Total amateur needs help

ellinor*

New Member
Hi

Really new to web design and trying to set up a real estate site. Could anyone give me advice how to set up a search function specific for my site instead of using the google etc...and how can a design it so people can post their items for sale?

any help will be much appreciated!
ellinor*
 

ellinor*

New Member
total amateur help: reply

Thanks for the reply. Its my site and I would like it preferably before the end of july. I had been using Homestead site builder, but can't seem to find how to custom it so others can sell on it or how to compose a search function for the site?

I've learned some basic HTML so far.

cheers
Ellinor*
 

StephanieCordray

New Member
Well, the problem is several fold.
1. You want to set up a real estate site with listings.

2. You want others to be able to add to those listings. Are these others you speak of: Are they realtors within your same office or other realtors in your area? Or listings from an Association of Realtors in your area? How would you like them to be able to add listings? Through a form submission, direct upload of the properties being added, or using the databank of the Association?

3. You want search funtion capability within your site. What form would you like the search function to take? MLS numbers and other parameters particular to real estate, such as square footage, number of bedrooms, etc? In any event this will most likely require the setup of a database but it's helpful to know what is needed to know what to recommend.

These are questions that need to be asked and answered before you can know what you might need to set up the site. I don't think you can do much of this type stuff on Homestead and it may mean finding a new place to host the site and hiring someone else to initially set up a site for you. Free hosting sites such as homestead are often limited in what they allow, although I hear they have some paid hosting services which might be different.
 

ellinor*

New Member
reply

Hi, thanks for the help. :)

I think I mis-phrased what I meant at first. Its going to be real estate style site (as in people can post things for sale) but it will be books I am dealing with, specifically academic books so its targetting university students. Kind of like on amazon where you can sign up as a member and post your books for sale but more specialised with a small commission charged. I have set up a page with both text boxes to write in book title/ headline etc and also menus for the books year of publish/ hardback, paperback etc so clients can post their book via this, I just don't know how to format this so there listing actually appears on the site after submission. If possible I would like to allow site members to upload pictures of their book as well. So the listing would go out in an e-bay like format but without the auction. Have you any advice on the best software for this or any freeware?
I also want other members to be able to purchase books from the site so I need a search. Ideally I wanted to link it to an ISBN database but again my know how fails me. Failing this a search with title of book/ author/ year and keywords (choosing options from dropdown menus) is my aim.
At the moment I have about 6 pages set up with links/ menus / images etc

thanks
Ellinor*
 

StephanieCordray

New Member
do you have a link to what you have done? I'm thinking some sort of shopping cart software is what you are going to need. There are lots of free ones. I'm fairly well versed in osCommerce but it's by no means the only one out there.
 

ellinor*

New Member
reply

Hi,

I've just published what I've done so far- you can access it at:

http://hstrial-etudge.homestead.com/IQbookshome.html

Its a bit dodgy looking at the moment but it is my first go at it! but you should be able to get the idea of what I'm trying to achieve. It also seems a bit slow loading up...

If adding a database etc is too hard for me do you know if i could hire anyone to do this bit for me and how much do you think it might be?

cheers for the help:)
ellinor*
 

StephanieCordray

New Member
3 things. I thought in your above description that you said the books weren't going to be auctioned, yet your site states auction. I assumed from the above description that you are basically wishing to put up used-new college books for sale... which you can do with a shopping cart. An auction application is quite a bit different.

Second, you should find out if you can add a database to your existing site. You'll have to contact homestead to learn this. I'm thinking not since it's a subdomain but I could be wrong. I haven't dealt with Homestead in years. If you can add a database, yes, I know someone you can hire to do the work but you can also take that description above, copy it over into the requests section here and ask for bids on the project.

Third, I've seen worse for a first attempt at a website, so it's not all bad.
 
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