Effortless Property Search with Real Estate Webmasters’ Powerful IDX Builder

Posted by Mheanne Celis

Updated on January 23rd, 2025

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Published in Products

When it comes to real estate, helping buyers find their perfect home is everything—and your website plays a huge role in that. That’s where Real Estate Webmasters' IDX comes in. It’s designed to make property searches easy, fast, and intuitive, so your visitors have a great experience while you generate more leads. 

Understanding IDX

IDX stands for Internet Data Exchange, and it’s a system that allows real estate professionals to display property listings from a Multiple Listing Service (MLS) on their websites. It’s what makes property search possible for buyers visiting your site.

With IDX, you can pull live data directly from your MLS, so your website always shows up-to-date listings. It’s a critical tool for real estate websites because it helps buyers search for properties easily while keeping them engaged on your site instead of going elsewhere. A well-implemented IDX solution for REALTORS®, like ours, offers advanced search options, sleek design, and customization to create a seamless experience for your users.

The IDX page and settings on the Renaissance website.

How to Set Up Your IDX Search Page

Creating a user-friendly property search page is key to keeping visitors engaged and helping them find their dream home. Setting up your IDX search page in the backend is straightforward. Simply follow these steps:

1. Log in to your website’s backend and navigate to Settings.

2.  Go to IDX, and under the Search tab, select the IDX feed you want to work on. If you have multiple feeds, remember to repeat the setup process for each one. Each feed can be customized individually to suit your specific needs.

3. Fill out the Feed Name for your reference.

4. Choose the filters you’d like to display, such as price range, bedrooms, cities, radius search, property type, and more.

5. Next, set the number of results per page to determine how many listings are shown at once.

6. Decide how the results should be sorted—by price or newest/ oldest listing.

7. Configure the map to give users a visual way to search for properties.

8. Click “Save” to apply your IDX settings.

Under the Search tab, you can define your filters, set defaults for when users first open the search page, and adjust the map settings to enhance the search experience. This customization makes property searches smoother and more intuitive for users.

Set Up Featured Results

Featured listings can give your property search page a boost by showcasing specific properties at the top of search results. Here's how to set up featured results based on an office or agent:

1. In your backend, go to IDX settings and click on the Featured Results tab.

2. Enable Featured Results to display these listings prominently at the top of the search results.

3. Upload the logo you want to appear on the top corner of each featured listing’s image.

4. Type a Results Banner label, such as "Featured," "Promotion," or anything else that clearly indicates the listing is highlighted.

5. Under the Results Filter field, select whether you want the featured listings to be filtered by office or agent.

6. Fill out the Featured Office or Agent field, depending on your choice.

7. Decide if you want to limit the number of featured results by setting a restriction in the final field.

8. Click "Save" to apply your changes.

By setting up featured results, you can ensure that the most important listings are easily visible to potential buyers, enhancing visibility and driving more attention to specific properties or agents. 

The featured listings shown on top of the IDX results page.

Utilize IDX Snippets

IDX snippets are customizable modules that display property listings based on specific filters, which is perfect for enhancing community pages. They provide visitors with a focused view of listings while allowing them to refine searches on the front end.

The IDX snippet showcasing listings on a community page.

You only need to embed the snippet on your community page to set it up. It will automatically showcase matching listings, making your community pages more engaging and valuable to visitors. Whenever you edit your IDX snippet, the changes will also automatically reflect on all the pages that use your IDX snippet. Here’s how to get started:

1. Log in to the backend and go to Content.

2. Select Snippets from the left menu bar, then choose the IDX option from the dropdown menu on the Snippet button in the top left corner.

3. Click the “+” button to create a snippet.

4. Fill out the required fields: Snippet Title, Snippet Name, and Filters.

5. Under Settings, fill out the Results Per Page, and Sort Results By fields. Configure the map to your preference and decide whether to enable price range links. 

6. Click “Save.”

Once saved, copy the snippet name with hashtags and embed it on your chosen page. Our Renaissance website’s community pages are also equipped with a Statistics section that automatically pulls data from your IDX snippet, giving users valuable insights into the properties displayed.

Adding the snippet name on a page's main content.

Check out our IDX walkthrough video on REW Academy for the full instruction on how to set up your website's IDX page.

The IDX instructional video on REW Academy.

Benefits of IDX

IDX is the backbone of modern real estate websites. It’s more than just a search tool—it’s a powerful way to keep your listings current, enhance user experience, and generate leads.

Here’s how IDX transforms your website into a client magnet:

• Access to Accurate Listings: IDX ensures real-time MLS updates, so your site always showcases the latest properties.

• Customizable Search Options: Tailor filters like price, location, and property type to suit your audience.

• Enhanced User Experience: With features like map views and Drivetime, IDX keeps your visitors engaged.

• Featured Listings Control: Highlight your own office or agent’s listings to drive attention to key properties.

• Community Page Enhancements: Use IDX snippets to create hyper-local pages showcasing listings for specific neighborhoods or communities.

With IDX, your website becomes more than a digital storefront, it’s a powerful resource for clients and a lead generation machine for your business.

Sample filters on an IDX page.

Best Practices for Using IDX

Implementing IDX effectively is all about optimizing the user experience and maximizing the value it brings to your business. Here are some best practices to ensure you’re making the most of your IDX integration:

• Prioritize User Experience: Pick search filters that are relevant to your target market, as this will allow them to narrow down the listings effectively.

• Highlight Featured Listings: Use the Featured Results option in your IDX settings to promote key properties, such as your agency’s or your team’s listings. Adding a custom banner or logo draws additional attention.

• Leverage Community Pages: Create IDX snippets tailored to specific neighborhoods or communities. These localized pages can showcase relevant listings, stats, and additional content, making your site more valuable to visitors.

• Market Listings on Social Media: Share your IDX listings and community pages on social media platforms to attract more visitors. Engage with your audience by highlighting unique properties and sharing market insights to encourage click-throughs.

• Offer Easy-to-Find Contact Options: Make it simple for visitors to contact you directly from the IDX property pages and include clear calls to action (CTAs) to prompt immediate interaction.

Highlighting specific listings and real estate stats for better engagement.

New Year Promotion

Have you heard? We're offering a special new year promotion: for every year of contracted SaaS you sign, you’ll receive one free REW CRM module. You can expand your reach with an additional IDX feed, giving access to listings from multiple MLSs (one we already support; access fees not included). This provides a wider selection for your clients, enabling you to tap into more markets. Or, you can also introduce Drivetime to your IDX page. This feature provides commuting insights by displaying drive times to key locations. Don’t miss out—contact us and claim your free module today.

Let’s Talk IDX in the REW Forum

Curious about how others are using IDX or have questions about getting the most out of it? The REW Forum is where the real conversations happen. It’s a space to connect with other real estate pros, swap tips, and share what tools are working for you.

Why not join the discussion? We’d love to hear your thoughts and experiences!

Join Us In The REW Forum!

IDX FAQ