IDX and VOW-enabled sites make it easy for home shoppers to find houses online. "Consumers don't want to search multiple broker or salesperson sites to find properties on the Web. They want to find all the listings for a particular market area in one place," says Richard Mendenhall, NAR 2001 president.

So, IDX- and VOW-enabled sites can potentially increase property sales because consumers are able to find all listings in one place.

"Our members' listings used to be on three sites and, almost overnight, they are on several hundred sites and at minimal cost. It is a win-win system for all participants," says Woody Snell, EVP of the Montgomery Area Association of REALTORS® and Multiple Listing Service (Ala.).

Consumers who don't have to leave a broker's Web site to find listings are more likely to contact that broker for more information on properties, and to use that broker as their buyer's representative. On the other hand, when consumers visit aggregator sites, such as realtor.com, they have to contact the salesperson named on each individual listing to schedule a showing.

"Educating brokers on the advantages of launching VOWs or IDX sites and participating in their local IDX program involves changing the way many brokers think about data, says Greg Zadel of Zadel Realty and chairman of the board for Metrolist, an MLS in Denver. Making the MLS data, which in the past has always been kept privileged and confidential, accessible online, is not giving away the store as some brokers think," he says. "IDX will move brokers from being information providers to service providers. "The industry will still be driven by quality service, knowledge of the community, and referrals."


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