug them into the Wordpress plugin or get started with our API.

For any help or assistance at this point - you can reach out to our support team at: support@simplyrets.com. We’re happy to help get you going!

— Cody @ SimplyRETS

Don’t forget to sign up to our rss feed

Pagination with the SimplyRETS API

Thu, 16 Apr 2015 00:00:00 GMT

When building real estate websites and applications with the SimplyRETS API, there are several built-in features that make it easy to paginate through listings and search results. This post will outline those features and provide examples for creating and navigating “pages” of listings.

There are two primary ways of paginating in the SimplyRETS API:

Using lastId pagination
Using limit/offset pagination

The examples below will use cURL and can be run on Windows, Mac, and Linux. Depending on what language you’re using for your application, the examples should translate pretty nicely to any built in HTTP library.

Using `lastId` pagination

lastId pagination is a key-based pagination method, and the recommended approach for navigating the listing data. It is particularly useful if you are replicating the dataset. There are two main steps:

Initialize pagination with the lastId=0 query parameter.
To query the next page, make another query by using the .mlsId from the last listing in the response: lastId={lastMlsId}.

For a complete example, check out the Paginating API responses with lastId help topic.

Using `limit`/`offset` pagination

The second method for pagination API responses is by using the limit and offset parameters. With this method, subsequent “pages” can be accessed by incrementing the offset parameter with each request (or using the Link response header).

To understand this type of pagination, let’s go through a basic example:

A `limit`/`offset` example

The limit parameter can be any value up to 500

The first step is to make a query to the API with a limit of 20:

$ curl -u simplyrets:simplyrets 'https://api.simplyrets.com/properties?limit=20'

This query will return the first 20 listings in the dataset. The offset in this query essentially defaults to 0. To access the next “page” of 20 listings, increment the offset parameter by the limit:

$ curl -u simplyrets:simplyrets 'https://api.simplyrets.com/properties?limit=20&offset=20'

For each subsequent request, the offset parameter can be incremented by the limit until the end of the dataset is reached:

Page 3: ?limit=20&offset=40
Page 4: ?limit=20&offset=60
Page 5: ?limit=20&offset=80
Page 6: ?limit=20&offset=100

The `Link` response header

Although calculating the next and previous page is pretty straightforward, the SimplyRETS API makes it even easier by doing this math for you. Pre-built URLs to access the next and previous pages are provided in the Link response header.

We can see the headers returned by the API with curl by using the -I flag:

$ curl -I -u simplyrets:simplyrets 'https://api.simplyrets.com/properties?limit=50'

HTTP/1.1 200 OK
Content-Length: 266191
Content-Type: application/json; charset=utf-8
Server: nginx/1.18.0
Vary: Accept, Accept-Language
X-SimplyRETS-Media-Type: vnd.simplyrets-v0.1
...
Link: <https://api.simplyrets.com/properties?offset=50&limit=50>; rel="next",

The last header in the code above contains our pagination URL(s). In the case above, we get one link to access the next page. Since our first offset was 0 there is no previous page.

The next query, however, will contain both a next and a prev link:

$ curl -I -u simplyrets:simplyrets 'https://api.simplyrets.com/properties?limit=50&offset=50'

HTTP/1.1 200 OK
...
Link: <https://api.simplyrets.com/properties?offset=50&limit=50>; rel="next",
<https://api.simplyrets.com/properties?offset=0&limit=50>; rel="prev"

The format of the Link header follows the syntax outlined here. The Link header is provided as a convenience, so there is no difference between using it or doing the math yourself.

You can full the API documenation and all of our supported parameters on our interactive API docs page, as well as try out some queries yourself!

— Cody @ SimplyRETS

Don’t forget to sign up to our rss feed

SimplyRETS Adds Fast-Track Support for 8 More MLS’s Across US and Canada

Tue, 07 Apr 2015 00:00:00 GMT

At SimplyRETS, we’ve been working diligently on giving brokerages and developers an easier way to build apps and websites using Real Estate listing data. We’re excited to announce that over the last 4 weeks, we’ve added fast track support for 8 new Real Estate Associations:

Houston Association of Realtors (HAR)
My Florida Regional MLS (MFR MLS)
Calgary Real Estate Board (CREB)
Kitchengton-Waterloo Association of Realtors (KWAR)
Massachusetts MLS Property Info Network (MLSPIN)
Southeast Florida MLS (SEF MLS)
Greater Las Vegas Association of Realtors (GLVAR)
Santa Cruz County Board of Realtors (SCCBAR)

What does that mean for developers?

Getting a RETS data feed from your Real Estate Association can be a tough and drawn out process. And once you do have it, the software developers now have to work for months to learn the RETS Standard, write code to replicate and store the listings in a database, and then develop an API to access those listings — all while maintaining compliance with MLS rules. The sheer time and money that it takes to do this deters a lot of Agents from building their ideas. Thus, perpetuating the lack of new technology in Real Estate.

SimplyRETS solves this by taking care of all of those things for you. We provide a hosted solution to replicate your listings, store them in a database, and expose an API for developers to work against — while still following the Associations rules and keeping the listings up to date. This means that applications can now be built faster, cheaper, and better. And developers don’t need a deep knowledge of the Real Estate Transaction Standard to build amazing applications using the SimplyRETS platform.

Fast Track Support

Normally our systems takes about 48–72 hours to get everything set up for a new account. Recently, we’ve been working on making that even faster. If your association is a part of our Fast Track Support List, setting up your RETS feed now just takes a couple of hours. This means you can get started building your website or application today, not in two weeks when the idea is not so fresh.

How Can My Association Get Fast Tracked?

If you build Real Estate websites or applications, you can help us to get more Associations added! Just reach out to us and we’ll work with you to get set up.

Best Regards,

—Cody — Co-founder of SimplyRETS

Wordpress Plugin Map Views

Tue, 07 Apr 2015 00:00:00 GMT

Today, I’m excited to announce the v1.3.4 release of our WordPress plugin which has all new integration with Google Maps to give your visitors a better Real Estate property search experience.

SimplyRETS believes in making IDX and RETS searches better and easier to user. We’re constantly looking for ways to improve both our WordPress Plugin and our API in this regard.

Features

The update comes with a suite of new features and options that are still just as simple to use:

Multiple map position options to give you control over what the user sees
Views for both search results and single listings
Info Windows with detailed listing overviews
The ability to turn map views on and off on a page by page basis

…and as always, free support for our SimplyRETS Tech Support team.

Getting Set Up

If you already have the plugin installed, getting the new map features is as easy as upgrading the plugin through your WordPress dashboard.

If you don’t, now is as good a time as ever to get started. You can install the plugin from the WordPress directory. We offer free demo listings so you can test out the new features without needing and account. When you’re ready to get your listings on your site, you can create an account and get live listings ony you site today!

Creating a map page

By default, the map view will show on all search pages along with the list view. This makes it easy for your visitors to choose listings from an area on the map, or from the list view overview. The quickest way to get started is to create a new SimplyRETS Post (SimplyRETS -> New SimplyRETS Page), give it a title, and publish!

Customizing the Map Position

If you would rather show the map view below the list view, or only show the map view, that’s a simple setting. In your dashboard, navigate to the SimplyRETS settings page (Settings -> SimplyRETS). Under the Map Settings section, you’ll have a few options:

Only Show List View
Only Show Map View
Show Map View Above List View
Show Map View Below List View

Pick the setting you think will be best for your visitors, and hit save. This setting will affect all search pages (any page with multiple listings on it).

Disabling the Map View in Specific Places

If there is area your site where you would rather not show the map view, you can easily disable it in specific places. When you use the shortcodes to insert listings in posts or pages, it may not be ideal to have a map take up a lot of space. To do this, simply add the show_map parameter to your shortcode and set it to false. Example:

[sr_residential show_map="false"]

Single Listing Map Views

Single listing map views are enabled by default, and will show on details pages about specific properties. At the top of each page, there is a ‘View on Map’ link (right next to our lead capture link!), that will take them to the map - which lies on the same page. There’s no difficult configuration here - just a simple way for your visitors to get the best possible information about the property they’re viewing.

What’s next?

We’re constantly working on new features and brainstorming new ideas about how we can make a better IDX and RETS search. If you have a great idea that would be beneficial to you as an agent or developer, send us a message and let’s talk about making a better RETS API and WordPress plugin! We’d love to hear what you need or what we can do to help your next big project become a success.

— Cody @ SimplyRETS

Don’t forget to sign up to our rss feed

Hello, SimplyRETS!

Sat, 04 Apr 2015 00:00:00 GMT

Welcome to the SimplyRETS Blog! SimplyRETS is a service which connects to your RETS or RESO Web API IDX feed to offer a vastly simplified and modern REST API. We are helping developers building real estate software save time and money so they can focus on what’s importand; innovation. SimplyRETS makes it easy for developers with little or no experience in real estate data to get started quickly.

Our Goals

Offer a simplified, modern, and familiar API (Application Programming Interface) to developers which will help them iterate quickly on real estate software.
Allow agents unbranded access to their data. We don’t require our feeds to carry any SimplyRETS branding. Of course, your data is still subject to MLS rules. However, SimplyRETS wants to enhance and promote business applications built around lead generation.
Help developers and agents save time by not worrying about MLS compliance issues. We prioritize accurate and up-to-date data feeds. We also work with developers to make sure their application or website remains compliant with little to no maintenance or upkeep.
Build on a strong core data service, influenced by the RESO Data Dictionary. This core data model makes it possible for apps to interface with multiple MLS vendors out-of-the-box. This workflow is baked directly into our API and does not carry any extra recurring charges.
Distribute more free and open material for developers and agents to learn about their real estate data and how it works. All the code on our Github is free and open-source. We will also be working on tutorials, examples, and how-to’s to promote more innovative real estate development.

The REST API (Not to be confused with RETS)

Our REST API is the core of our service. You can see how it works by checking out our documentation. A simple example, using our trial data, would be to use curl:

$ curl -u simplyrets:simplyrets 'https://api.simplyrets.com/properties'

[
  {
    "address": {
      "city": "Katy",
      "country": "HARRIS",
      "full": "1234 SimplyRETS Dr",
      "postalCode": "77430",
      "streetName": "SimplyRETS Dr",
      "streetNumber": 1234
    },
    "property": {
      "style": "Traditional",
      "area": 1959,
      "bathsFull": 3,
      "bathsHalf": 2,
      "fireplaces": 1
       ...
    },
  ...
]

Why do I need this?

We often work with developers who are completely capable of working with the raw RETS data themselves. Up front, they often ask why they need such a service. We generally respond with:

Lower Maintenance and Upkeep

We can significantly lower the maintenance and upkeep time for developers. The cost of using our service usually pales in comparison to a developer spending even a few hours a month maintaining a feed.

Hosted

The cost of maintening a replicated RETS database is often simply too high to be practical. Developers working with RETS feeds often can’t control some of the long-term factors which degrade their service and it deters them from picking up new projects period.

Thats where SimplyRETS comes in. We take care of these issues. We host the database and backend integration systems.

We are serious about maintaining an extremely robust and reliable service which has a high uptime and extremely fast server response time. We do everything in our power to keep these promises and have built-in customer protection in our Service Level Agreement

Tooling and Documentation

We have free and open-source tools built around our API. Our Python and Ruby SDK’s, which can be found on Github, are the latest additions to our fleet. We also have plans for upcoming mobile SDK’s which will make it easier than ever to produce software for iOS and Android with real estate data.

We also offer up-to-date documentation on our service including our interactive documentation.

Experience

Even seasoned developers will have to go through a learning curve with RETS. Most vendor software we work with has quirks that do no follow the RETS standard to the letter. Other times, there are MLS issues such as bandwidth, throttling, and other technical hurdles that are learned through experience.

Our team specializes in RETS software and we work regularly with some of the largest vendors in the United States and Canada.

If you’re interested in learning more, feel free to shoot us an email at support@simplyrets.com. We are happy to answer any questions you may have.

You can get started prototyping immediately by creating an account and using our freely available test listings.

Best,

—Christopher @ SimplyRETS

P.S. Don’t forget to sign up to our rss feed

SimplyRETS Blog RSS Feed

Is Your Real Estate Site Mobile Responsive?

The Importance of a Mobile-Responsive Real Estate Website

Keep It Simple

Build with mobile in mind

Optimize Your Images

Use a Clear Call to Action

Five Essential Elements of a Lead Converting Real Estate Website

Build your real estate IDX website or application with a flexible API

Professional Design and Responsive User Interface

Easy Navigation and Search Functionality

Utilize Plug-and-Play WordPress Integration

Integrate Real Estate Market Analytics

Six Ways an MLS API Can Improve Your IDX Website

1. Real-time data updates

2. Flexible data queries

3. Improved search and display functionality

4. Increased data security

5. Enhanced user experience with MLS listings API

6. Increased efficiency and productivity

How Can I Add a RETS Feed to My WordPress Website?

What Is A RETS Feed and Why You Should One on Your Website?

Steps To Set Up a RETS Feed

How to Connect the RETS Feed to Your WordPress Website

How to Create Lead-Generating Sidebars for Your IDX Website

What is a WordPress IDX Sidebar?

Identify Which IDX WordPress Pages Will Benefit from Having a Sidebar

What Makes an Effective Sidebar?

Benefits of Using the SimplyRETS IDX Plugin for WordPress

An Overview of IDX WordPress Plugins

The Benefits of Using SimplyRETS

Features of SimplyRETS That Make It Unique

The Best IDX Plugins for WordPress and You

Real Estate Listing Data Terminology: What are MLS, IDX, RETS, RESO, VOW, and DDF?

IDX for Real Estate Websites

MLS

RETS

RESO

VOW

DDF

Conclusion

Ten Ways to Leverage Your IDX Listings for More Traffic

How to Drive More Traffic to Your MLS IDX Listings

1. Share on social media

2. Create a video tour of the property

3. Blogging

4. Feature your listings on your home page

5. Mobile Responsive Site

6. Build your brand

7. Photography

8. SEO

9. Email Marketing

10. Paid Search Advertising

Leveraging Tech for Success

How to Optimize Your Lead Generating IDX Website

What is a Lead Generating IDX Website?

Optimizing Your IDX Website Functionality

Building User-Friendly IDX Websites

Adding a WordPress IDX Map Search Shortcode with SimplyRETS

What is an IDX Plugin for WordPress?

What are RETS and RESO Web API and How Do they Work?

How to Install the Best IDX Plugin for WordPress

Rules for Displaying Data on Your Website

The RESO Data Dictionary