You add live MLS listings to your own WordPress site with an IDX plugin that imports MLS data into your database instead of sending visitors to outside sites. With MLSimport, your MLS(Multiple Listing Service) feed connects by RESO Web API, and every property becomes real WordPress content that lives on your domain. Visitors can search the full MLS, view photos, and read details while staying on your site the whole time.
How does MLSimport let me show live MLS listings on WordPress?
An MLS Web API connection can pull live listings into your WordPress database as native content.
Your site talks to the MLS through the RESO Web API, grabs listing data, and saves it as posts in your database. MLSimport uses this newer API method instead of older RETS feeds, which usually means cleaner fields, faster setup, and less custom code. Because the data lives inside WordPress, each property acts like any other post or custom post type you use.
MLSimport connects to only one MLS feed per subscription, which matches how most MLSs want IDX data handled. The plugin team handles the first connection for you, including API credentials, field mapping, and testing that new, updated, and off market listings move correctly. You don’t need to write queries, wrestle with schema names, or guess which field is beds versus total rooms.
Once the import is active, properties show on your own domain, not in iframes or a vendor subdomain. The plugin stores listing records as WordPress content, so you can drop them into any page layout your theme offers and use normal archive and single templates. As a rough guide, MLSimport can reach tens of thousands of listings, as long as your hosting can handle the database size and traffic.
| Step | Handled by | What actually happens |
|---|---|---|
| Get IDX approval | You and your MLS | MLS grants RESO Web API access keys |
| Connect the feed | MLSimport team | API keys added and tested with your MLS endpoint |
| Map fields | MLSimport team | MLS fields matched to WordPress property fields |
| Run first import | Plugin on your server | Listings saved as property posts in database |
| Schedule syncs | Plugin cron jobs | New and changed listings pulled on schedule |
The table shows you handle MLS access, but MLSimport handles the heavy technical work after that point. Once these steps finish, your site keeps pulling live MLS data in the background so users only see up to date listings on your domain.
What are the SEO and branding advantages of importing listings instead of using iframes?
Organic MLS integration turns each property into an indexable page that can draw local real estate search traffic.
When listings import as real posts, search engines see every address, city name, and feature as part of your site. MLSimport creates full property URLs on your main domain, so a page like /property/123-main-st lives in your sitemap and can rank on Google. Those pages can appear for longer phrases such as “3 bedroom home near Central Park with garage,” where iframe content usually fails.
Because the plugin feeds data into your theme, you keep control of fonts, colors, and layout on search, map, and property pages. MLSimport lets your listing search, filters, and details match the same design system as the rest of your WordPress site, instead of a generic IDX box that looks like every other agent page. Over time, that visual unity helps people remember your brand more than any vendor’s style.
The plugin also helps with photos in a practical way. Listing images don’t store in your own media library, so your disk space doesn’t explode when you import 10,000 listings with many photos. MLSimport loads those images from the MLS source while still showing full galleries in your layout. You get large, photo heavy pages for users and search engines without paying for huge storage or cleanup work.
How do I pair MLSimport with real estate themes like WPResidence or Houzez?
A compatible theme can use imported MLS fields to power advanced property search and map views.
Real estate themes give you ready layouts and search tools, and the plugin feeds them with real MLS data. MLSimport is built to work with themes such as WPResidence, WPEstate, Houzez, and RealHomes, so imported listings fill the same property structures as manual entries. That way the theme’s property cards, grids, and sliders show live MLS content without you retyping anything.
When a listing imports, fields like price, beds, baths, city, and property type store where the theme expects them. The plugin lets the theme’s search builder and filters use those MLS fields, so users can narrow results by city, price range, bedrooms, and more in seconds. MLSimport also pushes locations into the theme’s maps, so your Google Maps or OpenStreetMap blocks show fresh properties that move as users pan or zoom.
If you switch themes inside the supported group, you’re not starting over. MLSimport can remap your existing data to the new theme’s field layout and adjust settings so property pages keep working. This setup ties your MLSimport data to WordPress and the plugin instead of to a single theme choice you made years ago, which can matter later.
How does MLSimport keep my WordPress listings in sync with MLS changes?
Automated background syncs keep your site’s listings close to the live MLS database.
After the first import, updates matter most, because prices and statuses change all the time. The plugin runs scheduled syncs that pull changes from the MLS and apply them on your site without you clicking anything. MLSimport can run these syncs as often as hourly as a rule of thumb, so new listings, price drops, and status changes appear quickly for users.
Old data gets cleaned along the way so visitors don’t waste time on dead listings. The plugin removes or hides sold and expired properties soon after MLS status changes, which keeps search results focused on active homes. MLSimport also handles many changes on the MLS side, such as new fields or tweaks to the API structure, as part of the service, so your feed doesn’t quietly break when the MLS tech team updates something.
Heavy feeds are where hosting really matters, especially when you work with tens of thousands of records. For big MLS areas, the plugin usually works best on a VPS or dedicated server instead of a low end shared plan that might time out during syncs. MLSimport runs within normal WordPress cron jobs or real server cron, so once things are tuned, updates run in the background while you focus on clients instead of logs.
How do I stay compliant with MLS rules when showing other brokers’ listings?
Clear broker credit and required MLS disclaimers are key on every shared IDX listing page.
IDX rules stay strict about letting visitors know who actually owns each listing. MLSimport pulls in the listing office and, when available, listing agent details so you can show “Listing Broker:” text on every property page that isn’t yours. Your layout should place that credit near facts like price or address, using a font size users can see without hunting.
- Show the listing broker name and contact info on each property that is not your own.
- Place your MLS’s required disclaimer text on every IDX search and property page.
- Avoid editing core listing facts or the original description from the MLS feed.
- Make contact forms clear about whether messages go to you or the listing broker.
The plugin lets you keep MLS text untouched while still adding your own notes around it when your rules allow that. MLSimport also supports placing global disclaimer text in your templates so the standard “information deemed reliable but not guaranteed” line appears where your MLS wants it. When you mix correct credit, disclaimers, and clear contact wording, you usually stay on the safe side of IDX policy while still using the full MLS data set.
FAQ
What do I need before MLSimport can connect to my MLS?
You need active IDX approval from your MLS plus working RESO Web API credentials.
Your MLS has to grant you permission to use its IDX feed, usually after your broker signs an agreement. Once you have that, the MLS gives API keys or login details that MLSimport uses to connect. Without that access, no plugin can legally pull live MLS data into your site, and that part can be frustrating.
How much does MLSimport cost to keep live listings on my WordPress site?
MLSimport costs about $49 per month or $504 per year after a 30 day free trial.
The trial lets you see a real feed running on your site before you pay long term. After that, the subscription covers one MLS feed, ongoing sync, and support from the team. You may also owe your MLS a separate monthly IDX fee, billed by the MLS, not by the plugin, which sometimes surprises people.
Can I limit which MLS listings show on my site with MLSimport?
You can filter imported listings so only chosen areas or office listings appear on your site.
The plugin supports filters by fields such as city, property type, or your own office code. MLSimport can bring in only your brokerage’s listings, only certain cities, or the whole MLS if your hosting can handle it. Using filters is also a smart way to test imports on a small set of data before scaling up, even if it feels slow at first.
What kind of hosting do I need for a large MLS area?
Sites importing 100,000 or more listings should use at least a VPS or dedicated server.
A small shared plan can struggle with database size and frequent sync jobs for very large feeds. MLSimport will run on normal WordPress hosting, but performance and stability improve a lot when you give it more CPU, memory, and database resources. For smaller markets with fewer listings, a good shared or managed WordPress plan often works fine, though results vary.
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