MLS Search

From PropertyMinder WIKI

Revision as of 02:44, 6 June 2011

What can I do with MLS Searches?

With MLS searches, you can:

1. Allow your clients to create online search requests on your website.

2. Create a search for your client using different filters, criteria and frequency.

3. Receive email notifications and wireless (mobile) alerts.

4. Edit the "New listing found" notification letter for your clients.

5. Include CMA in your search (subject for MLS system support).

6. Notify your clients about listing price changes.

7. Track/analyze your clients search activity.

8. Manage the amount of information to be shown to your client about listings found (hide/show address, map, description, virtual tour, etc.)

9. Manage unlimited number of current active MLS searches.

10. Deactivate (archive) the search.

11. View/re-assign/delete Ignored Searches and assign the auto clean-up of ignored searches.

How can I set up a new search?

To set-up a new search:

1. Login to your Toolkit and go to MLS Searches.

2. Click New Search.

3. Select "Class" and property "Status".

4. For active searches indicate if you would like to get comparables (subject to the MLS system support).

5. Select the area for your search (up to 20 areas are permitted).

6. Test the search by clicking Search MLS at the bottom of the page.

7. You can delete unwanted listings from the "Properties found" list by checking the delete box.

8. If you are satisfied, click Save Search .

9. Select a client from the existing Contact list, or click Create new client to add a new entry to your CRM.

10. Continue to the next page and name your search.

11. Select how frequently you want to run this search. We recommend that you choose a high frequency when setting-up searches for "A" buyers and low frequency for less committed buyers.

12. Choose if you want the system to send you an email notification and place a copy of the results into your client's personal area.

13. Hide/show address, hide/show map, hide/show Virtual Tour link, hide/show listing description.

14. Customize the notification message.

15. Click Activate Search .

How can I auto activate searches requested on my website?

To activate the auto activate searches feature:

1. Login to your Toolkit and go to MLS Searches.

2. On the On-line Search Requests screen, click the MLS Search Settings link.

3. Set-up Auto Activate Search settings, check TURN ON Auto Activate Search and click SUBMIT .

NOTE: Online Search Requests submitted before turning the AUTO ACTIVATE SEARCH feature ON should be reviewed and activated manually.

How can I verify the email address of a client who has requested a search on my website?

With the AUTO ACTIVATE SEARCH feature is ON, your system will automatically verify and register your prospects using a 3-way confirmation code algorithm.

Your client has to enter the code received in the email provided to them in the search request. If they have entered an incorrect email address they would not have received the code and thus will not be able to view the search results. Thus the system is programmed to verify the client's email address.

How can I update the settings for the auto activate search?

1. Login to your Toolkit.

2. Go to MLS Searches page.

3. Click the link MLS Searches Settings

4. Make your changes and click Submit.

How can I exclude listing types from public MLS searches on website?

You may choose to hide certain property types from being searched on your website. For example, you may hide residential properties for rent if you only want the public to search for residential sales on your site. You can block your website users from creating MLS searches for certain property classes.

To do this:

1. Login to your Toolkit.

2. Go to MLS Searches page.

3. Click on the link MLS Searches Settings

4. Scroll down to MLS settings area. All listing classes are checked by default. Uncheck the property type(s) that you wish to exclude and click Submit.

Note: Even if you block some of the listing types for public searches, they will still be available for you within the Toolkit.

How can I see my clients' favorite listings?

When your client views his saved search results, he may save some of the listings as his favorites.

To see your clients' favorites:

1. Login to your Toolkit and go to MLS Searches.

2. Click the Favorite Listings link.

How can I automatically monitor and clean up my ignored searches?

Ignored Searches Detected

To enable you to focus your efforts on clients who are actively viewing searches and avoid clogging your system with ignored or abandoned searches, the system automatically detects searches that are consistently displaying no activity. If there has been no activity on a search for over 6 weeks, it is suspected to be an ignored search.

NOTE: The PropertyMinder system monitors searches that are scheduled to notify your clients about new listings on an "ongoing" and "daily" basis and which have generated a significant number of "new property found" notifications.

Notifying your client and you about ignored searches

The system proactively sends 2 email messages to clients with ignored searches, encouraging them to make use of the search results. At the same time, you as an agent will also receive a message notifying you about the ignored searches and their pending deletion.

Despite the two messages to your clients, if there is no activity on the searches for over 6 weeks and 7 days, the ignored searches are moved to the "Ignored Searches" folder where they are kept for 30 after which they are removed, unless you reactivate them before that.

How can I "turn off" the auto clean up of ignored searches?

1. On the left panel of the Toolkit, click Preferences.

2. Scroll down to "Ignored Search Preferences" and check or uncheck the auto clean up of Ignored Searches.

3. To get more information on how this works, click the link next to "Understanding Ignored Searches".

How can I prevent searches from being categorized as ignored searches?

Edit the MLS search notification criteria to change the new listing updates to go out "weekly" or "monthly" instead of "ongoing". Searches that are scheduled with weekly or monthly notifications will not be included in ignored searches.

How should I use search scheduling?

You should select ongoing search notifications when working with active buyers and sellers. You may want to send past sales information to sellers to educate them about the value of their home.

Use monthly or weekly schedules as your follow-up strategy when setting up a search with existing and past clients. This tool can also be used to work with prospects that are not actively looking for homes.

How can I edit the search?

1. Login to your Toolkit and go to MLS Searches.

2. Select Active Searches .

3. Select the search and click Edit Search Criteria .

4. Edit the search.

5. Test the search by clicking Search MLS to view the search results.

6. You can delete unwanted listings from the "Properties found" list by checking the delete box.

7. If you are satisfied, click Save Search.

How can I find new leads and MLS search requests?

1. Login to your Toolkit and go to MLS Searches

2. Select Online Search Request.

3. Select one of the searches.

4. Click the View/Activate Search link to review, test and activate the search.

5. To test your search, click Search MLS.

6. To activate the search, click Save Search.

What does "deactivate search" mean?

When the search is deactivated, the search criteria and search results are saved in the system. The system does not run automated searches until the search is reactivated.

To deactivate the search:

1. Login to your Toolkit and select MLS Searches.

2. Select Active Searches to see a list of all current searches.

3. Find the Search record that you would like to deactivate. Under the action section, you will see the option to Deactivate Search. You will have the option to Reactivate the search at a later date if necessary.

4. To completely delete the search, select the Trash Can icon and you will completely delete the search.