deCasa - A Real Estate Theme by ThemeShift

Thanks for Using deCasa!

Welcome and thanks for using my deCasa real estate WordPress theme. Please read this carefully! Should you have any doubts after having read this manual or experience any problems, please visit the ThemeShift support forums and post your questions there.

Installation

1. Download deCasa zip archive.
2. Go to WP-Admin > Appearance > Install Themes > Upload and choose the new theme zip folder.
3. Activate the theme.

To find out more about installing WordPress themes please also see the WordPress documentation.

Update

1. Download the new version of the theme.
2. Backup old theme files! Deactivate the current version of the theme and remove the files from your server.
3. Go to WP-Admin > Appearance > Install Themes > Upload and choose the new theme zip folder.
4. Activate the theme.

Please notice! You can download the latest version of the theme with the download link that has been sent to you after purchase at any time. Please save this link for future updates!

Theme Support

ThemeShift theme packages include support. After you purchased your theme from the ThemeShift website you will get unlimited access to the ThemeShift support forums. There you can post any theme-related problems indicating your WordPress version and the URL of the site the theme is installed on.

Please notice! I cannot provide support for WordPress in general, any third party plugins or major personal customizations of a theme.

Please notice! I'll manually upgrade your account. If the name and/or email is different from the one you made the purchase with, post the details (transaction ID, name or email) in the forums or send me a direct message to simon@themeshift.com.

Upload Custom Logo

On the theme options page you can insert the URL or directly upload your custom logo.

1. Click on Upload Image
2. Choose the image file from your computer
3. Click on Media Library
4. Click on Show
5. Click on Insert into Post *

* Please make sure that the size Full Size is selected.

Read More Buttons

To cut off posts and create a read more button please use the WordPress more tag. You'll find this feature in the tool bar of the WordPress post editor. Please find some more information.

First Steps

The first thing you should do after having installed deCasa is to set up a proper category hierarchy. The following category scheme would be a working example:

• News (main category)
• Properties (main category)
  • Featured (optionally hide from menu)
  • Price
    • 200k - 400k
    • 400k - 800k
    • > 800k
  • Location
    • North
    • West
    • South
    • East
  • Type
    • Apartment
    • Loft
    • House

It is important that you have one main category that includes all your properties. Objects that are placed in the featured category may be displayed on the home page. The subcategories Price, Location and Type could be used for the search panel (see details below).

Post Images

Please use the new WordPress post thumbnail feature to add your main post or page image. Click on Set Thumbnail in the Post Thumbnail box on the right, upload your image and click Use as Thumbnail. deCasa will automatically create all the necessary image sizes.

Gallery Images

deCasa comes with a built-in property gallery function. You can add images in different ways:

• Attachments

  Upload images using the WordPress media uploader on the post edit screen (batch upload possible). The attached images will automatically appear on the property page. In case you want to hide the gallery, please create a custom field named nogallery and insert 1 as value of the field.

• Image Media IDs

  You can add any image by creating a custom field called gallery with a comma-separated list of media image IDs. Please go to WP-Admin > Media and hover the title of an image in the list. The ID of the image will be displayed in the status bar of your browser.

deCasa Theme Options

In order to get deCasa running like a real estate theme you need to make some changes on the theme options page. Please go to WP-Admin > deCasa > Theme Options to make your settings.

Layout

1. Logo

   Please enter an URL or upload your custom logo from your local computer.

2. Color Scheme

   Please select your preferred color scheme.

3. Buttons

   Please select your preferred button color.

4. Icons

   Please select your preferred icon style.

5. Currency

   The deCasa theme gives you the possibility to choose your default currency. Please select Dollar, Euro or Pound.

   You can also enter the HTML entity of any other currency (see most common) and decide whether to display the currency symbol before or after the value.

Menu

1. Categories

   Please enter the category IDs you want to exlcude from the menu (e.g. 2,5,9).

2. Pages

   Please enter the page IDs you want to exlcude from the menu (e.g. 3,65,71).

3. Home

   Exclude the home link from the menu. The logo will also be linked to the home page.

Home

1. Slider Category

   Please select your slider category. If empty, no slider will be displayed.

2. Slider Timer

   Please select how many seconds each item is displayed (off = no auto slide).

   → Please notice that the following options will only work if you do not use the slider.

3. Image

   To change the subheader image you can upload your own image and enter the URL (e.g. http://your-domain.com/img/your-subheader.jpg). Another possibility is to replace the default image /wp-content/themes/decasa/img/subheader.jpg. The size of the image is 610x260px.

4. Title

   Please enter title of the welcome text that is displayed next to the subheader image on the home page.

5. Text

   Please enter the welcome text that is displayed next to the subheader image on the home page.

6. Link

   If you select a page (e.g. About us) for the subheader button, a link to this page will be displayed below the welcome text.

Properties

1. Category

   Please select the main properties category. This should be a main category (see First Steps) that includes all your properties.

2. Featured

   Please select the featured properties category. If empty, most recent properties objects will be displayed on the home page.

3. News

   Optionally select your a category. This should be a main category (see First Steps) that separates the news posts from the properties posts. News posts will be displayed like normal blog posts with comments etc.

   Please notice! Do not put a property post in this category.

4. Details

   Please enter the labels of the details on the property page.

5. Contact

   Please check the box to optionally display a contact form on property pages. Emails will be send to property agent (post author).

Search Panel

Please notice! If you want to display the search panel on the home page and on archive pages, you should have a category hierarchy like mentioned above in First Steps.

1. Subcategory #1

   This search panel category has to be a subcategory of your main properties category. If your category hierarchy is similar to the example above, you could select Price.

2. Subcategory #2

   This search panel category has to be a subcategory of your main properties category. If your category hierarchy is similar to the example above, you could select Location.

3. Subcategory #3

   This search panel category has to be a subcategory of your main properties category. If your category hierarchy is similar to the example above, you could select Type.

4. Display

   Please check the box to display the search panel on the home page and in property archives.

Google Maps

Please notice! If you want to display a Google map on the property page, you have to provide data for the fields ZIP, City and State on the post edit screen.

1. Google API

   Please enter your Google API key. If you don't have one you can register it.

2. Display

   Check the box if you want to hide Google maps for properties.

3. Zoom Level

   Please select your preferred zoom level for the Google Maps.

4. May Type

   Please select your preferred map type.

Please notice! If you want to display a Google map on a property page, you have to provide data for the fields ZIP, City and State. Alternatively you can create a custom field called latlong in the following format: latitude,longitude

Other

1. RSS URL

   Please enter your custom RSS URL (e.g. Feedburner).

2. Custom CSS

   Easily add some custom css to the head of your theme.

3. Tracking Code

   Insert your tracking code here (e.g. Google Analytics). This code will be added to the footer of the theme.

deCasa Post Settings

With deCasa it is easy to add the required property data to posts. Under the post text editor there are several input fields for your property characteristics.

1. Property Data

   Please enter the most important data of this property.

2. Google Map

   Check the box if you want to hide Google map for this property.

Theme License

ThemeShift themes are released under the GNU general public license. You may use your purchased theme on as many pages as you like for personal or commercial purposes. Unlimited access to the support forums is granted only to customers who buy a ThemeShift theme package from this website. Access for visitors and users of my free themes will be limited.

Refund Policy

Please keep in mind that ThemeShift themes are non-tangible and irrevocable digital goods. Theme purchases are generally not refundable. So before you buy, please ensure that the desired theme fits your needs. If in doubt post your pre-purchase questions to the support forums.

Warranty

ThemeShift themes are guaranteed to run on the latest stable version of WordPress. ThemeShift reserves the right to reject support requests for problems that occur after theme files have been modified or third party plugins have been installed.

Theme Updates

ThemeShift themes are constantly updated to be compatible with the latest stable version of WordPress. Please ensure that you always use the most current version of our themes. Theme purchases include future theme upgrades!

Enjoy!

Now start blogging and enjoy your ThemeShift theme. Be sure to check any updates via RSS or Twitter @themeshift.