Where Do You View Real Estate Listings?

Do you look for real estate listings online?  Where?

Sometimes, we have little controversies in the real estate community.  One such issue last year was the introduction of something called IDX into our real estate board.  IDX stands for Internet Data Exchange and basically what this system does is to allow REALTORS® to display information about each others listings on their internet websites.  Here’s how it looks on my site. Now you may have noticed that many REALTORS® have stock template websites with links only to their own listings.  As a consumer, do you just want to see those or, do you want to see everything that might be available in the area?

Initially, there was opposition from a significant number of REALTORS®.  Many of them did not have a website at all and they worried that potential buyers would no longer contact them directly but rather, contact the salesperson who had the listing posted on their site.  Others worried that buyers might find a listing and then leave their website before contacting the sites owner.  Either way, I think both of those concerns suggest that those people may have been more concerned about their own interests rather than those of the consumer.

If I were a property seller, I would welcome having my property listing visible on as many websites as possible.  If I were a potential buyer, I would want to find everything I need in one place without having to surf multiple sites.  If I like the feel, tone and impression of the REALTOR® whose site I am viewing, I might want to contact them rather than the listing agent.  In fact, I’d be quite likely to do so.

In the end, IDX has proven to be good for the consumer.  In our Georgian Triangle Real Estate Board system alone, there were over 108,000 hits onto IDX pages in September alone.  It’s good for the consumer so it’s good for all of us.