We are currently using an Arkansas MLS feed for a few websites. This is how the feed works. We have a perl script that FTPs the data from the host site and then we unpack the information and convert it to MySQL tables.
I created a drupal module to display the MLS data but of course right now the data is not a node. I would like to hire someone to create a custom MLS node so that we can have further flexibilty with this MLS data.
The IDX data is in tab deliminated files (their way of offering "platform-compatible" data). We convert the data to mysql inserts. There are a couple additional fixes I need.
- The date is in an invalid format that is mm/dd/yyyy. I need it to be converted to a UNIX timestamp.
- Listings are separated in 4 categories, Residential, Commercial, Vacant Land and MultiFamily. Most of the data fields (90%) are the same. Instead of having 4 tables, I would rather have one listing table and do a LEFT JOIN to add type-specific fields (like residential specific data fields). If there's a better way to get this accomplished I'm all ears. It's annoying right now that when I look up an MLS listing by the MLS ID I have to search 4 tables.
In regards to the new node type this is what I'm wanting:
- I already have the html I want to display for the teaser and the full text. I want the html stored in the node data. When a node is pulled up it would load much faster I think this way (sorry if I'm being obvious here). The script of course needs to add the html to each node as its importing the IDX data.
- I need the data to be able to be searched by any field. I can show you the search forms I'm using right now.
I have used flexinode to create a new type (a guestbook type) and so I'm decently familiar with custom nodes, but not really. I have yet to get the drupal search function to work so my biggest question with all this is how the search function would work.
If you're interested in working on this project please give me your hourly rate and estimate of work hours. I'd also be willing to pay a set price.
Thanks
Jay Callicott
Comments
I can do this
Hi Jay
I can do this for you. To clarify, do you need both improvements to your SQL script AND populating Drupal nodes and making them searchable by individual fields? I'm not sure if Drupal has a search engine for the latter.
My hourly rate would be £15.
Cheers
Alexander
Hi Alexander
I need both the php SQL script and populating the nodes. We would need to override the node view, search or listing function (not sure what the hook is called), search the mls tables then pull up the correct node (either the teaser or the body). Does that makes sense? I haven't created a custom node yet and so I don't know all the node hooks available. I really need to learn all that.
What's your rate in $USD?
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MLS node
I, too, am interested in this node - has any progress been made? Or can anyone point me to additional resources related to providing real estate content on a Drupal powered site?
Thanks.
Hey there
We have 2 sites using the IDX feature. One is http://www.kathimerritt.com, the other is http://www.searcyhomes.com. The Searcy Homes site is drupal-made, of course but the listings aren't nodes. I am using modules to display the listings.
I really only want to do this if it's going to give me more flexibility.
Basically I'd be interested if the information stored in the nodes was maybe XML. I suppose it would be faster to parse XML than it would to query a database and plug in the values but I suppose I could be wrong.
What do you think? Is this even worth doing?
Searcyhomes.com
Great site and nice output of the listings. I'd like to talk with you about your modules. Interested in sharing these with the community?
cc
Please let me know how this
Please let me know how this marriage is working between the MLS IDX and drupal, I am very interested in adding to my website. If you are successful with this implementation, and are interested in offering your service to me, please contact me. The first thing I will ask to see is the drupal website you have created or added to.
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Adam
St. Louis Real Estate
hey there
well i've learned alot since I first did it. I am actually going to integrate another MLS feed here pretty soon. basically with the arkansas mls i imported all the listings into a database, then used a custom module to display them which has worked well for us but isn't 100% integrated into drupal obviously. since the search logic is usually all custom to me there's not a lot reasons to import the data into nodes as that fills up your drupal database and even without that you can still integrate the mls listings effectively I think with drupal data such as, with searcy.com we had a featured realtor subscription where we would associate listings with a realtor account so it's still easy enough to tie mls listings to drupal users/content and display them in blocks, etc etc.
i think i've got a pretty good system for it. current sites that use it are marladuncanrealtor.com and kathimerritt.com, we had used it on searcy.com which we ended up selling so i don't know if they use that any more, then we also had searcyhomes.com and cbcompleterealty.com but those were done years back and i think those sites have been redone without drupal.
we are going to add mls listings for our nashvillehomes.com site but that hasn't begun development yet.
Very nice sites.
I am interested as well as the modules you used and how your are bringing all that in. Are the idx files txt files? Are you running a script to put into the database? What scripting language if so? etc etc.
This is a very nice site and something that I would like to do marladuncanrealtor.com
Thanks for any info you can provide.
Well here's how it works
I initially hired a guy to create a perl script to import the data a long time ago before I became really adept at PHP and shell scripting. I think I may be using a modified version of that still just bc I never had the time to convert it to PHP but it's pretty easy. Every MLS idx feed I think is different tho I believe they are in the process of standardizing it.
With AR I downloaded the data as text files and parsed them and imported them into a MySQL database. I have a custom module that pulls the listings. I don't do any sort of node import bc that would be a lot of overhead without any sort of real benefit I think.
On nashville homes which will go live this year, I am using realtracs:
http://www.realtracs.com/SearchableFields.aspx?PropertyClass=RES&AreaID=...
Realtracs I think is a standard feed type that is getting picked up by different states. It uses XML. What's good ab it is that since it's an emerging standard there's code out there to interface with it. I am using a PHP lib call phrets to interface with it and it's working pretty well.
Any update?
Hi,
I am interested in how this thread. I was asked by a friend to find a way to load his MLS Mass. listings into his web site. I started work on a way to make it automatic, and six months later have built a prototype module that shares a lot of traits with the ubercart family of modules.
It has been an interesting project, but I am not sure where the larger need might be. So here is summary of my progress. I am happy to release my module.
1. Content Type (Listing)
2. Uses Image CC Fields and Cron to import nightly changes from IDX.
3. Uses the remote_field module to import and attach listing images to each node.
4. Has three modes: import all listings, import listings by agent, or manual import.
5. Configured node view and edit pages to make it easier to edit, and add listings.
6. View - Grid/Block/Page listings for searching and sortings listings.
7. ImageCache image presets.
Mode: Import All - This mode runs the import and build process each night for all listings in idx. It is designed for an agent who wants to a have everything visible on their site. This takes a lot of resources.
Mode: Agent Only - THis listings lets the agent enter their agent ID,and will import only the specific listings tagged by IDX for the agent ID.
Mode: Manual - This is a 100% manual mode that lets the agent browser IDX listings to find the ones they want to show on the site. The import process converts the search result into a node (type: mls) and loads the attached IDX photos to the node.
Views: I have built a number of grid, page and RSS view/displays to make properties display well. I have moved these views into the module so they require no configuration at install. I used a lot of the same approaches I found in ubercart.
Panels - I am currently adding a number of panels into the module that will make the default have what most agents need on their site.
I am thinking rolling this out into a hosted service that will lets agents setup, configure and manage their listings without having to design, build and manage a drupal site.
I would appreciate any feedback.
Oh and I am adding in the location and gmap modules. Everything in the module complies with drupal module and API rules. The node CCK image field has configured image caches, for the grid view. I have added in tokens and view definitions, so a developer can extend portions of the module into other areas.
Thanks & hoping for some feedback.
Stephan
Sounds great
Where can I signup to be a beta tester?
Any time now
I am hoping to send out a copy of my current module (D6 only) this week. If you are interested, please contact me.
I am reading up on the project/cvs submittal requirements now. There is a contrib module that takes a different approach then I selected. I have contacted the maintainer too see if there is enough overlap.
I am exploring the idea of offering a hosted/managed services based on these modules. The current module comes with a base module that defines the content type 'property', view data and tpl files. It has a sub module that supports the MLSpin specific values (login, pass, property types etc). The base module does not require the MLS, which would allow an agent to upload their own photos and listings.
Feedback would be great!
Stephan
Regarding importing MLS into nodes
I guess I haven't been convinced that importing MLS data into drupal nodes is worth the complexity it involves. I am launch a nashville homes site soon with realtracs IDX and I just use a custom module to search and display MLS listings. I don't think filling up the node database with 80,000 MLS listings, for example makes much sense for what I'm trying to do. I still integrate MLS with drupal data by joining MLS database tables with drupals so as to match up subscribers with real estate agents, I just don't think I'd recommend what you're trying to do, but to each his own.
Listings as Nodes
I agree that pulling in 80K of listings into nodes would be over kill. The major advantage I have found with pulling all or in most cases a subset of the listings into nodes is that I get more control over images and search options. Initially I pulled in the data and used CCK fields to hold the values. This provided painful when I needed to update a large block of listings when status or prices changed.
And I hated the render time when I used a link to the MLS photo page. I have a pre-release module that make it very easy to synch a site with MLS each night. It grabs the data files and sames them to a file, then uses a mysql load to import them. I love the file load, it only updates the changed records.
To get around the volume, I have built (building) a listing filter that the agent can use to determine what they want on the site. Most agents default to wanting everything, but with a little education see the logic in focusing on a neighborhood or town. I hope to have the filter option allow the agent or me to setup filter criteria that a cron process will use to import new listings into nodes and update the data for existing values, specifically photos.
FYI - I have not found a good way to know when a listing as more photos added.
FYI - I initially tried the feed/parsing approach and found the cron job took hours.
Stephan
Flavors of MLS
I am now familiar with the New England MLS data. A friend got me access using his account. MLSpin.com seems to offer data for MA, NH, VT, ME, RI and CT. Are there other services using the same data structure? Does anyone have a test account or test data that I can use to test or extend my module?
Thanks,
Stephan