XML Feed Format

The aim of this page is to help your company to shape their rental listing data into an XML format understood by our submitting engine. This way, you can contain numerous listings in one file, and submit them in a batch within a second.

XML submitted listings are normally editable afterwards, so you can easily correct any possible mistakes in syntax. However, reading this page carefully is highly recommended to avoid any mistakes, and if you have any questions, please ask us.

Feed format

<properties />
    <property />
        <location />
            <state />
            <areaid />
            <areaspecification />
            <streetname />
            <streetnumber />
            <unitnumber />
            <city />
            <zip />
            <displayaddress /> (y|n)

        <details />
            <rent />
            <deposit />
            <yearbuilt />
            <unittype /> (1|2|3|4|5|6|7|8)
            <sqft />
            <noofunits />
            <lotsize />
            <bedrooms />
            <bathrooms />
            <furnishing /> (y|n)
            <startingtype /> (1|2|3)
            <startingdate />
            <lengthtype /> (1|2|3|4|5|6|7|8)
            <lengthdate />
            <description />
            <mlsid />

        <contact />
            <contactperson />
            <contactemail />
            <contactphone />
            <propertyurl />
            <agencyurl />

Element explanations

state is the two-letter acronym of the state in which the property resides.

areaid is the Area ID within the given state.

areaspecification is a freeform specification of the property location. Character cap is 128.

streetname is the entire unabbreviated street name (e.g. Baker Street) Character cap is 128.

streetnumber is the number associated in the mail address (e.g. 12 A). Character cap is 10.

unitnumber is the specific visiting/mailing address tail (e.g. Room 102). Character cap is 10.

city is the freeform mailing address city. Character cap is 256.

zip is the ZIP code for the address. Character cap is 10.

displayaddress determines whether the address will be publically displayed on the listing page. y if the address will be displayed, n if not.

rent is the amount of United States Dollars requested monthly for rent. Plain numbers only, do not add dollar signs, commas, decimal points or the USD abbreviation.

deposit ???.

unittype is the number corresponding the property type.

  1. Kerrostalo
  2. Rivitalo
  3. Omakotitalo
  4. Paritalo
  5. Erillistalo
  6. Mökki
  7. Huone soluasunnosta
  8. Toimitila
  9. Halli

sqft is the size of the apartment being rented, in square feet. Plain numbers only, do not add commas, decimal points or units.

Preview & feed errors

After sending a feed file, our submission engine goes through it. To make edits to listing data, you must either upload a new XML file that has the corrections or make edits manually afterwards via your My Account page.

On the preview page you will also be presented with any anomalies our engine found. You can either deliberately ignore these warnings and errors, or submit a new, corrected XML file that includes the corrections. Any and all uploaded but not submitted listings (meaning that you successfully uploaded an XML file but did not click "Submit these listings" button on the preview page) will be lost upon uploading a new XML file.

Here are all the different reported anomalies listed.

Data culled — This means that the provided data for the specified element was too long and parts of it was left out. If you submit the file, some data may be cut out mid-word. Shorten it and resubmit a new XML file.

Empty element — The value you provided for the specified element is either empty or contains nothing but whitespace. If you submit the file, this value will be replaced with the default value, usually the first possible choice. Add the missing values, and resubmit a new XML file.

Missing element — You haven't provided the specified element at all. If you submit the file, this value will be replaced with the default value, usually the first possible choice. Add the missing elements, and resubmit a new XML file.

Erroneous debris detected — Your data for the specified element contained characters that do not belong in it by standard; e.g. the rent must be defined in plain numbers only, and any currency abbreviations or signs, decimal points, or commas or whitespace separating thousands will result in a "Erroneous debris detected" warning. If you submit the file, the engine will try to filter out any unaccepted characters automatically, but it might change the context (e.g. 850.45 -> 85 045). Reformat the data to be sure and resubmit a new XML file.

Erroneous value detected — The specified element has a predefined set of possible values (e.g. the displayaddress element can only be y or n), and the value you provided isn't any of them. If you submit the file, this value will be replaced with the default value, usually the first possible choice. Reformat the data and resubmit a new XML file.

HTML detected — The value you provided for the specified element contains HTML tags, which are not allowed. If you submit the file, you will loose any and all HTML formatting within the data. Fix the data to be presented correctly without any markup and resubmit a new XML file.

Glossary

character cap — the maximum amount of characters within a value.

element — an XML object used to relate data within it.

error path — the number before an error message, containing the specified listing and element.

specified listing — the listing ID that is shown next to an error.

specified element — the element name that is shown next to an error.

value — the data encapsulated within an element.