National MLS-IDX API? Does it exist?

[jlippiner]

Hello,

I am very new to this and NOT a broker but a software developer. I am working on a contact management app for brokers and want them to be able to add all the properties they are working on to their "list folder" without having to manually reenter details in the MLS.

I am looking for a solution that will allow them to enter the MLS ID into a field and it will pull, via an API or data feed, all the MLS data including photos and such that I can then reformat and display to the user. Does anything like this exist nationally? My clients are located in most states so I need a standard system for accessing MLS data.

Thank you,

Josh

[webmaster]

This would NEVER happen. Not only are all MLS boards independant and run different technologies, but the rules and regs of each board would strictly prohibit access by a software developer for their own personal profit. MLS / IDX is for the sole benefit of members of the board, not developers.

[drewnick]

It was a hard concept for me to get in my head, too. We get so used to syndication / sharing / etc.

Basically, the data in the MLS is NOT considered public - it is the copyrighted material of the REALTORs in your area. It's kind of like a cartel in that only REALTORs can access it and the fees to join are pretty hefty.

[jlippiner]

If this is the case, then how do sites such as Trulia and ZipRealty pull in national listings?

Also - since this would be a service for realtors, if I knew which MLS they used would I be able to use their access to connect to the MLS to pull the needed data?

How do all these services out there that advertise national MLS-IDX gain access if there is no national system?

[drewnick]

They must join the local boards to get access to the data.

[jlippiner]

Sorry, but to be clear, who is "THEY?" Are you talking about the national websites that list local real estate?

It seems to be a bit odd that it is in the realtors benefit to have their listing show up in as many places as possible but from what y'all are telling me, the only place to see the listing is in the local MLS. I have to believe that it goes from the local MLS into some national lookup directory to a myriad of sources to search and find listings.

[webmaster]

Trulia, etc are opt in, meaning that the listings are provided to them directly from the Brokers and Agents. Some provide feeds, some enter them manually. This is not MLS in any way. Incidentally, if an agent or broker were to provide you with their logins so that you could access the data for such an application, I would imagine they would be severely repremanded, fined or have their access taken away. Basically jL you need to get the idea of using MLS data out of your head. You are just not allowed to do it, no matter how you restructure your questions to try to get an answer you like.

[jlippiner]

OK - so to close this matter. Am I correct in stating that if a realtor wants to have their listing on say Homestore.com, Trulia, Zillow, etc they need to manually enter that listing information into each of the services they want to be part of?

Does this mean that if a realtor has their own website they also need to manually reenter the listing for each property they represent to display on their own site?

If this is the case can anyone direct me to a standard entry form for a listing I can use for my project?

Seems a shame that there is no way for an agent to easily link their own listings to other apps.

[DMike]

When a realtor joins a local board, he can use the feed from the local mls. He can use that feed to display the listings on his site. If he would want to display his listings on different locations, like the ones you said, he would have to add them on each of them.
You can't have a standard entry form, because every mls has a different number of fields. Like on a mls you could have some fields, but on another one have different ones. To build a standard entry form, you'd have to use just some of the fields(those which are in most of the mls - like beds, baths). You could build different forms for different mls

[jlippiner]

I just checked Trulia and found that they get their data by either a direct feed from the brokers site (which of course appears to get their data from the MLSIDX) or by scraping the brokers site.

Does anyone know if most broker sites offer/have the ability to easily provide an XML feed to third parties for inclusion?