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The ability to create saved map searches, including polygon and radius technology, is here! Throughout 2010, we've slowly rolled out our latest masterpiece: it's the new version of our custom IDX (v's 3.0, 3.1), and it is awesome! However, for our clients who already love their existing REW site and its v2.x IDX, the choice of whether to scrap their old IDX for the new one, is a big decision. So, this page will describe the significant differences introduced in the new IDX platform. Better, F... Read Full Post

I've noticed that a lot of our clients, once their website's initial design framework has been created, aren't savvy about how to use a designer for further development. They aren't aware of how extra design work can improve the body content, which improves stickiness and conversion. It also just makes the site look better. So, I've provided nine examples below of quick (i.e., inexpensive) design work ideas that will improve your site's content. Creating Styles for Common Situations You don't... Read Full Post

It's been requested periodically in the last several years, and we finally did it! Now, every REW template comes with our Slideshow Manager. Just to be clear: Anyone who buys even the most basic template setup will now be able to upload their own photos to their slideshow, change the order, and even make the images click through to other pages. Here's how the slideshow manager looks in the backend: Some of you couldn't wait for this, and you paid us to do a custom implementation on your site.... Read Full Post

Here on the Real Estate Webmasters writing/SEO team, we have a standard way of setting up our "area" pages. It is proven to be effective, when the goal for the page is conversion of traffic into leads. What's an "Area Page"? This is a term we use loosely to refer to a page that describes a relevant, name-able real estate market that is worked by the agency that runs the website. Sometimes it describes a certain property type ("Phoenix condos"), and sometimes it has a broader scope ("Tempe rea... Read Full Post

Are you tired of writing long emails to your designer or programmer, only to receive a reply that looks like this?: "It looks fine on my end." or "I'm not sure what you're referring to." Well, no longer! Just read my amazing fourth blog post (below) and you'll swear you're sitting in the same office as your development team! That's right - NO more wasting time and money on billable emails back and forth! NO more surly one-line responses from kids half your age! Tip #1 - Clearing Your Browser'... Read Full Post

Ever place an image on your page and have it look like this in relation to the text?: Not only is it towering over the text (instead of "floating" within it like in a magazine), but there should be a margin separating it from the text (see the word "As" almost getting ink on it?). If you're familiar with inline CSS, you can do something like this: <img src="/images/lab.jpg" /> But in case that doesn't work, read on... REW Shortcuts There are two options for easy image formatting in our ... Read Full Post

Your content will look prettier, better organized, and more professional if you can put calls to action (or other distinct units of text) into their own boxes within the body, like this: Your Real Estate Webmasters site, whether it's a templated design or fully custom, comes pre-installed with at least 3 options for this kind of callout box. There are two CSS classes ("highlight" and "important") and the HTML "blockquote". Blockquote This markup should create an effect on any html page, inden... Read Full Post

Everyone knows that search engines like to see a sitemap on your website. The sitemap should be linked-to from the homepage and, ideally, from every page. The easiest way to make this happen would be to put the sitemap link in your side-navigation, but, the sitemap is insignificant to 99% of your users, so it shouldn't waste space in your side-navigation. So, how can you have a sitemap that's linked to from every page, but isn't in your navigation? You could paste the link into the body of ev... Read Full Post