I’m building a realtor’s personal website. Since I have never worked with realty, I need to learn a few things about MLS searches. Here’s a quick summary of my learnings followed by some process.
1) There are many many MLS databases. Each area/firm/agent has their own. These databases are their secretly guarded stash of people’s homes and their connected agent. Agents have their own action list of homes. These can be managed by things like open realty, a myPhpAdmin but for homes…
2) Getting access to search MLS databases requires a realtor that is a member of the MLS owner group.
3) If permission is granted by the MLS Provider, one can create a query and ftp whichever listings you want to your own database. Permission may require $$.
4) Most often 3rd party companies just provide the code that figures out how to display the listing info. (A good webdev/designer should be able to do this decently)
5) Some companies offer to host the MLS info, but that just takes the place of the original MLS. Heavy lifting here depending on how many people input into the database. These services are really only useful for big agencies like Century 21 who supports hundreds of agents.
TRIED:
- Installing Open Realty 2.5.5 into a test site -> success, easy
- Installing WordPress into test site -> success, easy
LEARNED:
- Open Realty 2.5.5 doesn’t actually querry an existing MLS but just allows realtors to input listings themselves. Not useful for me.
PLANNING TO:
- Need to contact Century 21 and ask how to get MLS access. May need actual realtor to make call.
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