BiggerPockets

Can I get some feedback on my website?
www.5starprops.com

Here is my free 3-minute review:

1) Is there a purpose to the flash splash screen of black and white words flying around? It delays the visitor from getting to the real meat of your site and doesn't to me add anything to the experience.

2) Home page: Spinning 3-d images of text look like hack graphic design; just put the text there.

3) On the Ad page: Scrolling Marquee text is really bad style. Another sign of amateur sites the world over. Drop it and just put the text.

4) Home page: Your top navigation bar splits into 2 lines, and then goes to one on the Ad page. Navigation should remain consistent - and should be one line.

5) Home page: the text of your home page is one big image of text. Google can't index this. And the text is hard to read as well.

6) The rentals page looks like a mess. All kinds of colors all over the place, words that get overlaid by the next words, etc.

7) Why a guest book? What business purpose do you want that to serve?

I'd be happy to give you a more thorough review and fix your issues.

Those two pages have a better look to them. I am not sure I'd go with a vertical navigation bar like that, primarily because it is quite different and could be less than natural for your visitors.

Get rid of the guest book stuff - really. It really gives the impression of an amateur site not a real business.

I popped to the home page again, and I am glad you got rid of the hit counter - again made the site look amateur. The home page looks a whole bunch more professional now.

Personally I would just put the text that you are currently scrolling on the page and not bother with the scrolling. But it isn't something I would point out as being "horrible".

I like the way your site is now but I do agree with Bill. The vertical nav. bar I am not fond of. I almost had to turn my head to read it. It is different though!

I'll change that. The information they give fill out on the form is directed to my email address. No one sees what they input. I won't put the vacant information on the ad. Thanks you have been a great help.

Hmm... Shanita, the sites seems to have taken a big step backward. I am going to assume you are just tinkering around now.

Go ahead and post again if you want me to take a look again when you are done tinkering.

Black background are just fine, it was a bunch of other stuff that looked like it was "in progress" so I just figured you were working on moving things around.

No offense was intended, I was just letting you know I was interested in continuing to help but didn't want to annoy you with comments about something you already knew wasn't right because you were still working on it.

Shanita,

I like your idea. It looks like you are providing rental advertising in a website format. Low overhead and the potential for good revenue from repeat clients.

"Whether you are looking to give your property more exposure, need to sale your home quickly do to unforeseen circumstances"

Should read " Whether you are looking to give your property more exposure, need to sell your home quickly due to unforeseen circumstances"

Nice job on the site - well done

Regards
Caroline

You don't like the black background? I started looking at other websites and they seem more polished and fancy. They had color to them.

For what it's worth, dark background with color lettering is a big no-no in internet marketing. The only huge site that does it is bloomberg. It is widely considered more difficult to read than light background with dark lettering.