If you haven’t noticed, the main update has been the new detail page. The new page has larger photos (600 x 400), [...]]]> I have been spending most of my time the past 4 days installing site update, killing bugs and responding to visitor feed back about the updates. So far the feedback has been very positive.

If you haven’t noticed, the main update has been the new detail page. The new page has larger photos (600 x 400), an automatic slide show, and tabs for listing maps and, if you have a Youtube video attached to your listing, a tab to play the video in place.

Browse through your listings and see how they look. Some known problems are blurry or grainy photos (you will need to upload a minimum of 640 x 480 resolution for crisp photos) and no maps. If your listings are missing maps, it may be that you have not been entering addresses or are not checking the show interenet address check box on the listing entry form.

You may also notice a few new cities showing up on the search form. RealWorld shows very high in the Google search results for Oregon real estate. Until now we have not had the statewide listings to deliver to visitors who find us that way. We are fixing that by adding offices in western Douglas county and will be working north and south from there. If you know an agent or office outside the south coast, please tell them about RealWorld.

Any other problems or comments, please email me. I look forward to the feedback.

Thanks for all of your continued support.

Ken

At the top of the new listing forms you will see Foreclosure, Bank Owned, Short sale [...]]]> Last weekend I uploaded new forms with some new fields. I wrote this post and then did not file it under the RWRE Members category so it would show up on the login page. Better late than never I guess.

At the top of the new listing forms you will see Foreclosure, Bank Owned, Short sale and Display Address field check boxes. Foreclosure, Band Owned and Short sale default to no. The Display Address field will allow you to suppress the search by and display of a property address on RealWorld.

In the Advertising and Description section of the form there are now three fields for links to additional pages. The old featured listing link is now intended as a virtual tour link. Two new fields have been added. They are Video link and listing Web site link.

The new fields will support an upcoming redesign of the RealWorld search and listing detail pages. The new pages will include google maps (thus the ablity to suppress address display) and will prominently feature listing videos when available. The Foreclosure, Bank Owned and Short sale criteria will be added to the search form.

If your listings are fed from an RMLS broker specific feed, the fields will be included automatically. Otherwise, you should update your listings as you have time. The new detail page will not go live for a couple of weeks to give you time to edit your listings.

If you would like, I can update all of your listings to display addresses. Then you would have to only edit those that wish to not have the address displayed.

This is the first of several changes and new features I am planning this year. I will announce more as they get closer to reality. As always, I look forward to any comments and feedback.

Update: The  Comspan Tech has come and gone. Connection was down for [...]]]> The battery in the battery backup for our fiber connection has failed. Comspan will be replacing it tomorrow (Thurs June 24th) at about 1:30 pm. RealWorld, Assessor Tax data, idx et al will all be down for several minutes while they work on it.

Update: The  Comspan Tech has come and gone. Connection was down for such a short time, you probably didn’t notice.

Last month, Google opened the system up to allow users to set Google Voice as the default voice [...]]]> I have had a Google Voice account since before Grand Central was bought out by Google. Like a lot of things, I signed up, played with it a little and then let the account sit there gathering dust.

Last month, Google opened the system up to allow users to set Google Voice as the default voice mail for cell phones. I had no problems with the way my ATT voice mail was working but it got me started about the service some more. Last week I forwarded my cell phone voice mail and, with the help of Aaron Blakely at Comspan) I got my office phone voice mail forwarded.

From the couple of test calls we made I know I am going to love the system. Here is how it works:

If you call my cell phone, I will probably answer. The only time I have it off is sometimes on the golf course or in places where it is not allowed or impolite to have it on. I also don’t answer it if I have to dig it out of my pocket when I’m driving. If I don’t or can’t answer, you will go to my Google Voice voice mail where the message you leave is transcribed and emailed to me. The call details and the first few words of your message are also sent via text message to my cell phone.

If you call my office number and I am at my desk, I will probably answer (unless you are trying to sell me oil futures, I love my caller id). If I don’t answer it in 3 rings, it forwards to Google Voice. However, before you get my voice mail, Google Voice rings my cell phone where I will probably answer (see above).

I have often felt like I should publish my cell phone number for clients. With Google Voice that is no longer necessary. Call me at the office and you will get me if I am awake and alive.

There are lots of things you can do by grouping contacts and assigning special features to different groups. That is going to take a little time. I also want to play with the Google Voice widget. The widget puts a call me button on a web page. Click a button and Google Voice will call your number and connect you to me. Sounds like the answer for real estate contact me pages huh?

Google Voice is still in limited beta but I have 3 invitations that may get you an account faster than their normal request process. First 3 to request an invite gets them.

By the way: as of January 1, 2010 talking on a cell phone while driving is going to be illegal in Oregon. I picked up a couple bluetooth hands free accessories for our cars at Costco. I’ll let you know how they work if anyone is interested.

Until now I have held onto the hope that we would be able to do it again [...]]]> Earlier this summer I won a free pass for two for a Jerry’s Rogue Jetboat trip up the Rogue River in a golf tournament. We took the 80 mile trip to Agnes last summer and it was great fun.

Until now I have held onto the hope that we would be able to do it again this year. But unfortunately summer has gotten away from us and we are not going to be able to use them.

Jerry’s has several length trips and the tickets are good for any of them. You can see details of the trips here. The pass expires Sept 15th so you will only have 2 weeks to use them. Also, some of the longer trips may not be available later in the yeardepending on water levels.

I am offering this pass to the person who can best tell me how they will use them, and will guarantee me that they will be used. And, if you are interested in second place, I also have a $50 VIP discount pass which (depending on the trip) is about 2 for the price of one.

I’m not going to wait long to give these away so if you are interested, better email me today: ken dot gregg at rwre.com.