For those of you with custom sites, if you aren't using this program yet you probably should. Open-realty is an open source program, meaning you can install it free of charge. It’s written in php, and allows you to add an unlimited number of fields to listings, different types, upload multiple pictures or a virtual tour with minimal hassle. You can specify which fields are searchable and you can implement a sign up feature to allow visitors to signup as a member, save searches and get email notifications when new properties are added that match their saved search criteria. The design is search engine friendly as well and the interface is a WYSIYG editor with a template based system to allow for customization. You can customize title and Meta information on a per page basis.

The software has been around for a while and there are some commercial add-ons available now for the core product, a CSVLoader (allows you to import listings from CSV files, including images) and an IDXManager.  The IDXManager will import IDX listing data and photos into Open-Realty. The only stipulation in use is that you must leave in the html comment in the coding.  If you want to remove it, you'll need to buy a license for $250, which is very reasonable considering.  The program is available for download at http://www.open-realty.org/download.html. Your web host will need to support PHP 4.3 or higher, PHP GD Support or Imagemagik for thumbnail creation and MySQL or PostgreSQL for the latest version.

The software is constantly being updated and prior versions and revisions are listed on the site. Planned updates include full multilingual support.

Are there any members that currently use Open-Realty on their personal site?  Or have used it in the past and quit? -Charles