Custom RETS PRO Real Estate Websites Using MLS® Board Data Feeds

When a real estate professional or 3rd party hires us to develop a custom website or purchases our plugin to develop their own site with real estate property listings, we need access to the raw data feed provided by their MLS Board(s).  We can assist clients in accessing this raw data feed, however, it is not RETS PRO that makes the application for the feed. It is the sole responsibility of the real estate agent/broker.

RETS PRO was built by SEO professionals for their own Real Estate clients.  [You can learn more about us HERE.]  As SEO pros, we’re horrified by the frequency in which many Real Estate Professionals change web providers. Every time you change RETS providers, you lose SEO “juice.” Every time you switch to another web provider and have to re-load content, you lose juice. Every time you’ve been limited in how you can use your data, you’re giving up juice!  We’re sticklers for making sure you own your site, all of your content, and you own/manage all of your data. That’s why we require you to get your own RETS credentials from your local board. Sure, we could become vendors and make more money every month, but that’s not why we built this plugin.

Please call 888-540-9666 to discuss all additional questions you may have regarding your RETS data feeds requirements.

The Process:

  1. A real estate Agent/Broker should contact all pertinent MLS boards to request a RETS data feed.
    (Whereby YOU going to procure your own commonly called “inhouse vendor” RETS credentials for doing only your own websites.)
  2. The MLS board will provide a contract/application to the agent/broker to sign in order to become an “In-House Vendor”.
    (This is typically called a “Broker Reciprocity Agreement” or a “RETS data Feed Agreement” )
  3. The agent/broker will be responsible for any fees, and proper filing of paperwork. When the MLS board approves the request, they’ll provide you with your RETS login credentials, typically via email. (If you have any questions CALL US as we have dealt with all of them at one time or the other and can assist you with how to fill out the information being requested by the Boards RETS Provider. )

Important Questions you may want to Ask Your MLS Board:

  • Do they provide Sold data? If so, are there any additional fees? This may be an important item to you as not all MLS offer it and those that do typically charge extra to have access to that data information.
  • Do they offer VOW?  And if so, are there any additional fees? This also may be important to you as not all MLS offer it and if they do its typically an additional fee to have it and also requires additional requirements to be met as well, such as requiring customers to be registered and logged in in order to see the information.

Parsing, Compiling, and Styling MLS® Board Data Feeds:

RETS data feeds are provided in only one way and that’s via a Live Server Connection. Each MLS® board will be different from the next. The first task is to verify your connection to the RETS server using our plugin. After connection to the RETS server is validated then we can begin the process by which we map the raw listing field data into an organized database listings field names. Once we’ve successfully mapped all of the listings data, we work to seamlessly integrate property listings into a fully responsive, searchable and user-friendly interface. Depending on the quality and efficiency of each MLS Board feed, and the number of boards requested, this process can take a couple of business days to a couple of weeks.

In order to update new, and delete old listings, we develop a chronological script (cron job) to ensure listing data is always available, and current. The script can be set to request updates at any specified interval, however, each individual board may have specific criteria or limitations regarding update frequency and/or times.