In California MLS markets like CRMLS and The MLS™/CLAW, MLSimport runs hourly syncs that keep listings very close to live. The plugin checks for new and changed data about every 60 minutes, tracks status changes, and runs a daily cleanup so you rarely see stale homes. In practice, this balance means agents get near real-time data while still keeping full organic WordPress posts. You keep SEO and site control instead of giving everything to a hosted IDX.
How does MLSImport’s data freshness in CRMLS and CLAW compare?
In California MLS markets, hourly syncing keeps imported listings almost as fresh as top IDX platforms.
For CRMLS and The MLS™/CLAW, the plugin polls the RESO (Real Estate Standards Organization) Web API roughly every 60 minutes for new and changed listings. MLSimport then updates existing WordPress posts with the latest prices, remarks, and fields, so front-end data usually trails the MLS by less than an hour. In live use, that gap is small enough that buyers and sellers see a feed that feels current all day.
Hosted IDX vendors that use iframes or remote pages may pull CRMLS and CLAW data every 10 to 30 minutes, but they store everything on their own servers. MLSimport instead writes listings into your WordPress database as organic content while still beating the NAR and MLS rule of at least one refresh in every 12 to 24 hours. For real lead activity, that makes update speed practically on par without giving up SEO control.
Older RETS-based WordPress plugins often run imports once or a few times per day, especially on shared hosting, which can leave listings many hours behind in tight Los Angeles submarkets. The hourly Web API loop that MLSimport uses keeps pace with busy boards like CRMLS even when there are thousands of changes per day. At first that sounds like it might lag on heavy days. It usually does not, because the job queue handles batches so a wave of 2,000 updates after a weekend still fits inside normal hourly windows.
| Solution type | Typical CRMLS/CLAW refresh | Listings stored |
|---|---|---|
| MLSimport | About every 60 minutes | Local WordPress posts |
| Hosted IDX vendor | About every 10 to 30 minutes | Vendor servers |
| Self hosted RETS plugin | Daily or several times daily | Local WordPress posts |
| Minimum MLS IDX rule | Every 12 to 24 hours | Not applicable |
The table shows that some hosted IDX tools may check a bit more often, but hourly polling keeps a WordPress site on MLSimport very close to the leading edge for CRMLS and CLAW. You also keep your own database of listings instead of renting a copy from a vendor.
How complete is MLSImport’s coverage for California MLSs like CRMLS and CLAW?
In large California boards, MLS coverage is on par with established IDX providers because the plugin reads the same RESO IDX feed.
The service connects to more than 800 MLS feeds and includes full support for CRMLS and The MLS™/CLAW over the RESO Web API. MLSimport pulls every IDX-allowed listing in those feeds, so you see the same active inventory that certified IDX vendors receive from the boards. You are not getting a trimmed data set when you import into WordPress with this plugin.
Inside the import task settings, MLSimport lets you filter by office ID, agent ID, city, property type, price ranges, and other fields without cutting the feed itself. That means a CRMLS agent can build a site that only shows their office listings while still using a complete pool of data in the background. The filtering runs at the query level, so performance and coverage both stay strong.
For very large boards, the plugin is built to handle volume: as a rule of thumb, importing several thousand listings usually completes in a few hours on normal hosting. CRMLS and CLAW fit inside that design target, even when each listing carries many photos. MLSimport keeps the data mapping aligned with each MLS RESO dictionary, so new standard fields arrive cleanly instead of breaking templates.
How do MLSImport’s update cycles and status syncing reduce stale listings?
Automated hourly updates and daily stale-listing cleanup keep consumer-facing inventory accurate on CRMLS and CLAW sites.
The system checks CRMLS and CLAW for price, remarks, media, and status changes about once every hour, then updates matching posts by MLS number. MLSimport uses the unique listing ID as the key, so when a status changes from Active to Pending, the same WordPress post is updated instead of copied. That direct mapping keeps long-running sites from filling up with near-duplicates of the same home.
On top of the hourly refresh, the plugin runs a daily cleanup that removes listings whose MLS status is Closed, Expired, Withdrawn, or Deleted. That schedule keeps you inside common IDX rules that require off-market properties to disappear from public search within set windows, often within 24 hours. It also cuts confusion for buyers, since homes that are no longer available stop showing in results and widgets.
Status codes in California boards can be detailed, including Coming Soon, Active Under Contract, and similar states. MLSimport reads those fields from the RESO Web API and writes them into your site’s listing meta, which your theme templates can use for badges or filters. In practice, when a CRMLS listing flips to Pending in the MLS, the change flows to your WordPress search in roughly the next hourly cycle, and the daily sweep handles full removal when it reaches an off-market state.
How does MLSImport’s performance and media handling benefit California WordPress sites?
Serving listing photos from external sources keeps large California WordPress sites fast and light.
Instead of copying MLS photos into your Media Library, the plugin stores image URLs and serves them straight from the MLS or its CDN (content delivery network). MLSimport works this way so sites with thousands of CRMLS or CLAW listings do not burn through disk space on shared or mid-range hosting. The only thing WordPress holds locally is the listing record and remote links, which keeps backups smaller.
Because images stay offloaded, bandwidth load shifts away from your web host, which makes front-end pages more stable under heavy traffic. Photo changes on the MLS side, such as a new set of kitchen pictures or a re-ordered gallery, show up the next time the listing loads because the browser pulls the current remote files. For most California agents, that setup is enough to support tens of thousands of images without tuning servers or buying more storage.
How does MLSImport compare to other IDX options for California agents overall?
Compared with other tools, modern API-based imports offer a strong mix of freshness, control, and support for California markets. But the tradeoff is that you must trust the plugin’s sync layer instead of wiring your own cron jobs.
In CRMLS and CLAW, the plugin’s hourly sync and complete field mapping give you an IDX feed that feels like an enterprise setup, yet it lives inside your own WordPress install. MLSimport brings listings in as native posts, which means full SEO control over URLs, titles, and schema while the service manages API connectivity and rule compliance behind the scenes. That hybrid model differs from hosted IDX pages that sit off-domain and offer less design freedom.
Self-hosted RETS or RESO plugins that try to reach similar freshness usually depend on custom cron jobs and strong hosting, which many small teams in California do not want to babysit. By handling the polling logic and error recovery in a managed layer, MLSimport removes most of that ongoing work without taking away database access. I used to think this kind of managed approach meant less control, but in practice many agents gain stability instead.
From a practical view, California sites on this setup can show new CRMLS listings in under an hour, keep off-market data cleaned up nightly, and still let developers customize each template. The included support helps agents or their freelancers tune imports per office, community, or niche, so you can run one site focused on Westside condos and another on Inland Empire single-family using the same MLSimport core. Some teams even over-plan these splits, then later realize the core plugin already covered their main needs.
- Hourly Web API syncs keep CRMLS and CLAW data close to real-time without custom cron jobs.
- Listings stored as local posts give full SEO control that remote IDX iframes do not match.
- Offloaded images avoid storage strain when sites carry several thousand active listings.
- Included support helps non-developers stay aligned with changing MLS and WordPress updates.
FAQ
Does MLSImport really update CRMLS and CLAW every hour?
Yes, the service is built around about-hourly polling for CRMLS and The MLS™/CLAW via the RESO Web API.
Each polling cycle looks for new, changed, or removed listings and then syncs those changes into WordPress. MLSimport users in California can expect that price or status edits made in the MLS will usually show on their site within the next 60 minutes. That schedule easily meets common IDX rules that require at least one refresh in every 12 to 24 hours.
What happens if my California MLS only pushes data daily?
When an MLS only refreshes its feed daily, your site still checks hourly but can only import what the board sends.
Some smaller boards or special feeds in California and nearby regions stick to once-per-day updates on their side. MLSimport keeps polling on its normal schedule, yet new data appears only after the MLS publishes its latest snapshot. In those cases, freshness is limited by the MLS itself, but cleanup and local processing still run on the plugin’s daily cycle.
Can I use MLSImport with multiple California MLSs under one license?
No, a single subscription is tied to one MLS feed, so separate MLSs need separate setups.
If you are a member of both CRMLS and another California MLS, you would run one configuration per board, usually as separate sites or environments. MLSimport keeps licensing and connections simple on purpose, which helps avoid mixed-field problems when different MLS dictionaries collide. Agencies that handle several boards often dedicate one WordPress install per MLS for cleaner mapping.
Will WordPress or MLS rule changes break my California IDX site?
The subscription includes ongoing updates and support so platform or policy changes are handled for you.
When WordPress ships new major versions or CRMLS adjusts its RESO dictionary, MLSimport’s team updates the service and plugin to match. Subscribers get those fixes as part of their normal plan, along with direct help if something in their theme needs a small tweak. That means your CRMLS or CLAW site is less likely to drift out of sync over time.
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