Greg Fischer just launched a new website, FWLocal.com.

Yet one feature is surprisingly absent.

IDX.

It’s no secret most of “leads” from agent or broker websites are converted to contact information with IDX. So, is ditching IDX a risk? Sure it is.

I’m guessing Greg’s reasons are as follows:

  • Agents and brokers can’t compete on search against the Zillow’s and Trulia’s of the world, particularly with the growing cost of providing a killer search experience across mobile and tablets. Even if you spent the money for that amazing search, the cost to attracting buyers to use it rather than Z, T, and R is too expensive.
  • His clients are already using Zillow, Trulia, or Realtor.com to search for properties
  • His value proposition is about more than helping clients find a property. It’s about overseeing the entire transaction and making it a seamless experience from end to end.
  • He doesn’t want to work a traditional “lead funnel”
  • He’d rather speak to buyers when they are actually ready to speak to an agent. Not 6 or 9 months prior to that.

Greg can clarify in the comments, or write a post on this topic from a broker’s perspective.

There are two sides to every story. What do you think? Are we going to see a shift to agent/broker sites without IDX search?