Nothing spectacular though, something anybody can do but I believe content matters most.
Having my client's business at heart. I've created a site which will allow users to search it's database for property listings they have in their portfolio.
Enough of the talks check site here www.cornellrealtors.com

What is the webhostingpadscams .com at your footer all about? You first have copyright Cornell Realtors then the webhostingpad scam link.

Does your client have anything to do with that link?

Also just did a search but nothing and there were no search options to select.

soloqy: Also just did a search but nothing and there were no search options to select.

The footer link are copyright owners of the site scripts. Doesn't have anything to do with Cornell realtors. Most Footer can be edited but this one has been woven into the source code so don't pay too much attention to that.



Your search isn't yielding any results because we are yet to list any properties on the database. That will be a gradual process but most important thing is them establishing an online presence.

So what do you think?

What then is the use of having an online presence when searching is not working?

Again, why not code the website from the scratch yourself and avoid having that funny link at the footer?

Not nice. This is Wordpress. Not like there's anything wrong with it being wordpress but see a page like this http://cornellrealtors.com/sample-page/ ...all that unecessary info on the sidebar.

The site does not have a professional design too and that footer content is weird.

I'll go with the advice from GraphicsPlus, get a good graphics designer to do you a layout in PSD. Slice it into html/css and code your stuff from scratch.

GraphicsPlus: What then is the use of having an online presence when searching is not working?

You don't get it.
The search function works but we haven't listed any properties yet.

@Dual core thanks for the suggestion but I really don't believe we have graphic designers gooD enough to do a satisfactory Job.

As per getting rid of the footer link, it's very possible but this one was kinda woven into the source code so that it won't work without it.

Thanks all and I will make necessary changes to the site, my goal is to blow the site owners mind.

Brand_new:


As per getting rid of the footer link, it's very possible but this one was kinda woven into the source code so that it won't work without it.

If you cant get rid of that footer, then why not do something else or if you must, get another template to customize. Its just not right to do this for your client and he would be stuck with that advert/weird footer for ever.

Since the site is not yet populated with content and in fact, is not yet half done, you can start afresh.

soloqy:
You can start afresh.

Exactly my plan. Client was so much in a hurry that I had to do this one to satisfy him.
Now that he's seeing something up there, I can go back, take my time and replace it when I'm done.

Pls do. I cant imagine myself having another link in the footer of a website i did. the footer should contain the copyright of the owner and the anchored name of the designer.

If u hav not mastered html/css enough to hand code from the scratch, there are a whole lots of free templates out there that u can remove the links in the footer. But remember the owners wil always warn u not to remove it. Although no one has been caught for all these while, but i think it has legal implication using a free template and removing the owner's link.

Another reason why i wil never use a free template is becos someone somewhere can use it. In fact there is possibility that upto 10 persons in the world may be using it if the design is really nice.

As for designing ur layout in psd, i can do that for u. i wil give u an awesome design. i wil design 5 pages for u. Then u mark them up in html and style accordingly in css. It wil cost u 30,000 Naira only.

Really, I dont ask for review here cos I'm not really competing with any one. When we ask people to learn the basics of web design, html/css, they say we shld copy and paste using joomla and wordpress etc.

Anyways, check this out, u might learn one or two things from there. www.esuolaestateservices.com

GraphicsPlus:
Another reason why i wil never use a free template is becos someone somewhere can use it.

I don't use it either and I think I already mentioned why I did for this one.

GraphicsPlus:
If u hav not mastered html/css enough to hand code from the scratch,

And who told you I haven't mastered HTML and CSS

GraphicsPlus:
As for designing ur layout in psd, i can do that for u. i wil give u an awesome design.

I very much doubt if you can do something as good as the one up there.

@AFOLS, at first I wasn't gonna check your link because I knew what to expect from your so called hand coding and when I did, my expectations wasn't cut short.

AFOLSNETWORKS: Anyways, check this out, u might learn one or two things from there. www.esuolaestateservices.com

No inspiration can be gotten from this link. The property listing here is static and not database-driven. Each of those properties were added by editing the html page buy-property.html.

Until "developers" and "programmers" in Nigeria wake up to the reality that Photoshop is not for them, we will continue to see low-class/manageable online presentations of functional sites made in Nigeria (for Nigeria).

Before quoting for a job, contact your graphics designer (yes, as a developer you should have a graphics designer) and ask him for a quote of the graphics involved in the job. Add his quote to your development quote and give the client a quote based on both quotations.

You're better off combining web design and web development than adding graphics design into the mix if graphics design isn't your thing.

A company's online presence should help beef the reputation of the company's physical presence... with these kind of sites even their physical reputation is jeopardized.

Dual Core:
No inspiration can be gotten from this link. The property listing here is static and not database-driven. Each of those properties were added by editing the html page buy-property.html.

Dang.. Its got to be a pain in the backside to try to update a property listing site like that with static pages..

Brand_new:


I very much doubt if you can do something as good as the one up there.

Well contact him and let him send you links to stuff he has done before(privately). Who knows, he could walk the talk.

Brand_new: Nothing spectacular though, something anybody can do but I believe content matters most.
Having my client's business at heart. I've created a site which will allow users to search it's database for property listings they have in their portfolio.
Enough of the talks check site here www.cornellrealtors.com

FLASH IMAGES FOR the links ain't really advisable considering the kid of market you are trying to sell to..most use mobile phones...maybe javascript or just some plain old forms of navigational links might be better..but just my own thoughts.


Also the links to a phone number and email under the banner was kinda awkward for me bro..the good old contacts page will do.

I.e. Nigeria's leading Real estate development company. Email info@cornellrealtors.com Call +234(0)7069055647

mdsocks:
Also the links to a phone number and email under the banner was kinda awkward for me bro..the good old contacts page will do.

I.e. Nigeria's leading Real estate development company. Email info@cornellrealtors.com Call +234(0)7069055647

It's only to save up clicks. The contact icons are social media integrated and the email is hooked on Outlook.

soloqy:

Well contact him and let him send you links to stuff he has done before(privately). Who knows, he could walk the talk.

You're right bro! I'll take my chances.

AFOLSNETWORKS: Really, I dont ask for review here cos I'm not really competing with any one. When we ask people to learn the basics of web design, html/css, they say we shld copy and paste using joomla and wordpress etc.

Anyways, check this out, u might learn one or two things from there. www.esuolaestateservices.com

bro you really tried...

Must be hard updating that site if new houses springs up.

and why is that when i click to view details of the houses what i get is the contacts page. No images of front and back view of the houses on sale..

Also..your logo is damn to big...even taking up to two inches of my screen...Am sorry am I kinda criticizing too hard??

Remove that footer man!

The word "Scam" puts off all potential clients.

Thanks guys, nice to know u were not impressed by the work, we are getting better and atleast, we are building on the right foundation.

Bubble bursting mode activated: You used a wordpress theme called wricker, and from what i see, the changes you made made depreciated the looks of the site when compared to its original theme looks.

Disadvantages of using an Existing Theme
1. You can't really brag about it, If you do, there's no telling who may just know the truth
2. You may never get to know more than you currently know now
3. Even some clients may get to know you're a theme guy
http://www.themesandmods.net/free-wordpress-themes/wricker/

I've adapted @Dual_core's sternness here, I hope this helps you get the message hard.

fewj: Bubble bursting mode activated: You used a wordpress theme called wricker, and from what i see, the changes you made made depreciated the looks of the site when compared to its original theme looks.

Disadvantages of using an Existing Theme
1. You can't really brag about it, If you do, there's no telling who may just know the truth
2. You may never get to know more than you currently know now
3. Even some clients may get to know you're a theme guy
http://www.themesandmods.net/free-wordpress-themes/wricker/

I've adapted @Dual_core's sternness here, I hope this helps you get the message hard.

Thats why I keep saying it. Using a theme or template 'as is' without major modifications, is not good.

Chances are that there are 1 million other people using the same theme/template as is. Its a small world and it would be so embarrassing for a client to be browsing the Internet and come across a website and think "wow, how did I get to my site? I thought I typed something else". Just to look closer to see that its a totally different business or individual using the same design.

Brand_new:
The footer link are copyright owners of the site scripts. Doesn't have anything to do with Cornell realtors. Most Footer can be edited but this one has been woven into the source code so don't pay too much attention to that.



Your search isn't yielding any results because we are yet to list any properties on the database. That will be a gradual process but most important thing is them establishing an online presence.

So what do you think?

I said it earlier that those who criticise good website jobs are either incompetent or just been jealousy. So I have been wasting my time talking to an amartuer in place of a professional web developer
who uses templates up and down. For your information, just put down that website and build something from the scratch. I hope you didn't collect money from this client or I will redesign the website free of charge for the client. @yewatide, @duo core hope u both remeber this guys comment on some my jobs which is far than this crab he called website...

greenmouse: I said it earlier that those who criticise good website jobs are either incompetent or just been jealousy. So I have been wasting my time talking to an amartuer in place of a professional web developer
who uses templates up and down. For your information, just put down that website and build something from the scratch. I hope you didn't collect money from this client or I will redesign the website free of charge for the client. @yewatide, @duo core hope u both remeber this guys comment on some my jobs which is far than this crab he called website...

lol

Why can't some people read before jumping on thread.
Just gonna ignore you @greenmouse.

Brand_new: Why can't some people read before jumping on thread.
Just gonna ignore you @greenmouse.

Thats why you have refused to showcase your website portfolio since...God don catch you today.
hahahaahahaahah, cant stop laughing at @brandnew...

What good does this do? How is this the way forward for anyone?

Dual Core: What good does this do? How is this the way forward for anyone?

@Dual Core, you know as well as I do that the Era of the so called "hand coding from scratch" bullshit is gone.
Reason, there over a million templates and themes out there that you can either get for free or at a small value.
Top it with the fact that you "hand coders" can never do something better than those themes and templates. Why? Because they are simply better at it and way ahead of you.

It's not a bad idea if you can. You can even design a premium themplate yourself and make a few extra buck for that.

So let's assume I have no idea on HTML/Java/PHP and CSS.

I still go ahead and do a bad ass website with a free or premium theme/template and it's way better and more functional that your so called hand coded site.

So who is smarter?

Just so you know guys, Client knows I'm using a theme and I usually tell them that and he's happy with it. So what the heck? Besides the footer, which is the reason I'm gonna change the design. I see no problem with the website and I'm sure most of you'all will agree.

Well, using free templates is not bad if that's ur way of being a web developer. Bt someone somewhere wil stil use that same template. Even if u use premium templates of $10 from www.themeforest.net, someone somewhere wil stil use it. But if u want the one only u wil use, then u hav to part with $500, which is not less than 75,000 Naira. If u buy that one, how much wil ur client pay u?

Hand coding from the scratch is preached all over the world. Why? It gives u control to bring out ur inspiration. Templates hav a way of stereotyping one. U may nt be able to change the coder's style or u see urself spending hours trying to tidy a css file u hav tried to manipulate.

Templates are not for web developers. They ar for professionals like doctors, lawyers, bloggers, etc who can read small html/css tutorials and being able to edit the templates for blogs, 'just for fun' and wedding sites.

My questions above were referring to the exchange between you and greenmouse, not your job. I don't see how any angry exchange as a carried over beef to this thread will help the thread.

Brand_new:
@Dual Core, you know as well as I do that the Era of the so called "hand coding from scratch" bullshit is gone.

Speak for yourself, I don't share in this line of reasoning.

Speaking for myself, coding is what I do for passion, for fun and as a solution provider(call it hand coding if you want but it takes more than just my hands, a brain is needed too). I am not a graphics designer so in my world a designer's templates will be called frameworks. I have no real use for those as I have written enough classes and functions in this life to call them my own framework... don't blame me, I like full control. I don't want to go and sleep knowing I can't edit a footer cuz its interwoven into the source code (what does that even mean, is the source code assembly language that it can't be read and edited?).

As I'll always say, use what works for you. I will rather spend 2 weeks building a house from its foundation to its roof than spend 5 minutes trying to patch up a mass produced building with nothing unique to offer the inhabitants... apart from the unique health/safety hazards from collapsing stair case railings that I patched to the wall cuz I didnt know how to break through the wall to cast the base for the railings...I can't be blamed abi... no be me build the house afterall.

GraphicsPlus: Well, using free templates is not bad if that's ur way of being a web developer. Bt someone somewhere wil stil use that same template. Even if u use premium templates of $10 from www.themeforest.net, someone somewhere wil stil use it. But if u want the one only u wil use, then u hav to part with $500, which is not less than 75,000 Naira. If u buy that one, how much wil ur client pay u?

Hand coding from the scratch is preached all over the world. Why? It gives u control to bring out ur inspiration. Templates hav a way of stereotyping one. U may nt be able to change the coder's style or u see urself spending hours trying to tidy a css file u hav tried to manipulate.

Templates are not for web developers. They ar for professionals like doctors, lawyers, bloggers, etc who can read small html/css tutorials and being able to edit the templates for blogs, 'just for fun' and wedding sites.

Very well stated..