We’d like to come right out and say that we DO set limits on the number of listings that can be shown / spidered / paged through for any given search. We currently have the limit set at 500 results per search, but we may adjust that in the future as we do more research and as MLS rules change. We implemented this limit for a number of reasons, the biggest of which is it prevent well ranked blogs in major metro areas from simply linking to the results page for the major city for that area and gobbling up the #1 position for ALL of the addresses in that area without doing any more work. This is NOT to say that you can’t put the entire MLS on your blog. Instead, what we strongly recommend based on our own research is for those who any indexable IDX solution, including our own, to deep link to smaller result sets and even individual listings.

In other words, if you’re a broker servicing Boston and wanted to use dsIDXpress (or, again, any indexable IDX), we’d encourage you to not just link to the search results for Boston and call it a day. Not only would the results for dsIDXpress be capped at 500 for that “search,” but the older results on, say, page 20 wouldn’t be indexed very well at all. Perhaps more importantly, it wouldn’t be helpful for your visitors either; after all, who really wants to look at ALL of the Boston listings in one sitting?

Instead, with dsIDXpress specifically, we’d recommend following our getting started guide and tailor both your link destinations and your site content to you visitors’ needs rather than trying to get everything indexed by search engines with no time investment and a single link. For example, the easiest first step would be to add the dsIDXpress listings or areas widgets to your blog and simply add the most popular communities you service to the widgets. Next, we’d recommend creating content pages for all of the communities you service and then using our Live Listings(sm) shortcode technology to insert an auto-updating property list directly into the content pages themselves. If you’re a broker as in the above example, you could even farm out the creation of content to your agents; they should know and be able to write a few paragraphs about the areas they specialize in better than anyone else. In that same community, zip, or city content page, you could also strategically link to property results for, say, listings in Fenway between $500k and $600k so that the content would be helpful to both search engines AND your website visitors.

Finally, for those of your concerned about getting banned from search engines for putting an indexable IDX on your site, we’d like to point out that there’d be thousands of sites already that would be banned if that were the case. Between all of the large brokers and national websites that do it already (Movato, Sawbuck Realty, Redfin, Realtor.com, Move, Homes.com, Yahoo! Real Estate, and the list goes on and on and on and on) and the agents / brokers who have the extremely expensive websites that also do it, we’ve never been aware of a single site that has been penalized for that alone. It’s certainly true that there can only be so many results in the “Google Top 10,” but that’s why recommending our best practices and encouraging you to spend some time tailoring your website to the communities or areas you service to get to the top of search engines for those areas.

Overall, we feel that there is a compelling argument to not be too concerned about duplicate MLS content due to the indexable IDX alone. If you create good content AND link appropriately to the IDX content, we’re confident that you’ll end up engaging your visitors more and rank well in search engines in no time at all. We’re sticking to our guns on this one.

P.S. This is neat. One of our original dsIDXpress beta testers, Jim Duncan, is ranking extremely well in Google by doing exactly what I talked about above. Check out this random Google search I did for 5453 Park Rd, Crozet. The #1 result that I see right now is that property on his domain with the dsIDXpress plugin generating the content. I also see Zillow, Yahoo! Real Estate, Realtor.com, and Homes.com in that list, but they’re all ranked below him. Sweet!

There has been a few other great post about this written recently check out what Drew Meyers from Zillow wrote on Geek Estate also check out “Walk Score Adds Transit” by Clark Williams-Derry

So without further ado, please visit our launch site to learn more and try it out yourself: http://dslistingexpress.diversesolutions.com

We know you’ll like it.

RETech South – Atlanta – March 20
RE Barcamp LosAngeles – April 2
RE Barcamp Phoenix – April 23 

We will have representatives at each event. Contact  us on Twitter or through our site if you’re interested in meeting with us during any of these events. Be sure to subscribe to our blog to see where we will be next!

Nick operates RailLife.com, a blog and real estate resource focused on Phoenix’s 20 mile long light rail system. Nick has been able to modify his IDX feed to deliver targeted listing information based on his niche and much more. By focusing on an all important lifestyle issue like commuting and developing structured content around it, Nick has established himself as a “go-to” resource for all things light rail related. It’s an outstanding example of how the barriers to entry for publishing and delivering content give you the ability to establish a consistent brand and touch prospects at all stages of the buying cycle. 

In this podcast Nick gives us a little history on his efforts and talks about the tremendous success he is enjoying with his “nichefied” marketing efforts. 

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Mike Price, Social Media Manager, Diverse Solutions

Q: How did the idea for CARETS get started and who are the current participants in the data share program?

A: Southern California MLSs have enjoyed a long history of reciprocal access – from direct access (back in 1994), to the MLS Alliance and now with CARETS.  As technology has progressed to the point where a larger database of listings with easy access via the Internet  has become relatively easy to do we took a hard look at what our customers (agents, brokers, appraisers)  needed as far as access to the MLS Content.  The answers were: (1) a common database; (2) a standard database; (3) standard rules and enforcement; and (4) a single membership requirement to gain access to the first three.  CARETS fulfills all of these requirements.

Q: Many MLS’s have tried similar data share program in California what makes CARETS different and successful thus far?

A:CARETS is not a true datashare – it is more than that.  Others have done datashare (as have we) but that is usually between two or more disparate systems with no common data definitions. The result is that data is not common from system to system once the “datashare” has been done.  With CARETS we have normalized the database so that each and every MLS adheres to the same definitions and rules regarding content and display. The result for the user is that it looks like they are members of one big MLS. The other huge difference with CARETS is that the end user does not have to learn any new software or systems.  They continue to use whatever software they’re comfortable with – in our case Tempo, eNeighborhoods, rDesk, MLS Office, ListingBook, etc. – with no obvious changes other than the fact they now have access to many, many more listings.

Q: I have heard from some within the MLS industry that CARETS is the largest program of it’s kind can you share with us what that how many total listings are available to home buyers and what you see as the primary benefits to consumers as well as industry professionals?

A: Counting off market listings and all property types we are probably  in the 5 million listing range, with another 30 million or more historical transaction (snapshot) records, and millions of photos, serving over 100,000 real estate professionals throughout Southern California.   A listing now has immediate access from these 100,000 agents and each member has access to the whole region. This access extends to IDX sites as well so that a member of any CARETS MLS now has the ability to place the entire CARETS active, and a year’s worth of solds on their IDX site.  Consumers visiting IDX and other public sites now enjoy having all the inventory in one place.

Q: What are the most direct benefits to the MLS’s involved and does it have an impact the way their current business models?

A: The benefits we hope to get out of CARETS are that vendors such as Diverse do not have to pull and normalize data from several different MLS systems but can now focus more on the benefits and features of their product offerings so that our customers can benefit from better products and enhanced user interfaces.

Q: Where do you see CARETS 5 and 10 years from now? What do you see as the adoption rate at those intervals? �
A: In 5 to 10 years there is no reason that we cannot have every MLS in the state of California on board with the CARETS concept, if not directly part of CARETS. Remember that the beauty of CARETS is that the user does not have to learn anything new so the implementation of CARETS at a local MLS does not require the usual ramp-up and training period that accompanies a complete system transition.  Not that there is not a lot of work that needs to be done upfront to map and convert the data, but once that part is complete the rest is relatively easy.  We already have interest in CARETS from MLSs across the state which represent another 100,000 agents and brokers. And after California, there is no reason why the concept cannot be taken on the road toward a super regional or even national scope.

Q: Can you tell us if other  MLS’s are looking to be included in CARETS?

A: Yes several from across the state are watching us and several are very eager to join.

Q: CARETS has moved quickly. How did you and the others get this done at such a rapid pace?

A: This is kind of like becoming a star overnight. We have actually been hard at work on this for 2 years and still have much to do but we have definitely proven that this concept is the best way to go.  What made it so successful is that because of the history of the 5 MLS involved we did not have to overcome the  politics, paranoia, personalities and protectionism that  you are normally faced with in a project like this – we had addressed all of that years ago.

Q: Northern California has a data share program do you see others following what SOCAL has done?

A: We have been following all other initiatives, both within and outside California, and hope to work with them in the very near future.  The critical piece to our success is the common database and common data definitions. Without that you have made no progress.  A California statewide database is our goal and once everyone has adopted such a  concept then nothing is impossible – it opens up the world to us in being able to do all kinds of data related activities since it all looks the same behind the scenes.

Q: CAR is working on a statewide MLS. Do you see them or have they contacted you to adopt what you have done?

A:  A statewide MLS is not necessarily a bad thing. I think if you polled the practitioners they would agree that a statewide MLS, or at least a standard statewide database would be a very good thing.  CARETS has met with CALMLS to see  how best the two organizations can work together. I think there is consensus that the common database is the best approach. The next hurdle would be how to work together to get everyone under the CARETS-like umbrella  to best serve all of the members while providing them with innovative solutions both now and long into the future.

Q: What are your thoughts on a Nationwide MLS system?

A: A nationwide database is proabbaly not a bad thing although I am not sure that there is actually a driving need for it at this time. What most vendors out there do not understand is that an MLS is more than just a database of listings. If that’s all it was then we would have had a national MLS years ago.  The critical piece of an MLS is the offer of cooperation and compensation amongst brokers within an MLS.  On the national scope this would quickly fall apart because of different licensing laws, and lack of reciprocating compensation across state boundaries. Without cooperation and compensation all you have is a database that can be used for advertising and no one would know if and when they would get paid.

Q: Diverse Solutions was the first provider of its kind to implement CARETS into an IDX platform. Can you share with us any direct feedback you may have had from our broker and agent clients?

A: Our customers are overjoyed with the fact that they now have the ability to place this large inventory of listings on their Diverse web sites and compete with the big boys out there. One of the most often heard comments before we embarked on the CARETS journey was “why does a consumer have access to more information than I do?’. CARETS is answering that.

We’ve teamed up with the Zillow and Active Rain to help bring the Real Estate Barcamp Movement to Seattle. Friday the 13th of February is the date. Real Estate Barcamps are free one-day events where like minded people from all facets of the real estate industry gather to share information in sessions that are fun and informal. Don’t let the name or the format intimidate you. This is the 4th REBarcamp and each one is more well received than the last. It doesn’t matter what your technical ability or how much experience you have in the business, there will be something that you can take away from the event that will be worthwhile, they even provide lunch!

If you’re interested in becoming a sponsor, the organizers still need to get a few more to cover the expenses. Contact Drew Meyers with Zillow for more details ( drewm AT zillow dot com ). If you will be attending please complete the RSVP form asap so they can get a good head count.

If you’re a reale estate vendor or realty professional in the Pacific NW, you really don’t want to miss this! It will be the most memborable Friday the 13th since you went to see Jason in a hockey mask at the movies when you were a kid.

-Update 8/20/2008 4pm
Everything went almost as planned.  We didn’t quite get everything accomplished we wanted to last night within our maintenance window so we will be finishing the rest up tonight.  So starting at 12:30am PST 8/21/2008 we will be making the last of the upgrades.  Again, there may be sporadic service during this time but the maintenance shouldn’t last more than 2 hours.

The seminar itself, hosted by Dustin Luther (Rain City Guide and Move.com) and Jim Marks (Virtual Results), is currently touring the west coast with the goal of helping the agents who attend better utilize their Internet marketing dollars and efforts. The class I attended lasted until 4pm, and not a single minute felt wasted! The course covers a great deal of material including everything from social networking to ROI. Throughout the seminar, agents are educated on the importance of understanding what consumers expect, and as Jim, states “different is better.”

Additionally, the two pointed out the importance of “original content” to establish better web presence during their seminar. I completely agree with them and can assure you that having original content on your site is an incredibly important subject. As many of you know, we have a very aggressive SEO (search engine optimization) program here at Diverse Solutions, and one of the key elements in our marketing packages is custom content. Basically, the more original and unique content you have on both your website and blog, the better chance you’ll have to be recognized by search engines and subsequently rank above your competitors.

As I thought about it a bit more, I decided to create a way for agents to better take advantage of this knowledge. For the remainder of the month, we will be offering 10 pages of custom content that can be added to your web site or blog for just $500; normally, we charge $1200 for this package! All you have to do to take advantage of this offer is just let us know what topics you would like us to cover (real estate related, of course). Our professional writers will do the rest. The offer is a great opportunity for individuals who recognize the importance of Jim and Dustin’s advice as well as those who may be considering implementing a marketing strategy in the near future.

Thanks again to both Dustin and Jim. You guys gave a great presentation, and I look forward to seeing you soon in Orange County!

(Note: If you’d like to attend the Orange County educational seminar, it’s only $49 for “the most informative 4-5 hours that you will likely ever spend on real estate education.” You can register here.)