Five Steps for Adding Listings to Your New Website

I want a new website that shows listings. How do I do that?

It’s a question that the NorthstarMLS gets frequently and a process for which our Rules & Regulations team frequently offers guidance. If a new website with listings is on your to-do list, we’ll get you started in five easy steps.

Step 1. Get Approval FIRST!

This first step is the most important: You’ll want to be sure the Designated REALTOR® (DR) [also referred to as  Broker of Record (BR)] for your brokerage approves your website and IDX feed before you begin creating a website.

The Broker of Record is who your real estate license is placed with, therefore, the Broker is responsible for all activity done by agents and must be the one who approves websites and IDX feeds. Your Broker may have different requirements you need to make, different than the MLS requirements.

Step 2. Choose a Web Designer

NOTE: a lot of web designers cannot pull the IDX feed (data) to the website, but it is always best to ask if you would like to keep it to one source.

Step 3. Select an IDX Vendor.

The IDX vendor is who pulls the listing data from the MLS to show on your website. NorthstarMLS has a list of approved vendors that can be found here.

You do not have to use a vendor from the list of approved vendors. The approved vendors are the vendors that have already gone through the process of signing the agreement with NorthstarMLS to supply feeds for requesting agents.

Step 4. Have the IDX Vendor Start the Agreement Process

The IDX vendor you select will start the agreement process required to establish the IDX feed by going to MLSGrid.com. This is an agreement between the Broker, Agent, IDX Vendor and NorthstatrMLS agreeing to the IDX Rules and use of data.

The agreement will be sent to the BR for their information and approval. The subscriber information will be in the agent section. Once the needed information is obtained, the agreement will come to NorthstarMLS for final approval.

Step 5. NorthstarMLS Grants Approval

NorthstarMLS will check for these four areas of information and approve the IDX feed:

1. The Designated REALTOR® is the DR
2. The Brokerage is a valid Brokerage
3. The agent is a subscriber of NorthstarMLS
4. The website is the correct URL

With all these steps in place, you are ready to get started with your new website.

Have More Questions?

Visit the Rules & Regulations section of the NorthstarMLS website for additional information on IDX and creating a website, or contact the NorthstarMLS Rules + Regs team at rules@northstarmls.com.