Yes, you can restrict and customize which MLS fields show on your site when you use MLSimport. You decide which fields enter WordPress, which ones stay private in the dashboard, and which ones buyers can see. So you can skip seller names or board-only notes while still showing prices, photos, and key listing facts buyers expect.
How much control do I have over which MLS fields are imported?
You control exactly which MLS fields MLSimport brings into WordPress and ignore fields you never want.
Inside MLSimport, each MLS(Multiple Listing System) feed exposes a long list of fields, often well over 100 per board. The plugin gives you an admin screen where you turn each field on or off before any data goes into WordPress. When you uncheck a field there, that data never reaches your database, so it cannot leak to the front-end by mistake.
The plugin stores every selected field as a normal WordPress custom field attached to each property post. Your theme, page builder, or tools like ACF can then read those values and show them where you want. It keeps structure clear, because each property has a predictable set of keys like price, beds, baths, and the extra options you chose.
During the mapping step, MLSimport also lets you rename field labels as you connect MLS data to your site fields. For example, you can map “ListPrice” to a label called “Asking price” if that fits your style better. At first this seems small. It is not, because what you enable is stored and usable, and what you disable never imports.
- Admin UI lets you toggle each MLS field on or off before import.
- Unchecked fields never enter WordPress, so they cannot appear anywhere.
- Selected fields save as standard WordPress custom fields on each property.
- Field labels can be renamed during mapping to match your site language.
Can I hide sensitive MLS data like agent remarks or seller details?
Sensitive or internal-only MLS fields can stay private and still update in the background.
In MLSimport, any field you keep but do not want public can be marked as private at mapping time or later. When a field is private, it still syncs from the MLS into the database, but only admins and editors see it inside the WordPress dashboard. The plugin skips that field when building property templates, so you do not need CSS tricks or custom code to hide it.
This helps with agent remarks, showing notes, office comments, or buyer agent pay details that must stay hidden. MLSimport keeps these for your team while the front-facing layout stays clean and safe. At the same time, fields the MLS flags as required for public display, like attribution and board disclaimers, stay available so you stay within MLS rules.
How do I customize which fields buyers see on listing pages and search?
You can control which imported fields appear in layouts and search filters and which ones stay hidden.
Once data is in WordPress, MLSimport hands those custom fields to your real estate theme so you shape the layout. With themes like WPResidence, Houzez, or RealHomes, you usually get drag-and-drop builders to place fields into sections such as “Pricing,” “Interior,” “Exterior,” or “Investment details.” You decide which fields land in each block and simply leave out anything you do not want buyers to see.
The same fields can also power your search forms and filters, but only if you pick them. You might expose price, beds, baths, city, and about a dozen special options and keep the rest internal. Fields that stay out of search still live in the database, so they are there for admin reports or future layout changes without cluttering the buyer view.
Many themes can skip empty or zero values when they display fields, which pairs well with this setup. A field like “HOA Fee” or “Boat dock length” only shows when it has real data, so the page looks cleaner. MLSimport uses a RESO-based structure, so you can re-use the same layout and search logic even when you connect several MLS feeds.
| Area of control | Where you set it | Typical example |
|---|---|---|
| Imported fields | MLSimport field mapping screen | Disable SellerName field entirely |
| Listing page layout | Theme template or drag builder | Show beds baths price lot size |
| Search filters | Theme search form settings | Add Waterfront and Garage filters |
| Hidden admin data | Private field flag in MLSimport | Keep agent remarks internal only |
| Conditional display | Theme option hide empty fields | Skip HOA Fee when value zero |
This table shows how control is split between tools. MLSimport chooses what enters WordPress, while your theme decides where and when each field appears. By using both layers together, you tune buyer-facing pages and search forms without losing helpful data in the background.
Will MLSimport let me add or combine custom fields beyond what the MLS provides?
You can mix imported MLS data with your own custom fields to handle more specific property needs.
Your MLS feed will never cover every idea you have, so the plugin tries not to fight your custom work. MLSimport maps incoming fields into WordPress custom fields or theme fields, then leaves any extra fields you create alone during sync. That means you can add things like “Cap rate,” “ROI score,” or “Tour video URL” through your theme or ACF and they will not be wiped out when the MLS updates price or status.
You can also map MLS fields directly into ACF or theme fields that power widgets, badges, or highlight boxes. For instance, you might map “WaterfrontYN” into a field that triggers a “Waterfront” badge on listing cards, or push “SubdivisionName” into a “Neighborhood” taxonomy you made. I should back up a bit here though, because the key part is structure. MLSimport follows a RESO-style structure, so the same mapping style works even if you later add another MLS with slightly different names.
On top of that, you can build your own taxonomies for tags like “Luxury tier,” “New build,” or “Student rental” and assign them by hand. The plugin only syncs the data it knows about, so those manual tags stay in place across imports. You end up with a mix of trusted MLS facts plus your own niche details that help your site stand out, at least for the people who care about those details.
How does MLSimport keep me compliant while still letting me hide some fields?
Required attribution stays visible while you hide optional or design-only fields from buyers.
MLS rules usually demand that listing broker, listing agent, and board disclaimers stay visible wherever a listing appears. MLSimport always pulls in those attribution fields, and your job is to place them in the template in a way your MLS accepts. You should not disable these fields in mapping, because they help you stay in good standing with your board.
At the same time, you can hide non-required data such as days on market, showing instructions, or private notes. Sync schedules, often set to run about once every hour as a common setup, keep status, price, and other key facts accurate without exposing things buyers do not need. The plugin gives you the knobs, but you must use them in a way that balances clean design with strict rule-following.
FAQ
Do hidden or private fields still sync from the MLS feed?
Private or hidden fields can still sync, as long as you keep them enabled during mapping.
In practice, you first decide which fields should exist in WordPress at all in the MLSimport mapping screen. If a field is enabled there but marked private, the data keeps updating in the database while never showing on property templates. This is useful for office use fields like agent remarks, lockbox notes, or payout info that staff needs but buyers should not see.
Can I change which fields are visible later without re-importing everything?
You can change field visibility at any time without re-importing the full MLS dataset.
Once listings are in WordPress, visibility is mostly a template and settings choice, not a data choice. With MLSimport, you can adjust which fields are mapped, private, or shown in layouts, and your theme can rearrange or hide them on pages and in search. You usually need a full re-import only if you add new fields that were never stored before and want to backfill old listings.
Can different property templates show different field sets, like luxury versus rentals?
Yes, you can build different templates that use different subsets of the same imported fields.
Because MLSimport puts data into standard custom fields, your theme can define separate templates or layouts for property types. For example, a luxury template might show amenities, view type, and extra gallery fields, while a rental template focuses on deposit, lease terms, and included utilities. All templates pull from the same data pool, except each one picks which fields to show for that use.
Do listing images follow the same visibility rules as other fields?
Listing images are pulled from the MLS or CDN, but page display follows your templates.
The plugin usually points to MLS or CDN image URLs and attaches them to each property post. You cannot make “private” images in the same way as fields, but you can choose how many photos to show and where galleries appear. If you remove image blocks from some templates, those pictures still exist in the background and just do not appear on that layout.
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