custom design for real estate web sites
how i work
requests for suggestions or site critiques: I am unable to provide suggestions for or critiques of REALTORS® sites outside of a paid consulting relationship.
how long does it take? There is usually a waiting list of people who have contracted for and who have already paid for my design services. Priority is given to those who paid first.
I can't say for sure how long it will take to complete work on your site once I get started, but you can count on at least 2-3 weeks. Because I get your input and approvals as I go along, and because real estate agents are busy people, I often have to set projects aside for awhile as I wait for client response. The faster you answer my emails, the sooner I will be able to finish your project.
when will i start your project? Because I often have a backlog of projects, I may not be able to start work on your site the instant you retain my services. Priority will be given to those who paid their fees first. No work will actually begin on a site until the fee has been paid. I will give you a list of "homework" tasks, information that I need from you before I begin working on your site. Often by the time you have gotten this information together, I'll be ready or nearly ready to start on your site.
preparing artwork for your approval: Before beginning "hands-on" work on your live site, I will prepare Photoshop graphics for your approval and input. Please be sure to check details like phone numbers carefully.
choosing photographs for use on your site: Because architectural and landscape styles vary from place to place, I may need your help determining which photographs are suitable to represent your real estate business and area. I often use photos or stock illustrations purchased from inexpensive stock photography sites. If you would like, I can make "lightboxes" in my accounts on stock photography sites so that you can search them, find photos you like, and copy them to the lightbox for possible use and purchase later on. (Don't purchase them yourself; I'll only purchase those that I actually end up using.). If we can't find what you need from the low-budget stock sites, we can turn to services such as GettyImages.com and Photos.com, which are somewhat more expensive.
If you require photos that are only available from more expensive services, I will ask you to purchase them yourself or to fund their purchase. If you plan to use them later on print pieces such as postcards, you may want to purchase them in medium to high resolution.
you make the pages; i make them look good: My service does not include creating or adding content to pages. It is important that you create any new pages for your site before I begin installing your new graphics. Especially important are pages for any lead-generation features that are highlighted with graphics, such as "request a free CMA" or "subscribe to my email new listings services" since I'll need to link the graphics to these pages.
dropdown menus: If you have requested an enhanced site design package including a custom "dropdown" menu, be sure that all the pages you want are made before the menu is installed so that I can link them to the menu. Point2 cannot automatically add buttons to a custom menu, so if you add pages after the initial installation of the menu, either I or someone else who is familiar with advanced HTML and with Point2 customization will need to add the page links for you.
decision makers: It's preferable that one person in your organization be responsible for all final decisions and for communication with Cherie and me.
design direction: If you think you might feel the urge to create your own graphics in a program like Photoshop or to modify my graphics, then send them to me telling me what you want done, please don't hire me.
If you need changes, it's best if you tell me what you want to achieve with the change rather than exactly how you want changes made. Example: "Please give more emphasis to this feature" rather than "Make that type bigger, bolder and red." Also, keep in mind the a KISS principle for graphic design: the more items you try to emphasize, the poorer the chance those items will be noticed. One focal point is always better than multiple focal points.
working live on your site: You'll need at minimum $39.95 Professional level Point2 site or a Broker or Builder site. I'll need your user name and password to work on it. I usually begin by working on hidden pages and often do final installations on weekends when sites tend to be less busy. While I'm doing the actual hands-on work, I make every effort not to "break" anything or lose any data, often backing up HTML for pages in Dreamweaver. So far, there have been no catastrophes and I hope my luck continues to hold out!