Having a background in web site design, I make my own web site. It's cheaper and gives me complete control over features in it.
Earlier this year I began downloading the listings directly from the MLS, courtesy of my MLS administrator and some paperwork. It took me a while to get the data working but it turned out pretty well. I have further plans but with my schedule some things just have to get in line.
My MLS administrator told me this past week that we have a new field in the MLS I will soon be able to take advantage of. It's actually part of a feature I had wanted to add to my web site recently. I talked with him about it but was not able to do so because it would violate MLS rules.
The new feature pertains to "Foreclosures". When adding a new listing there is a new field that allows you to specify if the property is a foreclosure. We currently have to look at the Owner's Last Name field to determine if it is a foreclosure so this field will make it cut and dry.
With the permission of the MLS board, I intend to add a new feature to my web site that will list foreclosures specifically. I hope this will generate more business. I have received phone calls from people that were interested in purchasing foreclosures but sometimes they go so fast average buyers don't have a chance to look at the property before it's received a contract.
Those seller status fields are popping up on our MLS as well. We had other ways to search that worked well if you knew how to do it (I do) but this will be a lot easier and it makes so much sense I don't know why they didn't think of it before!