ANNOUNCEMENTS

• November 2009 Field Changes - Effective 11/17/2009
• July 21, 2009 minor MLS Area Changes - Effective 07/21/2009
• July 2009 Field Changes - Effective 07/07/2009
• Point2 Agent replaces the chargeable IDX framing solution - Effective 06/19/2009
• Open House data files change to daily Fulls - Effective 06/15/2009
• April 2009 Field Changes - Effective 04/15/2009
• Jan 2009 Field Changes - Effective 01/27/2009
• Photo URL Changes - Effective 10/21/2008
• Minor Feature Code Changes - Effective 10/21/2008
• New fields coming! - Data File Layout Changes Effective 8/3/2008
• 25 Photos per listing are now available! - Effective 04/08/08
• Open Houses Now Available! – Effective 12/3/07
• IDX Data File Schedule Change – Changes effective 8/11/07

TOPICS

• Realcomp IDX Offerings
• BROKERS - IDX Information, via FTP
• Point2 Agent is the new solution for displaying IDX listings
• VENDORS - Working with Authorized Brokers and Agents
• VENDORS - Getting access to Realcomp’s IDX data
• ALL - Helpful Documentation on IDX FTP Site - 4/17/2007

QUICK LINKS

Realcomp IDX Offerings

Internet Data Exchange or IDX is offered as an OPT-IN program for our broker customers. Brokers have the option to (1) not participate at all, to (2) have their listings included in the IDX/Point2 database, to (3) include their listings and be able to display an IDX/Point2 listing search from their Point2 website or to (4) include their listings and have access to the IDX data through an FTP site for use by their own developers or a third party to develop and host an IDX enabled website.

Agents may display an IDX/Point2 listing search from their Point2 website or frame their broker’s IDX website from their own website. (See section 18.6 and 18.7 of the IDX Rules.)

 As an IDX website vendor, how can I know that a real estate BROKERAGE or AGENT is authorized to have Realcomp IDX data on their website?

Brokers can choose to have their listings included in the IDX program without having any form of IDX website. If they want an IDX website, they are required to fill out the proper forms with Realcomp. For the benefit of IDX vendors, Realcomp will begin providing a new data file on our IDX FTP site beginning 9/5/2005, - which will include a list of authorized offices for IDX websites. Keep in mind that you as the IDX website vendor will need to co-sign and turn into Realcomp a Third Party Consultant Form with each and every Realcomp participating real estate brokerage with whom you will be working.

Agents who want to frame their broker's IDX website

The agent must be an Active participating Realcomp subscriber. Check the new list of agents on our IDX FTP site to see if your potential client is authorized to have IDX. You should also add a process to regularly check this file so that if an agent goes inactive with Realcomp or changes offices, then you will be able to remove the IDX frame from their website. You will be in violation of Realcomp's IDX rules if you are found to be caught providing IDX websites to agents who are not authorized or who have become unauthorized.

Contact our IDX Representative via e-mail at IDXSupport@realcomp.com to confirm that a potential client is authorized to have IDX instead of the above.

Authorized Office and Agent data file layouts and sample files are available here for download. layouts7.zip

 Point2 Agent is the new solution for displaying IDX listings

Point2 Agent is Realcomp's improved solution for providing IDX listings to websites. With Point2 Agent, MLS Subscribers have the ability to create a standard website and make a listing search available that interfaces with Realcomp's IDX listing database. Additionally, Point2 Agent Listing Syndication enables you to publish your property listings (from the IDX database) to more than 30 different Point2 Syndication Partner websites including Zillow, Trulia, Homescape, Point2 Homes and more. The websites are updated automatically at least once every 24 hours.

To get started with Point2 Agent services, request an invitation by clicking here. Once your invitation arrives in your e-mail inbox, please read the instructions carefully and perform the outlined steps. Select the Point2 syndication partner websites to which your listings (from Realcomp) will be distributed.

During the creation of your Point2 Agent website, add the IDX Listing Search Widget (MLS Listings) to your website so that visitors can search for properties. Simply follow the instructions outlined in the Point2 Agent Website Search Module Tip Sheet.

Through Realcomp's agreement with Point2, we are providing the standard Point2 Agent service to Realcomp MLS Subscribers, all at no additional cost.

Point2 Agent eases the marketing burden of the real estate professional and is a complete listing syndication solution for REALTORS^®. Point2 Agent is the largest syndication network available in the marketplace today.

 How do I as the IDX vendor get access to Realcomp's IDX data?

Your broker customer must have filled out the proper IDX forms so as to choose FTP as their IDX choice. Furthermore, the broker and you must sign a Third Party Consultant Form. You will need to sign and submit a Third Party Consultant Form for each and every Realcomp broker customer. You will then receive an email with an ID and Password to the FTP site. Set up processes on your end to pull the daily updated data files from our FTP site so that your customer's IDX searches are always up displaying current information. It is a violation of Realcomp's IDX Rules to fail to update the IDX data less than weekly. Daily updates are recommended. Full data files are provided on Monday mornings. Tuesday through Sunday's data files are new and changed listings.

Updated data file layouts with feature code translations and sample data are available here for download.  layouts7.zip

In your FTP directory, there is a sub-directory called shared_docs which contains various types of information that have been requested over the years and which have been deemed worthy of sharing with all. The sub-directory contains:

• A spreadsheet with a complete list of Michigan county codes as used in our MLS listings.
• An Excel spreadsheet containing the MLS Area number translations MLS Area List
• An Excel workbook containing the most up to date version of our Feature Codes and other fields which have translations.

ANNOUNCEMENTS

Field Changes - Effective 11/17/2009

Following our Realcomp Online^® and Listing Load application roll outs on the morning of Tuesday, November 17, 2009 there will be a number of field changes for those Brokers and Vendors receiving IDX extract file layouts.

Sample data files and the updated file layout spreadsheet can be downloaded here. layouts7.zip

• RESIDENTIAL
• PercentTiled - added new integer field, values 0-100, NULLS allowed.
• PercentTillable - added new integer field, values 0-100, NULLS allowed.
• PercentWooded - added new integer field, values 0-100, NULLS allowed.
• SoilType - added new varchar field, NULLS allowed.
• FEATURE CODE ADDS/CHANGES
• Architecture - X - Manufactured To Be Deeded - added new feature code.
• Foundation - G - Wood - added new feature code.
• Foundation - H - Post and Piers - added new feature code.
• Site Desc - O - Easement - added new feature code.
• CONDO
• SoilType - added new varchar field, NULLS allowed.
• FEATURE CODE ADDS/CHANGES
• Foundation - G - Wood - added new feature code.
• Site Desc - O - Easement - added new feature code.
• MULTIFAMILY
• SoilType - added new varchar field, NULLS allowed.
• FEATURE CODE ADDS/CHANGES
• Foundation - G - Wood - added new feature code.
• Foundation - H - Post and Piers - added new feature code.
• VACANTLAND
• PercentTiled - added new integer field, values 0-100, NULLS allowed.
• PercentTillable - added new integer field, values 0-100, NULLS allowed.
• PercentWooded - added new integer field, values 0-100, NULLS allowed.
• SoilType - added new varchar field, NULLS allowed.
• FEATURE CODE ADDS/CHANGES
• Improvements - E - Culvert - added new feature code.
• Site Desc - O - Easement - added new feature code.
• Water_Sewer - B - Well-Existing - modified existing feature code.
• Water_Sewer - G - Septic-Existing - modified existing feature code.
• Water_Sewer - L - Well-Needed - added new feature code.
• Water_Sewer - M - Septic-Needed - added new feature code.
• COMMERCIAL
• SoilType - added new varchar field, NULLS allowed.
• FEATURE CODE ADDS/CHANGES
• Foundation - G - Wood - added new feature code.
• Foundation - H - Post and Piers - added new feature code.

Field Changes - Effective 07/07/2009

Following our Realcomp Online^®, Listing Load, and MoveInMichigan^® application roll outs on the morning of July 07, 2009 there will be a number of field changes for those Brokers and Vendors receiving IDX extract file layouts.

The file layout spreadsheet has been updated with the new fields and can be downloaded here. layouts6.zip

• On Multifamily only, added new field called “PercentHomesteadExempt” field.
• On Multifamily only, we are no longer collecting "Baths", "Tot_Baths" and "Tot_Lavs" so these fields will be NULL placeholders, with no data.
• On Multifamily only, new feature codes were added to Architecture.
  • Q - 4-10 Story
  • R - 11+ Story
  • S - Multi-Level
• On Multifamily only, new feature codes were added to Foundation.
  • E - Pilings
  • F - Heavy Duty Footings
• On Condo only, added new field "LP_Per_Sqft".
• On Vacantland only, "LP_Per_Sqft" will be a NULL placeholder with no data.

Open House Data Files Change to Daily Fulls - Effective 06/15/2009

It has come to our attention that those of you who are using the Open House data are not being made aware of deleted open houses and thus they stay on your systems until the next weekly full data file refresh. With the small size of the open house files, the easiest way to remedy this problem is to change the file update process from its current schedule of weekly fulls with daily new/changed to a schedule of all daily full refresh files.

Please modify your open house file process accordingly to purge all open houses and refresh your data with the latest open house listings every day.

For your convenience, the open house file layout is with all the other file layout spreadsheets and sample data which can be downloaded here. layouts7.zip

Field Changes - Effective 04/15/2009

Following our Realcomp Online^®, Listing Load, and MoveInMichigan^® application roll outs on the morning of April 15, 2009 there will be a number of field changes for those Brokers and Vendors receiving IDX extract file layouts.

The file layout spreadsheet has been updated with the new fields and expanded to provide you with more information about the fields including definitions, field types, and field lengths. The updated file layout spreadsheet and new sample data can be downloaded here. layouts7.zip

Field Changes - Effective 01/27/2009

Following our Realcomp Online^®, Listing Load, and MoveInMichigan^® application roll outs on the morning of January 27, 2009 there will be a couple of field changes for those Brokers and Vendors receiving IDX extract file layouts.

1. A 7th REMARKS field will be added to the end of the Residential, Condo, Multifamily and Commercial file layouts thus expanding the total remarks from six 65 character fields for 390 characters combined to seven 65 character fields for a new maximum combined 455 characters.
2. The TERMS feature group has a new feature code of “S” for Residential, Condo, and Multifamily. “S” equates to “Section 8”.
3. A new GARAGE DIMENSIONS field (GRG_DIMEN) will be added to the end of the file layout for Residential and Condo. Maximum character length is 7. LLLXWWW, where LLL is length and WWW is width.

The file layout spreadsheet has been updated with the new fields and expanded to provide you with more information about the fields including definitions, field types, and field lengths. The updated file layout spreadsheet and new sample data can be downloaded here. layouts7.zip

Photo URL Changes - Effective 10/21/2008

Realcomp is moving over to a new Photo server tomorrow, Tuesday morning, October 21, 2008. The old server will be retired Tuesday, November 4, 2008. Beginning with the photo extract file we will make available Tuesday evening, October 21, new and changed photos will have URLS in a new parameterized format and which point to the new server. The full photo extract files to be generated on Saturday evenings, October 25 and November 1, will have NEW FORMAT URLs FOR ALL PHOTOS.

Old format photo URLs (pointing to the old photo server) will no longer work after Nov 4.

The new photo URLs will let you retrieve photos in the dimensions you need for the optimization of your site. At the end of the parameterized URL are the Height (H) and Width (W) parameters. Changing these will allow you to retrieve photos in your required sizes. However, the actual image will stay proportionate to the original dimensions. So for example, if original dimensions are w=320 and h=240 and you pull w=320 and h=100, the returned image will have added white space to make up the proportionality of the dimensions. ALL OTHER PARAMETERS AND VALUES MUST REMAIN AS IS as they represent the specific crop and edits of the listing agent who uploaded and edited the photo.

Examples of New Format URL:

• http://attach.realcomponline.com/?Path=PROPERTY2/2740E/E4B31/0PU1NSEA7LT9OG.jpg&g=100&sp=0&l=0&t=0&r=10000&b=10000&o=0&w=320&h=240
• http://attach.realcomponline.com/?Path=PROPERTY2/2740E/E4B31/0PU1NSEA7LT9OG.jpg&g=100&sp=0&l=0&t=0&r=10000&b=10000&o=0&w=320&h=100

Example of Old Format URL:

• http://attach.realcomponline.com/PROPERTY2/2740E/E4B31/0PU1NSEA7LT9OG.jpg

Again, you must update all Photo URL references before Tuesday, November 4, as the old site will no longer be available after that day.

Minor Feature Code Changes - Effective 10/21/2008

There are 3 new feature code translations that have been added, 1 revised letter assignment, and 1 code removal as of 10/21/08.

• POND has been added to Waterfront Description as "L"
• CREEK has been added to Waterfront Description as "M"
• CORP/RELO has been added to Ownership as "E"
• OTHER/SEE REMARKS for Ownership has been reassigned from letter "D" to letter"Y"
• CORPORATE/BANK/IRS APPROVAL has been removed from Other Features. (Used to be "J".)

New Fields being added to IDX Extracts - Effective 8/3/2008

Beginning with the full extract files available Sunday morning, August 3, 2008, the IDX extracts will contain several more fields appended to the end of each property type file. The new fields include:

• ShortSale
• Ownership
• Latitude
• Longitude
• OtherListAgent (co-list agent)
• OtherListAgentCode (co-list agent id)

Feature codes (Picklist translations) have also been changed for several fields so make sure you map the latest translations from the layout spreadsheet.

The file layout spreadsheet has been updated with the new fields and expanded to provide you with more information about the fields including definitions, field types, and field lengths. The updated file layout spreadsheet and new sample data can be downloaded here. layouts7.zip

MLS Photo limit has been raised to 25!

Per the request of our users, we have raised the number of additional photos allowed per listing from 5 to 24. Plus the required Primary exterior photo that makes a total of 25 photos allowed per listing. The additional photos will be included in the existing daily multiple photo file.

The multiple photo files are accessible in a subdirectory off of your FTP login root called "PhotoExt". The most current photo file is in the PhotoExt folder with the last 6 days of files being in archive folders labeled 1 through 6. The file name is photos######.txt where ###### is the current date in MMDDYY format. The multiple photo file layout and a sample file is included with the other file layouts and samples and can be downloaded here. layouts7.zip

Open Houses now available!

It was recently requested that we release open houses from Realcomp Online^® for display via IDX sites. With the real estate market being what it is, it made sense to help REALTORS^® advertise their open houses everywhere possible. So open houses for Residential and Condo listings are now available with the FTP IDX option. Open houses are NOT available via Realcomp's framing option.

The open house files are accessible in a subdirectory off of your FTP login root called "OpenHouse". The most current open house file is in the OpenHouse folder with the last 6 days of files being in archive folders labeled 1 through 6. The file name is openhouse######.txt where ###### is the current date in MMDDYY format. Saturday night's file (created by 11:59pm) includes open house records for all on-market listings for open houses occuring in the next 30 days. Sunday through Friday's files only contain records for open houses that have been added or changed. The open house file layout and a sample data file is included with our other file layouts and samples and can be downloaded here. layouts7.zip

As listings go off-market or as the open house event occurs, the open house record will no longer be included in this file. You will need to purge your database of open house records after the open house occurs or the listing has gone off-market.

Note 1: It may be the case that you will have open house records for MLS listings for which you do not receive listing data. This is because we are using this open house file for several different purposes. If the MLS number of an open house record does not exist in your database then you should just ignore it.

Note 2: If there are no new or changed open house records on a given day, then there will not be a file for that day.

IDX Data File Schedule Change – Changes effective 8/11/07

Beginning August 11, 2007, the IDX data file schedule will be changed to make the full refresh files available by 12am Sunday mornings and the new/changed update files will now available by 12am Monday thru Saturday mornings.