Yes, the MLSimport process is built on the RESO Web API standard, not legacy RETS, and that is what you want. Because it speaks the same “language” as over 800 RESO-certified MLSs across the U.S. and Canada, your WordPress site can usually connect as long as your board exposes a Web API endpoint. In practice, that means most MLSs your clients use will plug into your site with hourly or near hourly synced data.
How does MLSimport use RESO Web API to integrate with most US MLSs?
A modern API based import process using RESO Web API will usually work with most RESO certified US MLSs.
The core idea is simple. The plugin speaks pure RESO Web API, not RETS, so it fits what MLSs are already moving toward. MLSimport connects to your MLS’s RESO endpoint, reads RESO Data Dictionary fields such as ListPrice, PropertyType, and BedroomsTotal, then stores them as real WordPress property posts. Since nearly all large US MLSs and many smaller ones now expose a RESO Web API, the same code path works across about 800 plus boards.
Inside WordPress, this setup maps each RESO field into a consistent schema, so “active” in one MLS looks like “active” from another when you build searches. At first this feels minor. It is not. MLSimport also lets you pick how often to sync, with common choices like every 1, 2, or 4 hours, which keeps status and price close to real time without hammering the MLS API. That mix of RESO use and steady syncing makes coverage across many US MLSs realistic.
| Aspect | How RESO Web API is used | Result on your WordPress site |
|---|---|---|
| Transport standard | OData JSON RESO Web API only | Modern stable MLS connections |
| Schema control | RESO Data Dictionary field mapping | Consistent fields across many MLSs |
| Import target | Creates WordPress property posts | Listings behave like normal WP content |
| Update rhythm | Hourly or near hourly API sync | Timely price and status changes |
| Geography | USA and Canada RESO MLSs | Single plugin across many markets |
The table shows how a single RESO Web API flow lets MLSimport act like a kind of universal adapter. One stable standard in, clean WordPress posts out, and enough sync control to keep listings fresh without babysitting the process every day.
Will MLSimport work with my MLS if it only mentions RETS or older IDX feeds?
Even MLSs that promote RETS in public docs often have a RESO Web API available on request.
Many boards still say “RETS” on their website because nobody rewrote the page, while the tech team runs a RESO Web API behind services like Trestle, Bridge, Spark, or MLS Grid. MLSimport support checks your MLS against RESO’s certification lists and common platforms before you wire it into a live site, which avoids wasting time on feeds that have no modern endpoint yet.
When an office applies for access, staff sometimes try to hand out RETS logins by habit, so agents need to ask very clearly for Web API or RESO feed credentials instead. MLSimport gives you concrete endpoint and token examples so you can push back and say, “No, I need the Web API details that look like this.” In a fair number of smaller US MLSs, RESO access appears only after that kind of request, and once the endpoint is live, the plugin treats it like any other supported board.
How does MLSimport ensure IDX and MLS rule compliance when importing listings?
A compliant IDX(Internet Data Exchange) import exposes required public attribution fields while hiding private, agent only MLS data from the website.
The import flow is built so only IDX safe data reaches the public side of WordPress, using the RESO Web API’s split between public and private fields. MLSimport pulls fields such as ListOfficeName, ListAgentFullName, and OfficePhone so you can show broker and office credit that many US MLSs demand. But agent only items like showing notes, lockbox codes, or internal remarks never go into front end property posts.
Inside the plugin settings, you choose which property types and statuses to expose, so if your MLS only allows Active and Pending for IDX, you do not accidentally show Withdrawn or Coming Soon. At first that feels like busywork. Later you realize it protects you. MLSimport leaves the final layout and legal text, like disclaimers and logos, to your theme or page builder, but it always delivers the fields you need to build a rule compliant template.
How compatible is MLSimport with popular WordPress real estate themes and site SEO?
Importing listings as real WordPress posts builds SEO value and lets real estate themes run full native search and map features.
Instead of dropping in iframes, the plugin writes each RESO listing into the database as a normal WordPress property post with meta fields and images. MLSimport usually works very well with modern real estate themes like WPResidence because those themes simply see more posts to search, filter, and plot on maps. Every listing gets its own URL, title, and body content, which search engines can crawl like any blog post.
Because the data lives locally, theme taxonomies, custom fields, and advanced search widgets can all use imported values such as city, neighborhood, or price range. Even if the MLS API has a brief outage, your pages still load quickly from MySQL, so users are not staring at broken vendor widgets. I should say this more bluntly. Local data keeps your site faster and less fragile over time.
- Property pages generate as standard WordPress posts with custom fields and images.
- Theme search widgets and map tools work directly on imported MLS data.
- Listings are indexable by Google, supporting ranking for address and area searches.
- Site speed relies on local database reads instead of live API calls.
What does the MLSimport connection process look like for a typical US MLS?
Once valid RESO Web API credentials are entered, the plugin can automate ongoing MLS data sync for your site.
The first step is always data access. A broker or agent asks for RESO Web API credentials from the MLS or its platform, such as Trestle, Bridge, Spark, or MLS Grid. You usually get an endpoint URL, a client or token string, and sometimes both a client ID and secret. In the MLSimport admin screen, you paste those values into the connection fields and run a quick test call to confirm the MLS responds.
After that, you define import rules, like which counties, cities, or property types to pull plus which statuses to keep in the public catalog. MLSimport then schedules a recurring job that fetches changes from the MLS, inserts new listings, updates price and status, and marks off market properties, often in cycles of about an hour as a default. Unless someone changes MLS rules, the process is mostly hands off, so your team can focus on leads and content while the plugin keeps listing data aligned with the MLS feed.
FAQ
Does MLSimport support legacy RETS feeds at all?
No, the plugin is designed around RESO Web API only, not RETS.
The whole point of MLSimport is to live on the newer standard, not chase a dying one. If your MLS still talks about RETS, support will look for the RESO endpoint that almost always exists behind the scenes now. If there truly is no Web API at your board yet, you should press the MLS for RESO or consider a different technical path.
How many MLSs can MLSimport connect to in the US and Canada?
The plugin currently supports around 800 or more RESO compliant MLSs across North America.
That count comes from tracking which MLSs have RESO certified Web API servers that match the plugin’s schema and connection patterns. In the US, that covers nearly every major regional MLS(Multiple Listing System) and many mid sized systems, plus many Canadian boards that expose RESO style feeds. You still need your own credentials, but once you have them, the same MLSimport engine usually just works.
How can I check if my specific MLS is compatible before I buy?
You confirm by giving support your MLS name so they can match it to a RESO Web API endpoint.
Before paying, send the board name and, if you have it, the data platform it uses, such as Trestle or MLS Grid. The MLSimport team checks RESO certification lists and their own mapping records to see whether your MLS is already in the supported pool. If they see an edge case, they tell you what credentials you must request so the connection can be tested safely.
What happens when MLSs retire RETS or change their RESO implementations later?
A Web API first plugin tracks RESO changes and adjusts its mapping so your site keeps working.
As MLSs shut down RETS and tweak RESO payloads, the plugin author updates field mappings and query logic to line up with the new spec. At first that sounds like a big worry, and sometimes it is, but not usually. Keeping MLSimport updated on your site is usually enough to ride out these shifts without rebuilding your whole integration.
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