A custom IDX website is the hands down the most valuable tool a Realtor has to get high rankings, lots of traffic, and plenty of motivated buyers. Why? Because an IDX web site gives house hunters exactly what they are looking for.

Why IDX is important

IDX gives real estate websites the ability to let visitors search for homes using the data from the local MLS. Technically, MLS's are switching away from IDX to a technology called RETS, but the end result is the same; the real estate agent's site with IDX or RETS can attract plenty of buyers with active listings. What a lot of agents don't understand is that buyers are not searching on Google for an agent, they are searching for property. The absolute worst thing an agent can do is focus their website too much on themselves rather than on what the general public is actually looking for, which is real estate listings. Give them what they want and they'll visit your site often.

The wrong way to do IDX search

When IDX websites are done correctly (meaning with an eye toward search engine optimization), they are big lead producers. When not done right, they are a complete waste of time and money.

Here's how NOT to do an IDX website:

• Flash-based IDX (Flash looks great but is not search engine friendly)
• Framed IDX (where search results are displayed in a frame
• Third party subdomain-hosted IDX (username.idxcompany.com)

I've built sites from agents who spent over $8K on a custom website that didn't produce leads, followed by $5500 on another one that also didn't perform. If you're going to spend money on a custom real estate site, you've got to hire someone who knows how to built it right.

If your web developer wants to use Flash or frames for your IDX integration, run as fast as you can from them. They obviously don't know a thing about real estate SEO, and there's a high likelihood your site will be a waste of effort, bandwidth, and cash.

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If you own a home in Agoura Hills, California, and you are considering putting it on the market, now may be the perfect opportunity to take advantage of a surge in buyer interest. Low mortgage interest rates and artificially low prices due to the high number of short sales and bank owned properties is bringing out buyers again.

Agoura Hills homes have retained their value fairly well compared to many other regions because it is such a desirable neighborhood. The family-friendly community is within half an hour of Malibu and Downtown Los Angeles, meaning that buyers will be increasingly looking here as the end of the school year approaches and the traditional summer buying season warms up.

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