OPINION WANTED! If you were looking for a house online...

[BlingBling 3k12]

what would you want the realtor's website to have on it? I'm plain out of ideas for my client... they want more, but I need ideas.

Anything that you think you would like would be great!

By the way, this is for my client (if i didn't already mention it) and the website is www.goodmanrealtor.com.

Thanks guys/gals/etc.
Casey Kelley

[nkuvu]

Thanks guys/gals/etc.

Hrm. I guess I fall into the "etc" category

First thing I noticed was the "low quality/high quality". As a frequent modem user, I think I'd prefer to see "low bandwidth/high bandwidth" or "low res/high res". I don't like someone telling me that I'm getting second-rate stuff (even when realistically I know I am).

Maybe some movies for walkthroughs?

Also, the picture links in each listing go to individual image files. Add a "back, next, previous" set of buttons to make the site more user-friendly?

From the individual listings, a link to the home page would be nice. I clicked on a link from the main page, then could only go to the St Clair listings using the page links. The browser back button worked fine, but personally I prefer to keep the mouse on the page -- it seems easier.

I know that these aren't huge features, just UI improvements, but that's all I can think of off the top of my head. The site is well designed, and seems very lightweight as far as graphics go.

[genghiscohen]

A Virtual Reality tour of some of the houses, perhaps.
And nkuvu has a good point about "low quality." Better to say "dialup/broadband" IMHO.

[BlingBling 3k12]

Originally posted by genghiscohen
A Virtual Reality tour of some of the houses, perhaps.
And nkuvu has a good point about "low quality." Better to say "dialup/broadband" IMHO.

we're currently bringing virtual 360 tours into our site next week...

and when i made that image, i couldn't quite remember what word to put.... but now, i can change that image to say High and Low bandwidth

[bossa nova]

looks really good.

maybe add a search by low/high price query.

I saw one site that allowed you to search the MLS listings by area code (or city) and price. this was important to me because I knew i had a price ceiling but also knew that I needed something a little better. If not that then maybe adding a sort by price in preferred area.

I looked at one of the listings in
"http://www.goodmanrealtor.com./Listings/WestVirginia/Bethany/index.htm"

I notice there are abreviations. I really hate having to "think" about what abreviations mean. I know that they are common in the Real Estate Biz but maybe Harvey would like to buck the trend and do something that is simple and elegant. (I also notice the prices of a house there. Maybe I live in the wrong area or should pick up some rental properties...MAN!! $67,500 for a 3 bedroom house??? Unbelievable!)

Cutting abreviations and going with the full word might be a better way to go. As one Mac Book Writer said when describing Macs vs. PC: easy is Powerfull, hard is Primitive.

I really like the house pics droping down on the first page. Maybe you could slow it down a second or so. I saw one I like but could get to it quick enough.

Maybe a category for Motivated Sellers or "Hot Deals Ready to bargain". I can't think of anything really. Looks good.

John

[scruffy]

A couple suggestions

In the 'browse listings' page, beside each area maybe put a number for how many listings are currently on offer there - saves clicking a link, only to find out there is nothing for sale in the area.

Definitely, kill the abbreviations - this isn't a newspaper ad, using a full word instead of a single letter is free.

This last one is maybe way outside the scope of what you and your client are after, but I saw a video demo of a system someone had built (and worked up something quite like it for a Human Computer Interface class), where you had a map of the area where the houses were listed, and you could change certain parameters ( cost, number of bedrooms, distance from one or two user-specified addresses, yadda yadda ), and points would appear on the map for all the listings that matched your specifications - click on a point to get the listing. Instead of just saying "It's in Lumpsville", you could see on the map exactly what street in Lumpsville it was on, exactly what was near it, etc.

Obviously, with a website, you would have to go with a very scaled-back version of this, but something along the general lines of having an actual map that really shows you where the house is might be cool.

[BlingBling 3k12]

Originally posted by bossa nova
(I also notice the prices of a house there. Maybe I live in the wrong area or should pick up some rental properties...MAN!! $67,500 for a 3 bedroom house??? Unbelievable!)

noticing where you come from (Los Angeles)... i noticed that a 3 bedroom home with around 1200 sq. ft. costs around $750,000.... this is near manhattan beach (i think... don't put me to that)

anyways......

abbreviations.... i'll try my best but it's sorta a habit...
search.... would take a while, but I have time

i am currently working on some sort of script or program that automates all my work... should make the "search" easier...

and about the sites with no listings in them.... i know, i know, but it's a matter of "want to do vs. time" and right now (for the month at least) time is killing the "want to do"

thanks guys!

[Jadey]

Wow! Homes are cheap in the U.S./that part of the U.S.? Anyway, I have 2 big recommendations:

1. Floor plans
2. Interior photos