Getting the listing is the first step, but now it's time to market it.  Check out the methods below for how to further market your listings online.

1. Southwest Multiple Listing Service (SWMLS) Database - When listings are entered in the SWMLS database as Active, they are immediately accessible to all SWMLS Participants and Subscribers, which includes 3,000+ members.

2. Internet Data Exchange (IDX) - SWMLS has a well-developed IDX program available for members and approved web designers.  The IDX program directs possible leads to the member who has a website with the IDX options.  IDX websites are operated by SWMLS Participants or Subscribers and typically offer a home search of all Active SWMLS listings.  It takes about 24 hours for new listings and listing changes to update on an IDX website.

3. Virtual Office Websites (VOW) - These are the SWMLS brokerages operating an online office service for their clients to access and view homes for sale.  The listings displayed on a VOW are only viewable by the clients of these real estate offices.  The public cannot search for homes on a VOW without becoming a client (buyer/seller) of that office.

4. GAAR.com - Consumers may search for SWMLS listings via the consumer website, gaar.com.  SWMLS listings are displayed in IDX format.  This means that the SWMLS data appears in a limited format, encouraging consumers to contact the listing office for property inquiries.  SWMLS listings for sale on gaar.com are updated instantly in real-time.

5. Realtor.com® - One of the top ranking home search websites used by consumers in today’s market is Realtor.com®.  SWMLS supplies data directly to Realtor.com®, allowing them to update their listing data every 15 minutes.  Realtor.com® has a “network partnership” that allows consumers from other websites who choose “search homes for sale” to automatically link to the Realtor.com® search engine.  Click here for more information about the Realtor.com® “network partners" feature.

6. ListHub - ListHub gives brokers the latest online marketing tools and strategies for marketing property listings online.  ListHub specializes in data integration and marketing metrics, updating its listing data every 24 hours.  Today, ListHub manages the listing inventory for thousands of real estate companies nationwide.  Take a look at ListHub's available marketing channels to see where your listings can be marketed.  ListHub is an opt-in program, which means that your Qualifying Broker (QB) has to create a ListHub account.  Once opted-in, your office's listings can automatically go to zillow.com, trulia.com, as well as 36 other Publishing Channels.

FAQs

My listing has been on the market for a while now, but neither me nor my seller can find it on Realtor.com® or gaar.com?   

Make sure the SWMLS listing has the appropriate EXPORT options unselected.  It will then take up to 24 hours for the listing to start appearing on the IDX websites.   

How do I ensure that my listing shows up in IDX?  

This has the same answer: make sure the SWMLS listing has the appropriate EXPORT options unselected.

My listing is posting to my own website, but why don’t I see it on Zillow? 

SWMLS IDX listings do not automatically get sent to Zillow.  To get a listing on Zillow you will need to use ListHub, selecting Zillow as an available channel, or create a separate Zillow account and manually enter your listing there.  SWMLS encourages its Subscribers to use ListHub in order to push your listings to Zillow, Trulia, and other non-IDX websites used for marketing your listings.

Why can’t you provide me a complete list of all IDX websites? 

SWMLS does not have a complete list of all local Participants and Subscribers who display IDX data but estimates this number to be 500+.  The main reason for this is that there is a certain type of IDX data feed used by SWMLS members that is not monitored directly by SWMLS.  This data feed is commonly referred to as the IDX 2.0 Lite Framing Link.  This free link is available for all SWMLS Participants and Subscribers and can easily be integrated into an existing website frame.  Here is an example of the Framing Link as displayed on GAAR’s Find Home Search.   

Need more information?

For more information about using IDX for you or your company, go to gaar.com/idx.  It features a list of current IDX web companies that provide services for SWMLS members, as well as the forms you and your web developer need to complete for IDX approval.