connectMLS has extensive map functionality integrated throughout the system that allows you to do your job more efficiently and provide your clients the information they need to simplify their home buying or selling journey. The map features within listing searches allow you to more accurately narrow your focus so you can find properties in the exact area your buyers would prefer. The built-in map layers on searches and reports provide essential information such as a property's proximity to flood zones or other areas of interest. Knowing where the map tools are and how to use them will take your connectMLS experience to the next level.
Let's take a look at how you can leverage Connect's mapping features to augment your searches and give your customers exactly what they want.
Searching
There are several ways to utilize mapping functionality to help sharpen the focus of your searches. Although the listing search fields allow you limit your search by neighborhoods or even specific streets, you can be even more precise with your searches by incorporating maps.
There is a separate Map Search option at the top of the Search menu that allows you to open a map search for any individual property type (or all of them at once, if you choose Cross Property):
That opens a screen with a huge map on the right and a narrow column of search fields on the left:
As you enter criteria, the map will automatically adjust on the fly and plot matching properties. Depending on your zoom level, listings will be grouped together in colored dots based on proximity to one another. Larger groups (100 or more) of listings are red, medium-sized groups (11-99 listings) are yellow and the smallest groupings (10 or fewer) are green. If you zoom in far enough, the grouped pins will disappear and listings will be plotted by individual dark green dots.
In addition to zooming in and out, you can also drag the map around in all directions. If you put a check in the Search While Moving Map check box in the bottom left corner of the map, the colored dots will update to accurately match the map area on the screen.
In the bottom right corner of the map there is a globe icon that allows you to adjust the map view:
You can use this feature to switch between Road, Aerial and Hybrid views. The Road and Hybrid options include street name labels (Aerial does not).
Map Tools
There are additional tools in the upper left corner of the map that can make your map searches even more powerful:
- The Center On feature allows you to enter an address to serve as the center point of the map. Use this in conjunction with the circle boundary drawing tool
to find properties within a certain distance (radius) of a property.
- The map drawing tools
are helpful in searching within a very specific geographic area. The Polygon tool
can be especially handy for searching in non-conforming or oddly shaped areas of interest. You can perform very granular searches using the Polygon tool.
You can also use the Polygon tool to exclude a specific area from your search.
Start off by using the Polygon tool to outline your area of interest. Then use the Polygon tool a second time to indicate the section within this area that you would like to exclude from the search:
- The map layers
icon allows you to apply more than a dozen different overlays or points of interest to your map:
This is where to go if you would like to add flood plain layers or parcel lines to the map. Keep in mind that your zoom level will dictate whether or not you see the map layers you've selected. If you're zoomed too far out, layers will not display.
- The Autozoom when viewing Detail Listing Reports
feature is useful when you have pinned the Full Detail report to the right side of the screen. In these instances, as you toggle between listings, the map will refresh and center on the property you are currently viewing.
Reports
Even if you have already done your search and are currently viewing the results, you still have many mapping features at your disposal.
From the List View report, you can easily plot one (or all) of the listings on a map just by clicking the locate on map icon on the left side of the screen or the Show Map button in the upper left:
When using the locate on map icon, click the next to an individual listing to see just that one property on a map, or click the
at the top of the column to plot all search results on the same map.
The listing's address is also a link that centers the property on a map.
You can access more mapping resources by going to the Additional Info icon on the right side of the List View report:
These Additional Info mapping resources are available from all reports. Just look for the icon.
Related articles:
Add map filters to your search
Search/Map/Listing screen controls in connectMLS
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