This is a big update and we’re very proud of it. It brings on some cool new features and a much clearer nav panel. We worked hard to make sure that every tool was available at the right spot since the older version was getting kind of messy…

What’s new?

• New very cool dashboard
• Organized navbar
• Buyers’s feedback section
• Your use of the tool meter
• Organize your pictures update
• Plus tons of contextual tips and advices

We really do hope you enjoy those changes and are able to start using the new section quite swiftly… Don’t hesitate to let us know if you encounter any problems!

Thanks a lot!

PS : Special thanks to Frank, Patrice P-L and Gui for todays rush!

Frédérick Dubois, Programmeur
DuProprio.com / ByTheOwner.com

The View on the Map button is now located more to right, just above the map when it opens. The Enlarge Pictures button is now in the left corner, directly above the small pictures.

Frédérick Dubois, Senior Programmer

The featured homes, which are displayed on top of the search results, now get more emphasis when they match the “property type” search criteria, thus according more quality visibility to the clients using this service.

Frédérick Dubois
Lead Programmer
ByTheOwner.com

What’s new?

1. Visual aspect of the page. (Damn it used to be ugly!)
2. Possibility to show/hide the neighborhood pins
3. Possibility to “jump to a city”
4. Possibility to display all future open houses OR all open houses on a specific date

There is more to come concerning the open houses in the next days, I’ll keep you updated
Hope you like it!

Frédérick Dubois
BTO Programmer

A meeting of the masterminds behind your favorite real estate website has given rise to a revolutionary idea!

This new feature is in the login page “Your Account”. A small checkbox labeled “Remember me on this computer” has appeared just below the password field. When you click this box and you log on, a Hi-Tech-Technology ensures that you to stay connected to the website for the next 30 days without having to re-enter your username and password.

However, if you click the “disconnect”, you will then “disconnect”…

This success however created a problem in some areas where it was too popular. That’s why we’ve implemented a new fonction in the map search. A on/off “NEIGHBORHOOD” button is now available on top of the map, allowing the visitors to hide or show the neighborhood pins.

Here’s an example :

This tool allows you to retrieve your email contacts from your email account. A list of all your contacts will then be displayed before the message is sent. You’ll then be able to select the email addresses to whom you’d like to send your message.

Note that we do not keep copy of your mailbox login information.

If you use this option to market your home, don’t forget to ask your friends to pass the email along to their own contacts. This is a great way to increase the visits to listing!

The page is also available to all visitors going to the website if they wish to share their interest in a home they are dreaming of.

In their online account, our clients have access to a new web page where they’ll be able to describe places of interest around their home. Schools, restaurants, parks, hospitals… It can be anything, as long as you feel like it is part of the reason why you love your area. You can see below for instructions on how to use this new tool.

The items saved by the private home sellers will be displayed to the website’s visitors in the map search interface. Arrow markers will show up next to the other markers. Clicking on those markers will open an info window with all the information entered by the home owner.

How to add my places of interest on the map ?

Here’s a little tutorial guiding you through the basic steps of adding neighborhood markers on the map :

1. Take a walk down the street and take some pictures of the cool places around; (640×480 would be perfect);
2. In your ByTheOwner account, click on the Your Neighborhood button;
3. Optional : Fill in the address fields, the map will then position a marker automatically;
4. Click on the map to make sure the marker is on the right spot;
5. Type in a brief description that will communicate your passion for your neighborhood to potential buyers;
6. Click the “Add” button. Voilà!

Note that you’ll be able to complete and modify the description later. Now, let’s see how to add your pictures :

1. Click on the “Browse” button;
2. Go get the picture on your computer and click “Open”;
3. Press the “Go” button;
4. You can select your pictures order by dragging them (if you have more than one, eh!);

So… where is Canada’s coolest city?

Welcome to the suggestion box!

This new section, dedicated to our visitors, is online since yesterday. We’ve been using it for a couple of weeks with suggestions from our staff and got pretty interesting results, so we decided to open it up to the visitors! Here is how it works :

Vote, comment and suggest new ideas!

When you open the suggestion box, you see a list of the last suggestions and comments visitors made. Anybody can read the suggestions but you need to be connected in order to interact with the box. (creating your user account is quick and free!)

If you click on a suggestion’s title, you’ll be able to read it’s description and comments. You’ll also see a + and a – button, allowing you to vote for the current idea in a single click. Back to the list, an icon will show you easily wich suggestions were voted or not.

Under the description and visitors comments, you’ll find a link allowing you to post a comment about the current suggestion.
Under the Current Suggestions and Completed tabs, you’ll find the ideas that came out of the box and got on our desks.
PS : This is where you need to look if you want to start a fsbo website and need fresh ideas!

What’s great about this new tool, is that we’ll be able to focus our development efforts on features that really matter to our customer. Listening to the visitors and letting them judge what’s more important for themselves will surely result in great ideas.
So! Go ideas?