Have IDX but need Good "Featured Properties" Edit & Update Tool

[bvadel]

One of my clients utilizes Searchpoint IDX. This IDX solution is pretty good and fairly customizable however there is a key feature missing that she really needs and I wanted to find out if anyone had a suggestion on how best to make this new feature happen through either custom programming, a 3rd party application or ?

Specifically, she wants to be able to easily manage 'featured' listings. Is there an admin tool which would allow her to easily manage "featured proprties" listings on her own and not through her existing IDX solution?

[frobn]

To quickly recap, she wants to be able to "feature" specific modern homes that she has viewed/prescreened for her buyer's clients and visitors to the website. Fortunately, all of the modern homes that she would want to feature are on the MLS/IDX (and are usually listed by other agents that subscribe to broker reciprocity) however the challenge is how to actually make these "Featured Listings" easily manageable for her without having someone dig into software code everytime a feature property needs to be updated on her homepage.

You will need an IDX feed from the MLS. Your present IDX is framed and does not allow direct access to the data (features) you want to manage. Alternately, you could install a listing mangment application and manually enter the listings data.

Is there an admin tool which would allow her to easily manage these types of "featured proprties" listings on her own? The SearchPoint IDX product does allow agents to "call out" featured listings however the featured properties must be listed by the agent or agents broker and does not currently permit featured properties to be called out by MLS #.

There are several commercial and open source applications that have admin backends to manage listings features. Among the most powerful and flexible tools is open-realty and it is free. Here is a recent post on some of our custom IDX projects.

[bvadel]

I will look into the raw data feed option. If we go down that path, can anyone recommend a programmer that could quickly develop this type of application which would make it easier for the Realtor to admin featured listings? Keep in mind that we don't intend to replace the framed IDX solution already on the site since it works pretty well..we are simply looking to add basic functionality that we can't get through the Realigent SearchPoint IDX solution.

Also you mention the possibility of adding this "featured listing" admin function through a listing management application such as Open-Realty. Is there any value or advantage to using a 3rd party application like this vs. Macromedia Contribute? Keep in mind that the Realtor only wants to be able to:
- add 1 photo for each featured listing (no more than 5 featured listings at one time on her homepage)
- add a very brief (3-6 word) description of each featured listing
- embed a hyperlink within each feature listing which would take the visitor directly to the property/property details within her framed IDX solution if someone wanted more information on a featured property.

[frobn]

Also you mention the possibility of adding this "featured listing" admin function through a listing management application such as Open-Realty. Is there any value or advantage to using a 3rd party application like this vs. Macromedia Contribute? Keep in mind that the Realtor only wants to be able to:
- add 1 photo for each featured listing (no more than 5 featured listings at one time on her homepage)
- add a very brief (3-6 word) description of each featured listing
- embed a hyperlink within each feature listing which would take the visitor directly to the property/property details within her framed IDX solution if someone wanted more information on a featured property.

It sounds like a listing management app would be an overkill for your needs. Does your client want to send users to the listings from the featured photo?

[bvadel]

Yes. The idea would be that if the user saw a featured property on the homepage that they liked, they could simply click on it and it would either:
- open up a new window and present the details of the property (using the framed property profile provided by her existing IDX Solution)
- open up the "Featured Properties" section of the website with the particular listing that this user clicked on at the top of the pile.

[frobn]

Yes. The idea would be that if the user saw a featured property on the homepage that they liked, they could simply click on it and it would either:
- open up a new window and present the details of the property (using the framed property profile provided by her existing IDX Solution)
- open up the "Featured Properties" section of the website with the particular listing that this user clicked on at the top of the pile.

If php is on your server I can post a solution for you here and if you provide a url directly to one of the listings I can test to see if it will open in its own window without the need to go through the IDX search process. It won't be an elegant solution but it will work easily.

[bvadel]

Frobn:

Here is a URL to a single listing:

http://www.searchpoint.net/detail.as...ffice_id=ALASS

Please also check your PM since I sent you a private e-mail re: this project.

[frobn]

Here is a quick way to get the featured listings on your web site. You can use it vertically or horizontally by adjusting the main div width and the line breaks. I set the image width at 100px you can adjust that, you don't need to put a height in. The listing will open in a new window.

<script language="javascript">
<!--
function openWindow(url)
{
    var w = window.open (url, "win", "height=600,width=625,location,menubar,resizable,scrollbars,status,toolbar");
}

-->
</script>
<style type="text/css">
<!--
  img {width: 100px;}
-->
</style>


<div style="padding: 5px 0pt; background-color: rgb(187, 201, 211); margin: 10px; width:125px;text-align:center;">
<h4>Featured Listings</h4>
<div style=""><span style="">Original 2 Story Eichlers</span><br /><img src="http://www.homeseekers.com/bareis/addl_picts/20539315-1.jpg"  border="1">
<br />
<input type="button" value="View Listing" onclick="openWindow('http://www.searchpoint.net/detail.asp?_account=idd&_em=1&_org_id=bareis&mls_property_id=20539315&_sponsor_org_id=bareis&_agent_public_id=D328062&_sponsor_office_id=ALASS');">
</div>

<div style=""><span style="">Relocate</span><br /><img src="http://www.homeseekers.com/bareis/addl_picts/20539251-1.jpg" border="1">
<br />
<input type="button" value="View Listing" onclick="openWindow('http://www.searchpoint.net/detail.asp?_account=idd&_em=1&_org_id=bareis&mls_property_id=20539251&_sponsor_org_id=bareis&_agent_public_id=D328062&_sponsor_office_id=ALASS');">
</div>

<div style=""><span style="">Luxury Living<br /></span><img src="http://www.homeseekers.com/bareis/addl_picts/20600495-1.jpg" border="1">
<br />
<input type="button" value="View Listing" onclick="openWindow('http://www.searchpoint.net/detail.asp?_account=idd&_em=1&_org_id=bareis&mls_property_id=20600495&_sponsor_org_id=bareis&_agent_public_id=D328062&_sponsor_office_id=ALASS');">
</div>

You can put the code directly on the home page but I think it would be better to put the code in an external file and call it with php or asp. That way you can make changes without having to disturb the home page. When you update the listings all you need to change is the mls # in the image and listing view and any of the descriptive text.

<?php
include ("features.php")
?>

A main reason why I recommend open-realty is that all the functions that a Realtor would need for a web site are built in. You can use them when you need them without having to resort to custom coding or a major upgrade.

[TheMortgageMechanic]

You might want to switch IDX carriers Home Cards has a customization feature that would help solve your problem. Here is a link to mine.

You want the card version it intergrates with your wesite seemlessly.

Lower right of my card has a trial signup tab.

Please give my name as referral especially if you decide to purchase, I will get a free month. Below is link to my home card. Hope this helps!


http://themortgagemechanic.myhomecar.../HCLogin.aspx?

Great Luck!

Michael

[bvadel]

Switching IDX providers doesn't make sense at this point since our current IDX vendor meets 95% of our needs and most importantly comes free of charge with the local MLS subscription.

We did find a reasonable and very easy to implement workaround by simply providing the agent with Macromedia software which allows her to easily manage the featured listings & URL handoffs via a WYSIWYG application.