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Search queries for custom forms and saved links

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This article explains how to properly use search queries in order to build custom forms and custom saved links of your dreams. This article will be also useful for anyone who is not able to display certain properties with the saved links.

Please note, IDX Broker support can not provide support for custom built forms and information here can be out of date and subject to change. Use at your own risk.

Since IDX Broker results pages are using the standard GET method, you can create a search form from the ground up, as long as you follow the syntax rules explained here.

The standard query string is being used as well – http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Query_string. The field-value pair is separated by a question mark (?), subsequent ones by ampersands (&). In some cases, field-value pair does not have a value.

Custom built forms examples:

Here are several ways to find out the field name:

Every multiple listing service (MLS) is unique and has very specific names for the fields. For example, Regional Multiple Listing Service uses "subdivision" while Mid Florida Regional MLS "legalSubdivisionName" to list available subdivisions

Since each MLS usually has somewhere between 500 and 1500 available fields that are updated every once in a while, it would be impossible to manually keep track of all fields for 600+ MLSs.

Core fields are unique and the same for every MLS, 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 in the following location IDX Control panel Preferences -> MLS Settings -> Core Fields

More information about each field type. You can even use the same field several times in one query with different field types.

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 Vallues &csv_airConditioning[]=Heat+Pump,Window – can be used to shorten the results URL.
Same as &a_airConditioning[]=Heat+Pump&a_airConditioning[]=Window

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
&srtf=acres (does not work anymore with this and other core/advanced fields)
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
zipcode Zip/postal code. Can be used without prefix. 
&zipcode[]=97402
pgon Polygon Search – Coordinates.
It may increase loading time.
Works in both Lt and Pt, but polygon will be displayed only in Pt		 
?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
nowrapper Load page without wrapper. 
?nowrapper
nosubheader Load page without any IDX subheaders 
?nosubheader
nocss Load page without any CSS that is set in the IDX control panel 
?nocss
mobile Load page with the mobile wrapper applied. Use this or change
User-agent string to modify mobile wrapper design.		 
?mobile
fullsite Force desktop view while using mobile wrapper.
NOTE that the value is saved in cookies		 ?fullsite
latest Apply latest template version 
?latest
?latest=true
woh Listings with Open Houses 
&woh=y
wvt Listings with Virtual Tours 
&wvt=y
stp

*Search type of listings

 
&stp=supplemental - search only supplemental listings.
Appears to include all statuses, including Sold.
&stp=featured - search only featured listings. Might not work correctly.
&stp=soldPending - search only supplemental listings. Does not work correctly.
&stp=historical - search only supplemental listings. Is not available yet.
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

slID

Applies the search query from the saved link ID.
Can be combined with additional fields. 

?slID=11379&lp=2000000
archiveStatus Search supplemental (not archived) listings 
?aw_archiveStatus=active
idxStatus IDX Broker status field, that behaves like a core field
(it is technically a pseudo-core field)		 
?idxStatus[]=active&idxStatus[]=sold
displayAddress Listings with/without address that can be displayed on the internet,
which is set by agents/offices/MLS in the data feed.		 
?a_displayAddress=y

*Experimental features

Every single property type has a unique set of fields. Since the URL query works only in AND mode, it is challenging to use advanced fields with multi-property type and multi-MLS searches.

As mentioned before, only core fields can be used to search through multiple property types or MLSs.

You could create your own custom form that would include any of those fields and search through several property types and MLS’s.

Pages that can normally search through multiple property types and multiple MLSs:

  • Basic Search
  • Listing ID Search
  • Address Search
  • Polygon saved links
  • Map Search

EXPERIMENTAL:
If an advanced field is available in all property types and it has the same variable name, you might be able to search through all property types by using &pt=all. It does not seem to work when the MLS identifier is omitted.
For example: ?idxID=a001&pt=all&hp=100000&a_bankOwnedYN=yes will find absolutely all bank owned properties in RMLS, below $100k.

Field Name IDX Display Examples
acres Acres &amin_acres[]=1000&amax_acres=2000
address Address &aw_address[]=Pearl+St&aw_address[]=Olive+St
bedrooms Bedrooms &amin_bedrooms=1&amax_bedrooms=1
cityName City &a_cityName=Springfield
countyName County
fullBaths Full Baths
idxPropType IDX Property Type DOES NOT WORK?!
latitude Latitude
listingID Listing ID
listingPrice Listing Price
longitude Longitude
maxPrice Max Price
minBath Min Baths
minBed Min Bedrooms
minPrice Min Price
minSqFt Min Sq Ft
partialBaths Partial Baths
propStatus Status
propType Property Type
remarksConcat Remarks
rntLse Rent/Lease
rntLsePrice Rent/Lease Price
rntLsePriceOffSeason Rent/Lease Off Season
sqFt Square Feet &amax_sqft=1000
state State &a_state=Oregon
streetDirection Street Direction &a_streetDirection[]=N&a_streetDirection[]=NW
streetName Street Name
streetNumber Street Number &amax_streetNumber=1000&a_streetNumber=1551
totalBaths Total Baths
unitNumber Unit Number
yearBuilt Year Built
zip4 Zip Plus
zipcode Zipcode. Can be used without prefix. &zipcode[]=97401
zoning Zoning

Every single MLS has a unique set of property types. All MLS specific property types can be found on the advanced search MLS Settings -> Property Types

Any search page that searches through multiple MLS at the same time (Basic Search page by default) uses the IDX Broker property types. We decide what would be the best appropriate IDX Broker property type for the MLS property type.

For example if the MLS supplies Single Family Residential (&pt=1 for some MLSs) and Condo property types (&pt=2 for some MLSs), IDX Property type – sfr will include both of them.

Field Name IDX Property Type
sfr Single Family Residential
mfr Multifamily Residential
com Commercial
ld Lots and Land
rnt Rentals
mh Mobile Homes
ri Rental Income
bo Business Opportunity
frm Farms
lse Lease
othr Other

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.

All field-value pairs for separate fields work as 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 OR logical conjunction.

It is not possible to exclude certain values or fields from the queries. You would need to go the other way around and select the allowed values or fields.

Advanced fields can not be used to search through multiple property types (except for the mentioned "experimental" case).

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.
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