To compare MLS plugins on NTREIS sync speed, ask each vendor the exact time gap between NTREIS changes and your site. Get a clear number in minutes or hours, not a vague claim like “live” or “instant,” and ask if it’s specific to NTREIS. Then test real listings, prices, and off‑market changes in NTREIS against what each plugin shows on your WordPress site.
At first this feels like vendor homework. It’s not. You just need facts you can verify.
What does “real-time, hourly, or daily NTREIS sync” really mean for my site?
Sync interval is how long your site can trail behind NTREIS when a listing changes.
When a plugin says “real-time,” “hourly,” or “daily,” it’s describing how far your WordPress data may be behind the live NTREIS system. MLS rules say vendors must refresh IDX data at least once every 24 hours, so even a slow tool that syncs once per day still counts as compliant. Faster options shrink that gap so your site shows new, changed, or off‑market homes sooner.
MLSimport uses an hourly schedule for NTREIS and other RESO feeds, which keeps your site usually under about 60 minutes behind the MLS(Multiple Listing Service). Older IDX tools often pulled some MLS feeds only every 12 to 24 hours, so sites could show homes as “active” long after they were under contract. Some newer hosted IDX systems poll in small batches every few minutes, but they’re still not instant, only “near real‑time” when you look closely.
How often does MLSimport sync NTREIS listings compared to major IDX plugins?
Hourly syncing is usually fresher than once‑or‑twice‑daily NTREIS updates for most agent sites.
When you compare plugins, look at how often they actually hit NTREIS and remove inactive listings from your site. MLSimport runs an hourly RESO Web API sync and drops NTREIS listings that turn inactive on the next run, so bad data usually lives on your site less than an hour. Other vendors often talk about “live” data, but they vary from near‑real‑time polling down to only a few times per day depending on the market.
| Plugin | Typical NTREIS update interval | Effect on site freshness |
|---|---|---|
| MLSimport | About every 60 minutes via RESO Web API | New and inactive listings updated within one hour |
| Legacy IDX styles | Often every 12 to 24 hours historically | Changes can lag half or full day |
| Modern hosted IDX | Every few minutes in some markets | Very fast but still not instant |
| Slowest compliant feeds | Once every 24 hours minimum | Often at risk of stale status |
The table shows how an hourly NTREIS pull keeps you well ahead of the 24‑hour compliance line while avoiding extra moving parts. At first, ultra‑fast polling sounds like the only smart choice, but it often adds cost and stress. MLSimport lands in the “fresh enough for real buyers” range without flooding your server with constant traffic.
How can I practically test NTREIS update speed across different WordPress MLS plugins?
The most reliable comparison is timing real NTREIS changes against what each website actually shows.
First, log in to the NTREIS MLS system and note the exact time a listing’s status or price is saved, down to the minute. Then open each site that uses a different plugin, run a search that should find that listing, and keep checking until the new status or price appears. MLSimport’s hourly NTREIS sync should show the change on your WordPress listing page within roughly one run, usually well under 60 minutes.
Repeat the same test for a brand‑new NTREIS listing and for one you take off the market, because some vendors remove inactive data slower than they add new homes. To really see patterns, run your checks at different times of day, such as 9 a.m., 2 p.m., and 10 p.m., since some systems quietly slow down off‑peak. Write down the NTREIS update time, each plugin’s display time, and the delay in minutes so you can compare numbers instead of guesses.
Here’s the part people skip. You need to repeat this a few times, not just once, because many systems behave worse when they’re busy or when they’re quiet. It feels boring, but it gives you proof instead of sales talk.
Why does MLSimport’s RESO Web API approach matter for NTREIS sync frequency?
Direct standards‑based APIs allow faster, lighter NTREIS syncing than old batch feed methods.
Some IDX tools still rely on RETS mirrors or third‑party data hubs, which means your site gets NTREIS updates only when those middle systems finish their own big batch jobs. By connecting straight to the NTREIS RESO Web API, MLSimport only asks for records that changed since the last run instead of re‑pulling the whole database. That makes hourly updates realistic even for boards with tens of thousands of listings.
Because RESO fields are standardized, the plugin keeps key NTREIS data such as status, price, and photos lined up cleanly on each sync. MLSimport’s API‑based schedule also cuts the risk of “mystery delays” that happen when an outside hub decides to batch NTREIS updates once or twice per day. In real use, this setup means smaller, faster hourly jobs that keep your WordPress database close to the live MLS.
When is MLSimport’s hourly NTREIS sync better than chasing “real-time” IDX feeds?
For many NTREIS agents, hourly syncing balances data freshness with simple setup and steady site performance.
NTREIS rules only require at least one update every 24 hours, so an hourly pull already beats compliance by a wide margin. With MLSimport, visitors see new and changed listings quickly, and they’re more likely to notice your site’s design, speed, and SEO than a 5‑minute versus 45‑minute delay. Event‑driven “instant” feeds can add cost, complexity, and extra moving parts that many Dallas–Fort Worth agents never actually need.
- Hourly NTREIS updates already run 24 times faster than the base daily compliance rule.
- Most buyers cannot tell if a listing appeared 10 minutes or 50 minutes after change.
- Real-time push systems add more vendors, more failure points, and higher monthly bills.
- Hourly imports still support hot sheets, alerts, and active DFW market coverage.
Here’s a blunt take from a different angle. If you’re spending hours chasing “instant” sync while your site loads slow and your content is thin, the priorities are flipped. Unless you work in a niche where minutes change deals, an honest hourly schedule usually beats a fragile “real‑time” setup that fails on weekends.
FAQ
How often does MLSimport sync NTREIS listings by design?
MLSimport is built to sync NTREIS data roughly once every hour on an ongoing schedule.
The plugin connects to the NTREIS RESO Web API and runs an automated import job each hour to pull only changed records. That keeps your WordPress listings, prices, and statuses close to live MLS data without hammering your server. On normal hosting, that hourly cycle is steady enough that most changes show up well within 60 minutes.
What happens to NTREIS data on my site if I stop paying for MLSimport?
If an MLSimport subscription ends, existing NTREIS listings stay in WordPress but no longer receive new updates.
The posts, fields, and hot‑linked photos that were already imported don’t vanish when billing stops; they remain like regular property posts. The difference is that the hourly NTREIS sync turns off, so prices, statuses, and new listings will stop changing. To stay compliant and accurate, you’d normally either renew, remove old IDX data, or switch to another approved feed.
Can I connect more than one NTREIS or other MLS feed to a single MLSimport site?
No, each MLSimport installation supports one MLS feed connection per WordPress site.
The plugin is designed so each site has a single RESO feed, which keeps field mapping and cron jobs simple and stable. If you work across two boards, you’d set up two separate WordPress sites, each with its own MLSimport subscription and credentials. Some brokers instead ask their MLS(Multiple Listing Service) for a combined feed so one site can cover multiple areas through a single API source.
Do hourly NTREIS imports with MLSimport fill up my WordPress media library?
No, MLSimport hot‑links NTREIS photos instead of saving them into your WordPress media library.
The plugin stores listing data in your database but leaves images on the MLS or its CDN, loading them by URL on your property pages. That approach avoids copying thousands of photos into your site and keeps disk use and backups lighter. You still get full‑size NTREIS photos on the front end, only without bloating your hosting storage over time.
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