Ok, poke holes in this site (or give nice suggestions)

[Cringer]

So here is the website I have been working on for the wife the last few days. If anyone wants to go take a look and give me thoughts/ideas, it would be nice.

The site. (http://www.myrgvrealtor.com)

I know a couple of the links go nowhere, mainly the ones at the very top (FAQ and crap). But if anyone has any big problems with anything let me know.

Also, any suggestions for content for a realtors website would be nice. The biggest thing missing right now that is missing is the MLS search ability for visitors. I hope to have it on at some point, but it is going to require monthly payments to get it on the site. I have no idea how to set up a database to fetch the data and put it on the site. There are companies out there that will do it for you for like $40 a month from what I am seeing. That will have to wait until I know I am staying home for more then a couple months, or until after I get back on a truck.

[Cringer]

dola- and all the main content was crap I pulled out of my ass in a way, so don't pick on it too much. It will be adjusted as I let the wife get involved more and throw her realtor spin on things....

[Cringer]

browser?

thanks for the info

[JPhillips]

This may be just me, but I'd say less text on the opening page and more focus on the pictures. That ocean picture in particular is what would keep me interested, although I'd take a more stunning picture, maybe a sunset. I'd bullet a few text points and let the picture do the talking with a link to more detail.

[Young Drachma]

Allison James Estates and Homes Inc. on the top image there clashes with the image to some degree and since that's the name of company, I'd figure it ought to feature more prominently?

Otherwise, it looks okay I think. I mean, it's a little text top heavy, but...that'd be the only thing I'd say bad about it. I think it looks pretty good otherwise.

[JeeberD]

Dykes... *snicker*

and

Don't realtors usually have their pic on their site?!?

Sorry, had to get those out of the way...

[Mustang]

Something seems off about having the link to 'Agents interested in Allison James' and then showing boats and cars and notes about keeping the commission.

Customer clicks on that and then thinks you are trying to get commissions to buy a boat off them. :)

[st.cronin]

Looks very professional, but I concur: Less text, more pictures.

[Flasch186]

myRGVrealtor.com

Welcome to the home of First Choice Real Estate on the internet. I am Lorie Martinez-Dykes, and I look forward to becoming your realtor in the Rio Grande Valley of Texas. My specialty is in relocation services, lucrative investments, finding foreclosures, and helping first time homebuyers thoughout the Valley, including Starr County, Hidalgo County, and Cameron County. Below you will find a couple of my featured listings, for all of my listings simply





- Im always of the thought "assume the sale" hence my edit above but you may or may not agree.

- I also added some gloss, but you can skip it if you want.

- I think you HAVE to have a better picture from that rooftop patio. That line is distracting and the ocean looks like you're about to catch a squall.

- I think in the header, Im losing some of the white Font in the background, like her name and the name of the place. Perhaps that white cloud could be expanded across the bottom and the font be black? The family crest too, blends a bit, I'd love to see it stand out more against that background.

- on the Tips page, I think it needs to be more about what she can do to help them. Ie, allow me to help you set up a gameplan. Mention Team, etc. Dont tell them how to do it without her, she is the key to having it done right.

[Cringer]

lol. Maybe I should have pointed out what I meant by the "main content" being crap I just threw up there for now.

Everything in the main/center area of the front page is stuff that will be adjusted a bunch I am guessing. The wife hasn't touched anything really yet, and I just wanted to come up with something for the main section about a couple houses so I get get it up and get a feel for it.

More pictures and fewer words will probably be something that is done. I just need to get my hands on more pictures, lol. I am an amatuer at websites, so I will be building it up as times goes and having some rotating pictures is something I want as well in a place or two.

The top banner is a problem. Allison-James is the "parent company" and First Choice Real Estate is my wife's. I needed to get them both on there, along with the crap logo of theirs. As for their website, it blows but I have no control over that.

- I think in the header, Im losing some of the white Font in the background, like her name and the name of the place. Perhaps that white cloud could be expanded across the bottom and the font be black? The family crest too, blends a bit, I'd love to see it stand out more against that background.

- on the Tips page, I think it needs to be more about what she can do to help them. Ie, allow me to help you set up a gameplan. Mention Team, etc. Dont tell them how to do it without her, she is the key to having it done right.

I was going nuts with just a blank color for a banner and went and took a picture of my street to throw up there. I will try to mess with the font/color or get a new picture soon I think.

As for the tips for the tips, once I get the ABOUT page done that should cover what you are talking about replacing the tips with.

Dykes... *snicker*

and

Don't realtors usually have their pic on their site?!?

Sorry, had to get those out of the way...

I forgot my last name wasn't well known here. Yes, it's a good one. :cool:

Her picture is coming, on both the front page and ABOUT page.

[RendeR]

http://www.myrgvrealtor.com/rgvinfo.html

The light green links on this page really need to be darkened. Not a lot but enough to give the text here an easier readability. I had to mouse over every one to read them clearly (firefox latest release)

Overall the look of the site if great. I disagree completely with St Cronin. Keep pictures to a minimum unless the page your showing is specifically a phot-of-homes page.

Search engines HATE images. Text is your best friend and contrary to popular belief, text is exactly what people want to find when they are looking for real information, IE when they're looking for a realtor.

Looks very profesional though man, keep up the good work.

[Cringer]

Thanks Render, and everyone else for the suggestions and ideas.

I need to grab firefox to see the colors the way some of you guys are I guess. Fairly new computer and I haven't downloaded it yet since I have been ok with the latest IE for once. I know the links on the page Render pointed out is not a problem at all to me with IE. I will see how it looks with firefox here soon though.

[Cringer]

Yeah, firefox has shown me a couple differences. Glad to get a reminder of how that can happen.

[stevew]

Random observations.

I'd consider mute-ing the top picture just a little bit, it's kind of hard to pick up the Allison James thing....maybe just bold that text or something, or try to bring it more to the forefront in a different layer.

You might consider putting a picture of Loren on the front page near the welcome message. If i'm reading a personal message, a professional looking snapshot of the person makes it easier for me to identify with them. You already have the other two pics, I think a smiling photo of the Mrs. would be a nice touch. Anyways.

Other than that, it seems to have what I would want on the page, where its easy to find.

[Vinatieri for Prez]

I don't know if it's been said, but I think the weather info on the left is pointless and takes up valuable space that could be used for something else. As it stands now, it's the most conspicuous thing on the left side, and really for no good reason. Ditch it. If you still want something in there like that, try some housing stats, interest rates, etc. but don't let it dominate the client driven links on the left.

[Vinatieri for Prez]

I should also add that on first glance I don't even know whose site it is. Is it First Choice, Lori Dykes, Allison James??? There should be one big name at the top, and that should be the client's.

I also agree that pix with a couple sentences max. Then have link for "more info."

[Scoobz0202]

Like other people have said, the main thing I noticed was the top banner. I had to look to see who the realtor was in the top banner.

[Flasch186]

Cringe:

regarding the names at the top, the state's board for realtors may have some requirements regarding location of names, sizes, etc. that you may choose or not choose to follow. It's still might be a good thing to know.

[GoldenEagle]

The biggest thing you need to do is make it search engine friendly. I am assuming you will get to that when the time comes.

Also, do you know of any of the MLS services? I am doing a real estate site for my dad, and would like to use something like that instead of the crappy thing he has right now, which requires I use an iframe to the actual site they host the data on.

[Cringer]

The biggest thing you need to do is make it search engine friendly. I am assuming you will get to that when the time comes.

Also, do you know of any of the MLS services? I am doing a real estate site for my dad, and would like to use something like that instead of the crappy thing he has right now, which requires I use an iframe to the actual site they host the data on.

search 'mls website integration' or use 'idx' instead of 'mls'. Try throwing in your region/city, because not just anyone can do it I guess. From what I know the local MLS has to give the OK to a company to be able to do it. Most areas I think don't care. I know I live in an area where only a couple companies are allowed.

From what I see you have have a few options when putting MLS on your site. Let a company build and host your site. Or let them set it up on your already existing site for a set up fee and monthly fee. You can have a direct link, or have it framed. Some places will charge you more to blend it into your site more I guess.

[Cringer]

Update-

So after all the work my feeble mind put into making my wife's website, it lasted 4 months. The new real estate company she signed up with right before I stopped driving has proven to be a kickass company for what is basically still an infant company. They have been setting up websites for all their agents, with plenty of ability to customize to make me happy. The big one for me is they set up the MLS search ability for visitors, and took it a step further then most by giving each site access to every MLS search where they have realtors. So people can search a good chunk of the country for listings, and the areas to search will only grow.

And it is all free to us! Very nice, and it's better looking then what I put together on my own. :D I just changed the name servers, this should help a little with business. Although now I have another 7 months of hosting I paid for and nothing to do with it and no domain name for it.

[Marc Vaughan]

Generally speaking a heck of a lot better than the realtor websites I'd looked at when finding a place in Florida.

Only downside I found was no soccer information listed under the sports bit ;)

[DanGarion]

Clearly the prices of the houses are wrong. You need add a zero to end of all those prices.

[Pumpy Tudors]

I found something on that site I'd like to poke holes in.

[MikeVic]

I didn't know my picture was on that site?

[Cringer]

Generally speaking a heck of a lot better than the realtor websites I'd looked at when finding a place in Florida.

Only downside I found was no soccer information listed under the sports bit ;)

If we had anything worth posting for soccer down here I would. I am hoping we get the lower Mexican League team they have talked about trying to get here. I would love that.

Clearly the prices of the houses are wrong. You need add a zero to end of all those prices.

Yes, the houses are cheap. A lot of the food prices are lower here as well. We don't get the same discount for gas or video games though. :mad:

[cubboyroy1826]

Wow there are some cheap houses down there. If the weather wasn't so darn hot i might consider moving.

[Cringer]

Air condition, everywhere, all the time. Life is fine until the power goes out.

[Marc Vaughan]

Yes, the houses are cheap. A lot of the food prices are lower here as well. We don't get the same discount for gas or video games though. :mad:

Out of interest if the houses are that cheap what 'rents' get charged locally? - if they're in line with the house prices rentals must be around $400/month for a 3bed house in a reasonable area? (scaling down from Florida prices)

[Cringer]

Out of interest if the houses are that cheap what 'rents' get charged locally? - if they're in line with the house prices rentals must be around $400/month for a 3bed house in a reasonable area? (scaling down from Florida prices)

Depends on the area of course, and the wife knows much more about this then I do. Doing BPO's that is one of the things I still ask her opinion on every time I need to do that part, and I get answers of $600-$800 usually. Those would be the 3 bedroom/2 bath houses, around 1300-1600 sq. ft.

I know she feels her one listing could go for $800-$900 a month once fixed up. It is in a nice neighborhood, 1400 sq. ft. 3/2 with a good size yard.