This article explains how to properly use search queries in order to build custom forms and custom saved links. It is also useful for anyone who is not able to display certain properties with their saved links.
Important Disclaimer: IDX Broker does not support custom-built forms. Information provided here may be outdated because MLS field names frequently change and vary by MLS. Verify details directly with your MLS and use at your own risk.
Finding a field name
There are several ways to find out the field name:
- Inspect the form element with any built-in browser developer tool
- Check out the results page URL
- Locate the field in the IDX Control panel under Design -> Settings -> MLS, then go to the Core Fields or MLS Advanced Fields tab
- Use the API to get all MLS fields names as well as the values in those fields
What are “core fields”?
Core fields are the same for every MLS we use, because we manually 'map,' or associate, MLS fields to the predefined fields in IDX Broker system.
That is why only core fields can be used to search through multiple property types or multiple MLSs at the same time.
Most core fields can be found under Design -> Settings -> MLS -> Core Fields.
Why don’t you list all available fields?
Every multiple listing service (MLS) is unique and has very specific names for the fields. For example, Regional Multiple Listing Service uses “subdivision” while Bright MLS uses “legalsubdivision” to list available subdivisions.
Since each MLS usually has somewhere between 500 and 1500 available fields that incrementally get updated from time to time, it would be impossible to manually keep track of all fields for the 600+ MLS feeds we provide.
What are the limitations of the search queries?
Query Length
Microsoft products have the maximum length of any given URL set to 2083 characters. It means that some links will not be working properly in MS Outlook and Internet Explorer browsers. It is possible that we will be making some changes to the URL queries to make them shorter and more efficient.
Query logic
All field-value pairs for separate fields work as an AND logic operator, meaning that all criteria in the query will be used at the same time.
Searches with the multiple values of a field are performed as an OR logical conjunction.
It is not possible to exclude certain values or fields from the queries, or the equivalent of the NOT logic operator. You would need to go the other way around and select the allowed values or fields.
Property Types
Advanced fields can not be used to search through multiple property types (except for the 'experimental' case mentioned below).
No-commingling results
Some MLSs do not allow commingling. It means that results pages with no-commingle MLSs results will not display properties from other MLSs:
- Multi-mls results pages will have a separate tab available just for the no-commingle results
- Map Search does not allow to search through all MLSs
- First tab will always include results for MLSs that allow commingling, even if there are 0 results
What are the types of the search form fields?
To include multiple values (i.e. an array of values) for the same field, append [] at the end of the field name. For example:
&a_buildingDesign[]=Manufactured&a_buildingDesign[]=Mobile
|
URL Query Prefix
|
Field Type
|
Examples
|
|---|---|---|
| a_ | List, Quick List, Yes/No, Text | |
| k_ | Keyword (values are separated by spaces) | &k_area=Aloha+”Marina Hts” – returns results with “Aloha” or “Marina Hts” keywords |
| amin_ | Minimum, Min/Max | &amin_garageOrParkingSpaces=1 |
| amax_ | Maximum, Min/Max | |
| aw_ | Wild Text | |
| csv_ | Comma Separated Values |
&csv_airConditioning[]=Heat+Pump,Window – can be used to shorten the results URL. Same as&a_airConditioning[]=Heat+Pump&a_airConditioning[]=Window |
Are there any additional fields?
Here you can find unique or undocumented fields:
|
Field
|
Description
|
Examples
|
|---|---|---|
| pt | Property type |
&pt=1 – search the MLS property type &pt=sfr – selects the IDX Broker system property type &pt=all – search through all IDX Broker property types in the account |
| idxID | Internal number of the MLS. Remove completely to search through all MLSs in the account. |
&idxID=001 – search for RMLS listings, as long as account has access to RMLS |
| tb | Shortcode – Minimum total bathrooms | &tb=3 |
| bd | Shortcode – Minimum total bedrooms | &bd=5 |
| bathrooms | Bathrooms | &amin_bathrooms=1&amax_bathrooms=1 |
| hp | Shortcode – Maximum (high) price | &hp=1000000 |
| lp | Shortcode – Minimum (low) price | &lp=100%2C00 |
| dateAdded | Date added to IDX Broker system | &amin_dateAdded=2013-07-15+12:00:00&amax_dateAdded=2013-07-16+12:00:00 |
| add | How many days since added to IDX Broker system (does not work with prefixes) |
&add=5 |
| ublat | Shortcode – Maximum (up) latitude | &ublat=41.814996410836756 |
| lblat | Shortcode – Minimum (low) latitude | &lblat=-77.3876953125 |
| ublong | Shortcode – Maximum (up) longitude | &ublong=41.814 |
| lblong | Shortcode – Minimum (low) longitude | &lblong=-77.387 |
| srt | Sort Order |
&srt=newest – Newest Listings &srt=oldest – Oldest Listings &srt=pra – Least expensive to most &srt=prd – Most expensive to least &srt=bda – Bedrooms (Low to High) &srt=bdd – Bedrooms (High to Low) &srt=tba – Bathrooms (Low to High) &srt=tbd – Bathrooms (High to Low) &srt=sqfta – Square Feet (Low to High) &srt=sqftd – Square Feet (High to Low) |
| srtd | *Order of the Legacy sorting |
&srtd=desc &srtd=asc |
| srtf | *Legacy field used in sorting |
&srtf=mlsPtID &srtf=address &srtf=listingID &srtf=listingPrice &srtf=virtualTours &srtf=openHouses &srtf=viewCount |
| city | City name. Can be used without prefix. City IDs are system wide. |
&city[]=15047&city[]=44264 – search for listings in the best Oregon cities, such as Eugene and Springfield |
| county | County name. Can be used without prefix. County IDs are system wide. |
&county[]=853 |
| pgon | Polygon Search – Coordinates. It may increase loading time. Works in both Core and Enage |
?pgon=56+-137,56+-57,18+-54.58,18+-136.40625,56+-137 |
| clat | Polygon Search – Map Central latitude (does not affect Results pages) |
&clat=44.037627274834186 |
| clng | Polygon Search – Map Central longitude (does not affect Results pages) |
&clng=-123.08240890502928 |
| zoom | Polygon Search – Zoom level (does not affect Results pages) |
&zoom=12 |
| layerType | Type of the polygon. |
&layerType=polygon &layerType=circle |
| radius | Radius of the polygon circle in miles | &radius=2.5 |
| mapCenterLat | Map polygon center latitude location | &mapCenterLat=45.74252430985657 |
| mapCenterLong | Map polygon center longitude location | &mapCenterLong=-123.19713349999999 |
| ciID | Custom city list ID | &ciID=893 |
| coID | Custom county list | &coID=894 |
| pcID | Custom zip code list | &pcID=895 |
| idxsrp | Indicates what page was used to create that results page. Page ID can be found in the control panel. Used for the Modify Search links button. |
&idxsrp=45698 |
| woh | Listings with Open Houses | ?woh |
| wvt | Listings with Virtual Tours | ?wvt |
| stp | *Search type of listings | &stp=supplemental – search only supplemental listings |
| virtualTours | *Number of Virtual tours | &a_virtualTours=2 |
| openHouses | *Number of Open Houses | &amin_openHouses=3 |
| savedName | Applies the search query from the saved link. Can be combined with additional fields. |
?savedName=Eugene-Properties&a_status[]=Active |
| archiveStatus | Search supplemental (not archived) listings | ?aw_archiveStatus=active |
How to search through multiple property types or MLS’s?