Wednesday, May 22, 2013 / by Derek Gutting
Hello world!
The Gutting Group is proud to announce the release of our newly designed website. When we decided to update our main site, WWW.GUTTINGGROUP.COM, we realized the design and search tools deserved a new upgrade. So that’s what we did! With our new site, we’re introducing a more streamlined search process, easier navigation, and tons of more information. But we’re aware all these changes might be a little confusing to our returning visitors, so we’ve created a simple “How To” document to show you what changes we’ve made and how you can still access all the things you loved from the old site. Here are some highlights:
Don’t Panic! All your account information has been transferred over, so you can still access your favorite listings and saved searches from before. To log in to your account, click the “Sign In” tab, conveniently located in the upper right-hand corner of the webpage. A prompt will then ask you to fill in your login information (See Figure 1 below).
While logged in, you can review your saved searches, edit the results, and reorganize your listing e-Alerts. Search tags can be added or removed to your liking, which will narrow your results to more keyword specific terms. For example: neighborhoods, cities, and types of homes. When you’re finished, make sure to save the search again if you made any changes.
One of the newest features we’re revealing with our new site is the Suggestive Search Bar. Whenever you type in a search query, the search toolbar will “suggest” a list of possible terms you’re looking for. It’s extremely helpful in case you’ve forgotten how to spell a keyword or simply want to find related terms. Search results are also further divided into subcategories, which include: areas, neighborhoods, keywords, and schools (See Figure 2 below). This way, you can identify what you’re looking for in more detail and not be directed to results that don’t pertain to your search.
To further enhance our user’s search ability, we’ve completely upgraded the visual experience. Essentially, we decided to put more of an emphasis on the property rather than the number of listings. When you search for a home or area, you’ll notice the dramatic high-quality photos of our listings in the center of the webpage. With this, we wanted to provide you with as much information as possible before looking at another home listing. In return, it saves you time from browsing around and you can collect more in-depth details about our properties (See Figure 3 below).
By clicking on the side arrows of the photos, you’ll easily be able to thumb through additional pictures of our listings. Bedrooms and living areas will be captured in high detail, so you won’t be confused as to what the property offers. Additionally, we’ve added 2 more tabs to our visual tools labeled “Quick Map” and “Local Pics.” In Quick Maps, you can see where the property is located in relation to the area and even get driving directions. The Local Pics tab was designed to show you around the neighborhood. It’s one thing to see what the house looks like, but it’s equally important to know what the surrounding neighborhood looks like as well, so we presented you with additional photos to help you make a more informed decision.
In today’s real estate market, we’ve realized that our users are looking for more than just houses. They’re also looking for detailed information about buying their first home or what activities are available in the area. Maybe they’re looking for different ways to decorate their homes for the winter. Everyone is in need of different information, and to handle this problem, we’re introducing our own blog.
Our blog can be accessed at the bottom of our homepage by clicking “Our Blog” in the footer. Here, you’ll find new articles about local real estate and learn detailed information only locals can provide. Go ahead and start browsing! Who knows what unexpected things you’ll learn.
Still want to learn more about our new website? Click on the link below to read our free article about using our new tools and how to create a home search specifically designed for you.
Download: How to Navigate The Gutting Group's New Website
For Returning Users
Don’t Panic! All your account information has been transferred over, so you can still access your favorite listings and saved searches from before. To log in to your account, click the “Sign In” tab, conveniently located in the upper right-hand corner of the webpage. A prompt will then ask you to fill in your login information (See Figure 1 below).
While logged in, you can review your saved searches, edit the results, and reorganize your listing e-Alerts. Search tags can be added or removed to your liking, which will narrow your results to more keyword specific terms. For example: neighborhoods, cities, and types of homes. When you’re finished, make sure to save the search again if you made any changes.
New Features
Enhanced Search Power
One of the newest features we’re revealing with our new site is the Suggestive Search Bar. Whenever you type in a search query, the search toolbar will “suggest” a list of possible terms you’re looking for. It’s extremely helpful in case you’ve forgotten how to spell a keyword or simply want to find related terms. Search results are also further divided into subcategories, which include: areas, neighborhoods, keywords, and schools (See Figure 2 below). This way, you can identify what you’re looking for in more detail and not be directed to results that don’t pertain to your search.
Upgraded Visual Experience
To further enhance our user’s search ability, we’ve completely upgraded the visual experience. Essentially, we decided to put more of an emphasis on the property rather than the number of listings. When you search for a home or area, you’ll notice the dramatic high-quality photos of our listings in the center of the webpage. With this, we wanted to provide you with as much information as possible before looking at another home listing. In return, it saves you time from browsing around and you can collect more in-depth details about our properties (See Figure 3 below).
By clicking on the side arrows of the photos, you’ll easily be able to thumb through additional pictures of our listings. Bedrooms and living areas will be captured in high detail, so you won’t be confused as to what the property offers. Additionally, we’ve added 2 more tabs to our visual tools labeled “Quick Map” and “Local Pics.” In Quick Maps, you can see where the property is located in relation to the area and even get driving directions. The Local Pics tab was designed to show you around the neighborhood. It’s one thing to see what the house looks like, but it’s equally important to know what the surrounding neighborhood looks like as well, so we presented you with additional photos to help you make a more informed decision.
Our Blog
In today’s real estate market, we’ve realized that our users are looking for more than just houses. They’re also looking for detailed information about buying their first home or what activities are available in the area. Maybe they’re looking for different ways to decorate their homes for the winter. Everyone is in need of different information, and to handle this problem, we’re introducing our own blog.
Our blog can be accessed at the bottom of our homepage by clicking “Our Blog” in the footer. Here, you’ll find new articles about local real estate and learn detailed information only locals can provide. Go ahead and start browsing! Who knows what unexpected things you’ll learn.
For Further Information
Still want to learn more about our new website? Click on the link below to read our free article about using our new tools and how to create a home search specifically designed for you.
Download: How to Navigate The Gutting Group's New Website
