What is Compiling? Who are Aggregators & Portals and Why is this Important to Marketing Properties Online? 

As you know, MLS (Multiple Listing Service) is a huge database of all the properties for sale in Houston. It is administered by HAR (Houston Association of Realtors). HAR is funded by Houston's Agents and staffed by some pretty innovative and forward-thinking individuals, with specific guidelines for operation.

In addition to maintaining the database, HAR also exports the database to other websites. Compiling is a computer program that translates the data from our MLS and writes it in a form that is acceptable to other sites. It "packs a suitcase" for the data so it can travel to other sites.

Portals are one type of destination for HAR's data. Your Broker, or Franchise, more than likely hosts a portal with your (branded) logo on it.  These sites don't have any listings DIFFERENT than HAR.com, which is the source data..... the fact is they get their data streamed to them directly from HAR.com

Portals have a subscription with HAR where the data is streamed to them out of HAR.com on a regular schedule. So the data is the same, but what IS different is the "face" they put in front of it. Each portal writes their own code on how to display this data and they customize the "look" .... which typically includes their own logo, and links to their own agents, and agent office locations.

Your portal may have customized the web face so all of your broker listings are given prominence and priority. You may have a "sign in" area for visitors that powers a lead generation / lead capture program. 

Also, be aware that your portal may or may not have all the features that HAR.com has.   Whenever HAR incorporates new features on their site, each portal needs to have someone write code in order for the new feature to show up on their portal  --- Brokers may delay doing that ---- so a portal may not immediately have all the bells & whistles available on HAR.com.

Aggregators are "super sites".... they collect and join together multiple MLS's from across the country and around the world.  Our own MLS generally has about 80,000 listings in it, and hosts est. 2 million visitors each month.  As an example of an aggregator, www.Realtor.com, the official site of NAR (National Association of Realtors) has over 1000 MLS's combined together into a database,  and host est. 8 MILLION visitors each month searching for homes.

When you hear someone talk about "integrated MLS's" all that means is they are referring to an aggregator which has collected and combined multiple MLS's into a single searchable site.

The Internet is changing the marketplace --- its changed Buyer behavior and the role of real estate agents. Buyers are aware of this and Sellers are increasingly choosing a Listing Agent who not only understands all this, but is conversant with this technology.... in order to get "an edge" in the marketplace.  

They want a Listing Agent who knows how to create marketing materials that can be compiled and included in Aggregators..... like SMARTePLANS. 

You WANT your listing's data to be available to millions of people a month. This gives you a TREMENDOUS advantage --- Buyers Agents and Buyers FIND YOU when your listings are properly presented online. Do you know how to do that? 

What about speciality web sites.... for waterfront property (either lakeside or seaside), historic homes, Victorian homes, large estates and compounds, golf-course homes...etc. Are you "hooked in" to these sites to have online access to Buyers Agents and Buyers who specifically come to these sites to find their next home? Do you know how to do that?

Listing Agents who use SMARTePLANS typically have subscriptions to other sites and our SMARTePLANS are accessible and clickable ---- to  MILLIONS of people a month online searching for homes!!! Do you have this range and scope in your marketing plans? You need to.