I'm hopeing to get some thoughts on websites. I'm looking for something semi-custom with MLS search feature. I've found alot on the internet but its hard to tell which one is going to be the best. I would love to hear your opinions.

Thanks in advance,
Will Rose

P.S. I'm looking to spend around 200-500 on set-up.

Depends on what you want the site to do for you. Do you want to be adding content regularly? Is it just a place for your clients to get MLS data or to manage escrow information?

You can go with a canned real estate specific solution (I have done this and it works fine for supporting clients, but it will not generate any real business).

Or, you can sort of create your own with any web site provider as long as the have PHP and SQL available. If you have seen my site, that is hosted by a generic web host with CMS software installed. I have been focusing on functionality so far and I plan on giving it a graphical facelift in the coming months. All the site is costing me right now is the monthly hosting fee (about 10$) and the MLS search ability is costing about 30$ a month.

I just recently switched CMS software. The software running on my current site is called Joomla. My old site was running PHPNuke. You can actually still see that old site at My Old Site .

R

The company I used (RE templates to choose from) is www.linkurealty.com. I have thoroughly enjoyed my experience with them, thus far because they have not pressured me in any way when I first called them. Another company wouldnt let me off the phone without signing up.

Plus they have very good cheaper templates (the Z-series) and semi-custom ones (the XE series). I was on the z-series until I familiarized with their system and went on upgrading. I'm in the process of finishing my site. The design team did a phenomenal job and are very responsive to my comments, etc.

Look into Point2 Agent. Their web sites are very powerful and everything is done for you. And of course you can custimze the site. If you're a professional member, you get an awsome site with up to 250 pages to play with and that costs, I think around $50 a month or $500 a year.

I have a site through them and and very happy with the amount of features that this network provides.

Good luck.

If you're in Florida you may get a free IDX link from FAR & Florida Living Network. Your options are limited by your MLS. In my county I can have the FAR version or a slighly better search by my MLS provider, the difference being wether you can search by sub division which has a $100 set up & 30/month

You can use the Point2 site to frame the FAR/IDX feed too.