FAQS

From RETS Community Wiki

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Some useful FAQS can be found at RETS.org.

• What is RETS?

RETS stands for Real Estate Transaction Standard. It is a standard that is intended to define a universal communication layer for transferring listing and transaction data within the real estate process.

• What does RETS do?

RETS gets you a data feed in a standardized format across multiple MLS listing providers. With that, it provides the bridge in taking different data sets, and being able to combine them without manual data manipulation.

• How much Does RETS cost?

RETS as a standard is completely free. You will have costs relative to any development involved for implementing RETS into your business strategy.

• I have the data, now what?

Excellent Question. With or without RETS, you are handed this data set. At that point, RETS has done its job. It is then up to you and your business needs to store it (database), display it, analyze it for reports, or use it in one of many other ways to create something new and useful from it.

• Is my MLS IDX RETS Compliant?

IDX is Internet Data Exchange which was a step in developing data display cooperation between REALTORS. A more indepth review of IDX can be found here. In theory an MLS can provide the data in a RETS format, but it is not required. An ever evolving list of MLS using RETS can be found here

• I need every listing in the US. Where do I start?

Well, you are in the right place to investigate this journey. You actually need to contact each MLS in the US (800+) and learn what their access policies are. Some you can pay for data usage, some you need to be a member REALTOR® and/or working with a REALTOR® in development of their technology needs.

• I want to quickly test a client.

Try the CRT Demo/Test Variman Server.