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REW’s New IDX Map Search is Coming

Posted on December 2, 2009 by Drew Meyers

The new REW IDX map search is due out in January — here are the new map features:

  • Polygonal parameter searches (with drawing tool)
  • Spherical (dragable / resizable) radius searches
  • IDX custom search builder (customize your OWN search)
  • Schools / ammenities overlay
  • Streetview enabled
  • New map search results pagination

Screen shot:

To date, Real Estate Webmasters has focused on the high end custom IDX and website design niche. However, with this coming release, they are going to infringe upon the territory currently dominated by the likes of Diverse Solutions, Wolfnet, IDX Broker, etc (more listed here) with a lower cost version of their product. How do you think REW entering the lower cost IDX market will impact the other IDX vendors in 2010?

About Drew Meyers

Drew Meyers is the founder and managing editor of Geek Estate Blog. He currently runs ESM Exec Designs, a web design firm specializing in corporate and personal blog design. Travel addict and social entrepreneurship & microfinance advocate.

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  • http://www.archcityhomes.com Karen Goodman

    Whenever I see a post like this about innovations in IDX vendors I get depressed. Living in Missouri, I've got two problems. One, most of the vendors don't service the St. Louis region (and many other markets in the country). Even worse, the Missouri Real Estate Commission has a ridiculous rule that agents are required to go with the IDX vendor that their broker uses, or go with a non-map based simplistic one (Immobel) that is available for free with our membership.

    Since Keller Williams uses Wolfnet (which is definitely the best in my region), I'm hoping that innovations with other companies will push Wolfnet to keep up. Unless the state changes the rules, the only way I could change vendors would be to change brokerages or go out on my own. Neither is likely to happen.

    • http://www.drewmeyersinsights.com drewmeyers

      Wow Karen – I've heard Eric Stegemann moan about the St Louis MLS, but I had no idea about this IDX restriction.

  • Laurent

    That's nice from a geeky and technical point of view but unfortunately searching for properties on a map is about the most annoying way to conduct a real estate search. For most home buyer, a map is just not a good way to search for a house.

  • http://WhiteOaksBlog.com Chuck Gillooley

    Laurent brings up a good point, although I don't totally agree with it. In my region there are definitely times when a client wants to focus on a certain neighborhood or geographical area only. The only way they can do it now is to find and enter all of the MLS zones that will cover the region they're looking at. The end result is a search the encompasses much more than they're looking for — consequently the end up weeding through a bunch of properties they're not interested in.

    This new approach allows the user to drag a quick shape over the area they're interested in (without having to screw around with those archaic Realtor zones) and they get just the results they're looking for.

    I think it's a brilliant idea — IF it's simple to use and intuitive. I also think that companies like Diverse Solutions and other shouldn't be resting on their laurels. I had DS for a year, and I was underwhelmed with what I got for paying $100 a month. I hope this IDX makes a big statement in this sector. Shake it up!

    • Bob

      Laurent is dead on. Most initial users will not find the drawing tool that valuable. By the time a buyer is to the point of having narrowed down a search for that tool to be useful, they are probably already working with an agent.

      The only impact it will have is pushing companies like DS to improve. Nothing ever stands still in this biz, so its not really a game changer.

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  • http://www.facebook.com/greenrealestate Adam Gallegos

    The current IDX solutions leave a lot of room for improvement from a usability and performance stand point. I am dieing for one that focuses on user experience rather than how many features they can add. Would also love to see an IDX solution that is WordPress based.

    • http://www.drewmeyersinsights.com drewmeyers

      Adam-
      I know for a fact that there are no fewer than 3 companies working on WordPress-based IDX plugins. Expect to hear more about them soon.

  • markwashburn

    The economics of the new REW solution should allow Realtors to place sophisticated IDX search capability on wider range of sites. I really like the idea of being able to drop an IDX into niche blog.

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  • http://www.vitabits.de/tee/ruandischer-tee/17181 ruandischer tee

    Hi,
    Will these features (polygons, radius search, etc) be able to be added to REW IDX for current REW website and IDX customers.

  • http://www.vitabits.de/tee/ruandischer-tee/17181 ruandischer tee

    Hi,
    Will these features (polygons, radius search, etc) be able to be added to REW IDX for current REW website and IDX customers.

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    tnx gr8 post,

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