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ASK MR. INTERNET
It’s also important to note that with both IDXs and VOWs, you won’t necessarily be displaying all listings in your area. Under NAR policy, individual brokers have the right to “opt out” of having their listings displayed on the IDX of another MLS participant. Under NAR’s policy for VOWs, brokerages also may prevent specific companies from displaying their listings. In general, third-party vendors for your MLS will be responsible for deleting those companies that choose not to participate in an IDX. Also, keep in mind that some MLSs restrict the display of other brokers’ listings to the managing broker’s site. In such cases, you’d need to get your broker’s permission to include listings on your personal site. Let’s say that you have a green light all the way to use all the listings from your local MLS, and you’re ready to jump in with installing either VOW or IDX on your site. Where do you get started? The first step is to talk with your MLS and get a list of approved third-party vendors that can help you. Some MLSs may use small, local vendors, but many also offer the options of one or more national companies. Here are some vendors you might want to check out that implement IDX solutions for many MLSs around the country.
In addition to comparing features and cost when shopping for an IDX provider, take extra care to speak to several current customers who have had the service for at least six months. This will tell you a great deal about the reliability and professionalism of the vendor. Also, if you're thinking of implementing a VOW on your site (if allowed), you will typically need to contact your MLS directly for that service. The real estate industry has come a long ways from the days of the closely guarded “multiple listing book.” Today, dozens of sites offer prospects a chance to comparison-shop homes before they contact you. In fact, The 2003 NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS® Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers found that 65 percent of buyers used the Internet in their home search. The IDX and VOW are two powerful tools to help you give Internet-empowered consumers exactly what they want—free and easy access to available property information. And in so doing, you lay the foundation for a potentially profitable relationship. Mr. Internet’s Tip of the Month Ever wonder why your e-mail doesn’t always go through? It could be that your e-mail server (the special Internet address that your e-mail software uses to send mail) is on one or more spam blacklists. Fortunately, there is a very cool (and free) tool that you can use to see if you are on anyone’s spam list in seconds. Just go to www.DNSstuff.com and put the IP address of your e-mail SMTP server into the top center field. (If you don’t know the IP address of your SMTP server, just ask your Internet service provider.) Then, just hit “Look Up.” www.DNSstuff.com will almost instantly check 150 spam lists and display your status. If any of the listings on the list are red, well, your server is on that blacklist and your e-mails are being caught in spam filters. (Getting off the list is another topic altogether!) www.DNSstuff.com is a great way to check out any third-party Web-based e-mail systems, especially drip e-mail services, before you purchase them. Spammers love to use these service providers as a method of sending undetected spam. Unfortunately, the spammers’ activities affect everyone that uses the same service, at least until they get caught. More Resources Better Listings Through Technology , Michael Russer, April 2002 Buyer’s Guide: Net-based Solutions , Michael Antoniak, June 2003 Previously by Ask Mr. Internet: Ask Mr. Internet Main Page Never Lose Track of Passwords Again Web Eye for the REALTOR® Guy or Girl Bring Your Site Alive With Multimedia Ask Mr. Internet: Spammed to a Halt
Mr. Internet is the alter-ego of Michael J. Russer, an Internet speaker, trainer, author, and consultant. Send your questions to: help@askmrinternet.com Ask Mr. Internet Main Page
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