After a very long and strongly debated case over who should be the official IDX recommendation of the Geek Build Steering Committee, we have decided on Real Geeks.

Remember, the focus of Geek Build is to build websites with the following goals in mind:

  • Maximize lead generation (signups, blog or IDX)
  • Maximize lead conversion (phone calls, requests for showings, specific property requests, track closings from site long-term)
  • Maximize time on site, page views/visit
  • Minimize bounce rate

Conversion is the most important aspect of an IDX, particularly given the goals we were are focusing on at Geek Build. Real Geeks is a very easy to use system that converts at a high level and will be perfect for the Geek Build participants. Here is a review of Real Geeks by Paul Coffman, a technologist with 20 years of experience.

Diverse Solutions has a lot going for it. Particularly, their mobile product, dsIDXpress being a couple years ahead of its competitors, and lots of strong advocates. Displet’s primary strength is its customization options. However, most agent don’t have the knowledge to truly be able to take advantage of that flexibility and build something unique and effective. For brokers and agents with a tech budget/know how – it’s a different story and something very much worth considering.

Choosing the right IDX company can make or break your site.  That is why we felt it was best to go with a proven company that has a number of dominant sites across many markets.  There is a reason that large players like Virtual Results are integrating Real Geeks into their client’s sites.  It works.

I know that when I recently redid my real estate site it came down to both Real Geeks and Displet if I was going to stick with a WordPress site.  Both are great companies.  One has a long track record and very few customization options.  The other is a young company but extremely flexible and innovative.

At the end, we went with Real Geeks and it’s $100 per month plan as our official recommendation.

Next up? Finalizing the wireframes and turning them into real designs.

Note from the Editor: Not sure what Geek Build 2012 is? It’s building a few real estate websites from scratch publicly with the help of the Geek Estate Community and overseen by an experienced steering committeeRead more about Geek Build 2012 here, or view all posts related to Geek Build 2012 here.

**Geek Build logo designed by Dominic Morrocco at M Squared Real Estate.