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[SandersDesign]

I'm looking to develop a local property lettings directory as a side project and would like some feedback. I first love the way MoDx allows me to build and develop websites quickly, however for a real estate type website which requires IDX feeds, user notifications via email, Geo Google Map markers, I'm looking at using Open-Realty as a possible alternative.

My question is, has anyone in the community used Open-Realty and more importantly how was the experience in comparison to using MoDx. I have additional plans to start targeting the real estate sector with website design services once my side project is complete. As such I would need to either develop my Open-Realy skill set or script required features in MoDx, so I'd in interested to hear feedback on the Open-Realty's learning curve in comparison to MoDx. Any additional feedback would also be welcomed on why or what makes MoDx or Open-realty a strong option for real estate type sites.

All feedback welcome

[SandersDesign]

No one used Open Realty? I'll have to give it a go later this week and see how things progress. I just hope its as good as MoDx

[smashingred]

I built 4 sites in OR and I don't like it at all. It is clumsy and the templating is very cumbersome. I swore I'd never do another one. What you want to do can be accomplished in MODx far more sanely. Even if you get into 100s of listings. Now as far as IDX feeds are concerned, you could use an XML feed via ditto an customize it based on your local IDX standard. User Notifications are not too tricky to do in MODx and Google Maps work well in both and in MODx you have far finer grained management.

OR's community is small, picky and creating "plugins" for it is clumsy as they have a very rigid plugin scheme so if you want something outside the norm you will need more than cut-n-paste PHP skills.

If you would like more feedback on a property listings site in MODx, please ask.

Jay

[SandersDesign]

Hi Jay,

Thanks for the feedback, another important feature for my site is a regional geographic search, so users can filter listings by set (example) 10mile radius.

I've already developed a website for a property agent using MoDx at www.thenewhomescompany.com but this was more of a brochure type site with a basic search feature with one admin user.

I'm looking to develop something more inline with www.rightmove.com or www.findaproperty.com.

I'd be very interested to see any sites already developed like the above using MoDx.

[smashingred]

Geographic Searching is outside the scope skills but I can only imaging that if you can use GoogleMaps to geolocate the listings you would be able to do location based searching.

OR does have geolocation and works okay (but not pretty) for medium to large urban areas and especially in the states. I think there is a Google geolocation addon for MODx but I don't remember where I've seen it. Check the forums. Using TVs for the address elements and then doing live searches based on that might be useful.

[SandersDesign]

Hi Jay

I'll do more research on the geo search as I'm sure we could build something using MoDx. I'm keen to develop my MoDx skill-set further so the property site would provide an ideal personal project to try something new.

I noticed that you developed the http://remaxsouthshore.ca site, looks very nice. Was this built with MoDx?

[sharkbait]

Hi there,

I'd be very interested to see any sites already developed like the above using MoDx.

this one is done with MODx -> http://deleted
the search function is made with tvExplorer

jan

[Sylvaticus]

Hi there,

I'd be very interested to see any sites already developed like the above using MoDx.

this one is done with MODx -> http://deleted/

the search function is made with tvExplorer

jan

The linked site has a virus. I got an allert in Awast.

[sharkbait]

  what - i'm sorry...i bookmarked that link from a thread in the forum, had no alert when i went on that website today though 

[bluespark]

Yes, if you haven't noticed each of the pages have a very spammy link just above the footer panel
Looks like this site has been hacked.

Of course, if you are saying this is a  MODx site, then would be interested in what happened, but in the meantime the second reference to the domain should be deleted from the thread

Regards
Mark

P.S.
We did an Open Realty site and also found it very clunky, knowing what I know now would probably re-do it MODx

[Sylvaticus]

but in the meantime the second reference to the domain should be deleted from the thread

Sorry about that, I should of course not Quoted the link it self. 

[smashingred]

@modxpowered http://www.remaxsouthshore.ca is a OR based site although there is some custom voodoo happening there. The search is borked and the MLS.ca RETS is non standard so it is a pain. I have a RETS wrapper class for PHP that would allow you to create views in MODx via RETS if you wanted OR you could use Ditto to create the IDX feeds from the listings so long as you had the IDX format you needed.

Cheers,

Jay