dsSearchAgent 3.0 Beta Features
Here, let’s run down some of the new features that you’ll see in the new dsSearchAgent 3.0. All in all, the new interface has been completely updated with a more up-to-date design style. The “Client Register” and “Login” links have been moved to a more prominent location. Now let’s look at some of the other additional features…
The search panel:
- There is now a universal search box.
- You can search by county, city, community, area, tract, zip code, address and MLS#.
- The search box is more intuitive than before with its auto-complete suggestions.
- There is no longer a search button. It has been replaced with a prominently displayed view results button that recalculates and displays the number of results as you adjust the various criteria.
- Sliders and text boxes have been restyled.
- There is now a base set of criteria that is preset and underneath is list of additional criteria that can added if they wish to narrow their search further.
- Parking, property status and has photos criteria have been added.
The results panel:
- First and foremost you will notice that we have done away with the scrolling buttons. We have replaced it with an intuitive scroll box that allows for faster browsing and no scrolling on smaller low resolution monitors.
- We have also reformatted each result to be less cluttered and more legible
The map panel is similar to how we had it before with the exception of moving a few things around and hooking up the instant results to map movement.
The details panel:
- This panel has been completely redesigned to be less cluttered and more readable by putting the most important information consumers up top.
- There is a lot more space devoted to photos now with the ability to see all the photos without l eaving the page for quick viewing.
- In addition, there is a large “View Large Photos” button clearly visible that will bring up a newly designed large photo viewer.
- We have added a “Have Questions” button so that consumers can easily contact you.
- Previous and next buttons have been added for easier browsing through the search results. As a consumer progresses through the results will scroll along with them.
- We have added various ways for them to share property with the “Share” feature at the top (note: Facebook will be added shortly).
- When the details panel is being viewed there are two new areas that have been added under the results panel — one is a contact form and the other is a mortgage calculator.
We know there have been numerous features requested over the last few months and some have made it into this update. There are however a large number of additions that have not but will be added to a variety of updates that will be coming over the next couple months. Things such as open houses (where available), solds (where available), better schools integration, redesign consumer admin area for managing their saved properties and searches, new website modules and numerous other features that we don’t want to let the cat out of the bag on just yet. We are estimating there will be about 4 more updates that will be out every few weeks. For the next week or so we are going to let everyone play with this beta site. This link is not meant to put onto your website. At the end of next week we will have more bugs fixed and a way for you to put the beta onto your site if you like. In addition we will be adding the needed code to accommodate your color schemes. Once we get a very stable version we will give everyone else the opportunity to start using the new version. As beta testers you will have access to the new feature before anyone else. Below is the link to the beta version of 3.0.