About Unlock MLS
Unlock MLS is the Austin Board of REALTORS' listing system, an operation that has run continuously since 1952 and spent most of those decades under the ACTRIS name. The rebrand arrived in 2023, but the database, the membership, and the 18-county Central Texas footprint carried straight through. Agents searching for Unlock MLS IDX, and the many still typing ACTRIS IDX, end up at the same place: the third-largest MLS in Texas.
From ACTRIS to Unlock MLS:
- The Austin Board of REALTORS has operated an MLS since 1952, among the first in the country
- Generations of agents knew it as ACTRIS, the Austin/Central Texas Realty Information Service
- The new name was unveiled in July 2023 as part of a broader consumer-facing push
- Ranks third among Texas MLSs by size
- Covers 18 counties across the Austin metro and the Hill Country
- Runs a documented data licensing program for website and technology feeds
Rebrands confuse paperwork for a year or two, and this one is young. Expect both names in the wild; the data behind them is identical.
Coverage area
Unlock MLS serves agents and brokers across:
- Texas - Central Texas, anchored by the Austin metro
The 18-county footprint in market terms:
- Travis County: Austin proper, from downtown condos to Lake Travis waterfront
- Williamson County: Round Rock, Cedar Park, Georgetown, and Leander, the metro's growth corridor
- Hays County: San Marcos, Kyle, Buda, and Dripping Springs
- Bastrop and Caldwell counties: the eastern crescent, Bastrop and Lockhart
- The Hill Country reach: Burnet, Blanco, and the lake and ranch markets west of the metro
San Antonio, Houston, and DFW run their own systems, and the Killeen-Temple corridor has a separate board, all covered on their own pages. If your buyers commute on MoPac or I-35 through Austin, this is your feed.
How to get Unlock MLS listings on your website
Unlock MLS runs data access through its licensing program, and CloseDaily sits on the vendor side of the table:
- Hold an Unlock MLS subscription. ABoR membership and your broker's participation carry your IDX eligibility.
- Authorize the display. The data license paperwork gets signed with your brokerage's blessing, naming the site that will carry listings.
- CloseDaily works the licensing program. We handle the vendor-side agreements and pull the feed through the MLS's RESO-compliant channels, ACTRIS-era relationships included.
- Austin search opens on your domain. Map search, listing pages, and alerts arrive built to the MLS's display rules, with CloseDaily accountable for all of it.
If your brokerage's files still say ACTRIS on the data paperwork, that vintage predates the rebrand. We sort the current agreements as part of onboarding rather than leaving the archaeology to you.
CloseDaily and Unlock MLS
CloseDaily supports IDX integration for Unlock MLS. Your site runs Central Texas search on the MLS's data while the CRM captures every inquiry and drips the follow-up.
Austin's buyers are tech-fluent by default and portal-weary by experience. A fast branded search with honest data, plus alerts that fire when a 78704 bungalow lists, is exactly the tool they wish more agents offered.
Expect $299 per month at the entry level, plus the standard 7-day free trial with a credit card on file. Onboarding turns the approved feed into a live site within a few business days.
Start your 7-day free trial or Book a demo to give your Austin buyers a search worth bookmarking.
Frequently asked questions
Does CloseDaily support Unlock MLS IDX?
Yes. CloseDaily supports IDX integration for Unlock MLS across its 18-county Central Texas territory. We manage the licensing program paperwork and launch your search during onboarding.
How do I add Unlock MLS home search to my website?
Confirm your subscription and broker authorization, and CloseDaily handles the data license, the feed, and the build. Sites typically go live within a few business days of approval.
What areas does Unlock MLS cover?
Unlock MLS covers 18 Central Texas counties: Travis, Williamson, Hays, Bastrop, and Caldwell at the core, with Hill Country reach through Burnet and Blanco. Austin, Round Rock, Georgetown, San Marcos, and Dripping Springs all live in this system.
How long does Unlock MLS IDX setup take?
Broker authorization is the gating step, and the licensing mechanics run in parallel on our side. Most sites finish onboarding within a few business days of the MLS's approval.
Is Unlock MLS the same as ACTRIS?
Yes, one system across two eras. ACTRIS became Unlock MLS with the 2023 rebrand, and membership, data, and history continued seamfree under the new name. Old ACTRIS references in searches and paperwork all point here.
Does Unlock MLS reach the Hill Country?
It does. The footprint extends west through Burnet and Blanco counties into lake and ranch country, which keeps weekend-home searches on the same feed as your Austin listings.
Related MLS coverage
- North Texas Real Estate Info Systems - Texas
- Houston MLS - Texas
- Central Texas MLS - Texas
- Highland Lakes MLS - Texas
- Waco MLS - Texas
Unlock MLS is a trademark of its respective owner. CloseDaily is an independent IDX and CRM provider. CloseDaily is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by Unlock MLS or its parent organization.