Real Estate Website Format

[brandon184]

I didn't think this fit under the Webmaster forum thinger because it has nothing to do with website development as much as it has to do with general website usability and home-buying site stuff - something a lot of you can relate to.

I'm currently developing a site for a local real estate brokerage. This place has 50 agents. I'm currently having to decide between two formats;

OPTION 1: MLS-Only Integration

Have a system that will list all of the homes for sale on the local market. Basically provides all of the same details as the MLS system with maybe a few extra details such as address and property taxes. Website viewers can look at all of the listings in the MLS database - including listings posted by other agents and other brokerages. The drawback to this is agents would not have the ability to post any special stuff regarding the property - such as detailed descriptions, high-res photos and virtual tours. It would basically be a glorified version of the standard, boring MLS site that everyone already has access to. Brief descriptions, low-low-res pictures, etc.

OPTION 2: Independant Listings w/ MLS "Kickback" Link

The second option is to have agents continue to use the regular MLS system, but add their website link to each of their listings. This would allow anyone who was viewing the listing on the MLS site to then go to the brokerage site for more information about the listing. The brokerage site would have high resolution pictures, detailed descriptions, virtual tours, etc. The downside? Visitors would not have access to the entire MLS directory through this brokerage website. Which isn't necessarily a downside for the visitor - but the broker probably wants to keep people on his site as opposed to the competitors.

Before anyone asks - the real estate board's policies would prevent me from developing a system that had the advantages of both methods without having a very confusing, very convoluted website.

What do you think? OPTION 1 or OPTION 2?

Before anyone goes, "SHOULDN'T YOU BE ASKING YOUR CLIENT INSTEAD OF US?!?" ... Here's the answer: He'd probably prefer if I asked you. This feller just started using e-mail last month and is only (begrudgingly) having a website developed because his competitors have websites and he wants to stay competitive. What a concept!

Brandon

[OuTpaTienT]

2

[brandon184]

^bump^

[brandon184]

^BOOM^

[shawshank62]

2

[brandon184]

Thanks.

WHAT A TURNOUT!

[OuTpaTienT]

Too much reading. And the colors may have frightened some. That's my guess anyway.

[brandon184]

But the colors make everything so organized and final.

Plus, my literature is so entertaining. It's not one of those things where you get bored as you read it. Unlike your posts.

[SpaceSquad]

2 man, it seems more reasonable. People want fancy pictures n' stuff.

[Blazer06]

I have worked on some real estate sites, and they want option #2.


-Blaze