Website Listing Engine Alternatives

Loopnet LoopLink
Probably the most prevalent industry solution, Loopnet's LoopLink allows companies to have all their listings on Loopnet automatically posted on their own website.

Pros
One-and-done solution: If you've got a CRE listing, most likely you're going to elect to post it on Loopnet. Using LoopLink allows the posting to go live on Loopnet and and your company website simultaneously and avoids double data entry.

Cons
Formatting is not that customizable, and if done poorly, it is glaringly apparent that the site is using a cookie cutter solution.

CoStar Connect

Costar Connect
Another dominant solution is CoStar Connect. Similar to Looopnet, if you've got a commercial listing you want to make sure gets maximum exposure, posting it on CoStar is important. If you use CoStar Connect, the listing information stored on CoStar will become publicly accessible thru your website. Otherwise, CoStar will require CoStar account in order to access the listing information.

Pros
Using CoStar Connect helps to better publicize the listing information hosted on and maintained by CoStar. It also allows users to use CoStar's stock photography on their listing pages without getting sued.

Cons
The search interface and listing layout appearance is dated. The only way to integrate the solution into your site is to use an iFrame and CoStar's formatting. Additionally, it has quirky performance in browsers other than Internet Explorer.

Xceligent CDXDirect+

Xceligent CDXDirect+
Similar to CoStar, using Xceligent allows brokerage shops to have much of their listing's information auto-populated by a third-party data source. Xceligent recently acquired ePropertyData with the objective of expanding their Commercial Information Exchange (CIE) footprint.

Pros
Auto-populated property attributes and photos, in the 40 markets Xceligent covers.

Cons
You thought CoStar Connect looks bad, Xceligent may have it beat.

Catylist Sitelink

Catylist SITELINK
Similar to Xceligent, Catylist serves more than 30 CIEs. These CIEs are basically local market associations which create and maintain database of commercial real estate information supported by the professionals in that market. Each CIE typically has some level of public accessibility, which is a contrast to CoStar's listing database.

Pros
The aesthetics of Catylist's solution are a bit more pleasing than CoStar's or Xceligent's, but again, the formatting is virtually uncustomizable. Also, the listing-level page is quite expansive and allows for tons of information.

Cons
The input of general property information is required. Catylist is not as widely used as Loopnet or CoStar, so you'll need to re-post the listing again, manually, to those sites in order to maximize the listing's exposure.

Property Line SuperConnect

Property Line SuperConnect
Property Line's SuperConnect is another affordable alternative to the solutions listed above. Because PropertyLine does not have a direct affiliation with any CIE or other local market association, the listing information you enter in remains in the PropertyLine silo and will not be syndicated to other sites like Loopnet, CoStar, Xceligent and Catylist's listings would. That said, it does provide a solid solution for agents who have for investment property inventory. This type of inventory typically sees minimal benefit from the exposure to a CIE or local market listing exchange.

Pros
SuperConnect is an affordable alternative to more widespread alternatives. It does allow users to automatically post their listing to the Property Line site and includes a good listing map utility on the search page.

Cons
Property Line is not affiliated with any CIEs or other local market associations, so your listing will be limited to the Property Line domain.

CIMLS List Once

CIMLS List Once
CIMLS List Once is similar to Property Line in many respects, as CIMLS is not affiliated with any CIEs, either.

Pros
CIMLS is another affordable alternative to the big boys, particularly for current users of the product.

Cons
The formatting appears to be a bit dated and not very customizable. CIMLS is not was widely used as other alternative listing search sites, so double or triple data entry is required.

Rofo Company Pages

Rofo Company & Team Pages
Rofo.com recently introduced their Company and Team pages and the service seems to be gaining some solid traction. Current users include PS Business Parks, a publicly traded real estate company with more than 28.2 million square of rentable area. The layout of the listing page is by far the freshest format of this listing engine bunch, and includes a brief company description at the top and a photo-friendly listing layout below. Rofo's business model is to sprinkle in a more social flavor to their marketing services, and a unique feature of this listing page is the ability to "follow" the company.

Pros
Rofo's Company pages have a nice, fresh layout. Every deal you post on your page would also be pushed to Rofo's listing search service.

Cons
Rofo is not affiliated with any CIEs or other local market associations, so your listing will be silo'd with the Rofo domain only. The company pages do not appear to have a way to search or filter listings by type, size or location which is limiting.

We hope you find this list useful if you are in the market for a listing engine, or are just generally curious. If we've overlooked other alternatives or misstated product abilities (or lack thereof) above, please let us know in the comments and we'll be sure to make the appropriate revisions.

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