I found my Bushwick apartment three years ago through Craigslist. The only information provided was a bed and bath count, a price, some photos, and that it wasn’t pet friendly. I look back now in disbelief that I decided on a home solely based on this information. Still, doing so at the time made sense to me because:
Craigslist had listings – Brokerages from all around New York City posted their listings on Craigslist. It was probably the closest thing to a New York City IDX at the time.
I couldn’t find local data - Even at the time I knew I wanted more information before moving in including crime rates, restaurants, and transportation options. I couldn’t easily find crime rates, especially not on another real estate site. In fact, the only data I found was on nearby mass transportation, and that was provided through Google Maps.
As I write this, RLS IDX is being developed and will soon revolutionize the New York City real estate landscape in a few different ways:
Listings distribution – First, New Yorkers will soon see that many different platforms will now offer similar listings. Thus, New York home shoppers and renters will be able to choose between several different sites for this same information.
A choice between platforms –New York home shoppers and renters can receive the same listings from a variety of brokerages. So, how will they choose which brokerage to work with? The first way might be as simple as search. When they type in “studios in the West Village” whatever site ranks at the top of their search will likely be the one they start and continue their home search with.
A better online experience - New York home shoppers and renters no longer need to work with a certain broker because they have the highest quantity or quality listings. New York renters and home shoppers will have a choice to buy or rent their next home from the broker most committed to answering their critical questions on crime rates, school ratings, points of interest, market trends, and more. These are big questions and the answers can determine where New Yorkers will move, live, and raise their families. The site that provides credible and thorough answers to those key questions is the site more likely to convert a casual visitor into a lifelong client and win in the New York City real estate market.
Onboard has been committed to creating a better home shopping experience since 2001. With the introduction of the RLS IDX to our IDX API Platform, we are proud to supply NYC MLS listings information in addition to over 100 MLSs nationwide from a single access point. These MLSs are part of the breadth of data Onboard provides, which all work together to create a better experience for your audience. I know I could have used this type of experience when I was searching for my next home three years ago.
For more information on Onboard’s New York City IDX offerings, click here. Or, reach out to us and find out more on how Onboards IDX API platform can impact your business.
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