laptopmanpaul.co.uk

Open Realty … for free listings management

Get into property .. or realty!

Four of my websites are made using a php/open source application called Open Realty.

Open Realty is described as a:

… free web based listing management application. It is intended to be both easy to setup and use. Written in PHP, Open-Realty® is designed to be a fast and flexible tool for your website.

 I originally started using it for a property-based website which I’ve been developing for far too long now.

After my dad’s 70th birthday, I came up with the idea of creating a property rental website pulling together large properties for big groups.

I’d had a devil of a job finding a property big enough for 4-5 family groups, and no-one seemed to cater specifically for this need.

I needed a database-driven sorting and listing system, but hadn’t a clue how to do it.

I discovered Open Realty was available via Fantastico as a download, so I started to play!

First steps …

My first website was called familgettogethers.co.uk, but after realising that the URL is difficult to type, I moved it over to big-group-cottages.co.uk where I’ve continued to develop it.

I’ve grown to really like Open Realty, and having had a lot of time to experiment with it now, I’ve found it extremely adaptable and capable of much more than just sorting a list of properties.

It’s fully customisable, in that you can add any elements to your listings that you please.

You can customise user information, add galleries and slideshows and adjust listings templates to include adverts.

Demonstration time

Here’s an example of a demo property listing from big-group-cottages.co.uk … note how much information you can pack into that page.

Open Realty also allows you to add Multimap links to pages … it’s as simple as entering the postcode in a listing when it’s first made.

I’ve now adapted Open Realty beyond its basic use as a property listing site:

scrap-yard.co.uk … search for and list scrap yards and car spares suppliers

doorstep-delivery.co.uk … search for and list milkmen/milk delivery services

your-local-shop.co.uk … search for and list local shops

I reckon the possibilities are endless with Open Realty … if you want to list something and be able to sort it by size, location, price or some other factor, it’s well worth a try.

A bundle of extras

I’ve also made frequent use of the Open Realty support forum, which is superb. I’ve had many a technical problem very swiftly answered on this forum, so make sure you sign up and use it if you opt for Open Realty for your website.

I’ve also used a few add-ons, one which I have purchased and been very happy with … click on the contact us link on this page to see the contact form add-on which I’ve used to a) have captcha available on my site to stop spammers b) give me a more adaptable way of enebling users to send listings info to each other.

I bought this add-on from PBFlash who is a regular solver of problems on the Open Realty support forum and who has his own site from which you can buy these add-ons.

If you decide to give it a try, let me know how you get on … and add your own Open Realty powered websites in your comments on this page.