New features in re-design of saskhouses.com

Earlier this week, we launched a new re-design of our website. We've been working on the re-design for the past few months, and it includes a number of new features.

 

 

 

- Bigger pictures

 

 

The new design allows for larger pictures on individual listings. With our previous design, the largest picture which could be displayed was 320 x 240 pixels - the new design allows for pictures up to 600 x 400 pixels. This gives users a better view of the listing they are looking at.

 

- Less scrolling

 

One of the complaints we used to hear about our website is that there was too much scrolling - from the top of the page, to the bottom of the page, and back again, to look at all the pictures. So we've put all the pictures together in one area. The pictures will automatically change every six seconds, or you can click on individual thumbnail pictures to enlarge them if you want to have more control of the pictures you are seeing.

 

Another option to scroll through the pictures quickly and easily is to click on a little arrow which will appear to the right or the left of the large picture on the listing when you put your mouse over top of the picture  - this will take you through the pictures one by one, and you can go as quickly, or as slowly as you like

 

 

- A cleaner look

 

We've de-cluttered our header to make it as simple as we can for viewers to find what they are looking for - the header is now identical on every page on the website, and includes separate drop-down menus for buyers and sellers, and easy access to information about which listings are having open houses, about how to advertise your business on the website, and how to contact us. For our sellers, there is also easy access to login and logout of your account.

 

 

And for all of our users, there is easy access to our facebook, twitter, and youtube pages, and to an RSS feed of our listings which gives you a look at a summary view of our all of our listings in an easy to view look. (RSS view is pictured below)

 

 

We've also added a number of other features to the new design in particular, and to the website itself in the past few months. These features include:

 

- Google street view images on individual listings where available

 

- The ability to search listings by phone number or listing number

 

- A youtube channel for videos of listings where saskhouses.com has taken the pictures

 

- A link to an offer to purchase form on every listing page

 

- An improved submission form and management system for sellers

 

- More exposure for our business advertisers

 

We've always strived to keep our website as up-to-date as possible, and we want to stay as ahead-of-the-curve as possible when it comes to website design. We recognize and regret that changing the website design can cause some frustration for users until they get used to the new look, and we also want you to know that the design is still a work in progress.

 

We'd like to thank the designers and programmers at Omnilogic Systems and 2 Web Design for the work they've put into this project already, and the work that is still to come.

 

So, have a look around, and let us know what you think. We hope you like what we've done so far - with the help of your thoughts and comments we'll keep working  to make saskhouses.com the best website we can for Saskatchewan home sellers and buyers.

 

You can drop us a line at saskhouses@shaw.ca

 

Thanks again for using saskhouses.com,

 

Dale & Susanne Neufeld

www.saskhouses.com