Senior WordPress Developer (Houzez Theme) for Student Housing Focused Website Redesign

We are a student housing-focused property management company looking for an expert US-based WordPress developer to take over and complete a high-stakes website redesign. Our goal is to build a best-in-class leasing platform that rivals the user experience of Apartments.com or Zillow. A previous developer started the work but failed to deliver the polished, high-performance UX required for our demographic (Gen Z students and their parents).The site needs to be fully responsive across desktop and mobile devices. The Stack: ●CMS: WordPress ● Theme: Houzez (Child Theme customization required) The Mission: You will be provided with a comprehensive UX Research & Technical Roadmap outlining what needs to be done. We need a technical executor to implement specific behaviors, fix navigation, and optimize the UX, page designs, and the conversion funnel. Key Deliverables & Responsibilities: 1. Search Results Page (SRP) – Map & Filtering Overhaul ● Fix Map Behavior: Convert static map to a reactive, AJAX-driven "Split-View" (Map on left/top, List on right/bottom). The list must update instantly as the user pans/zooms the map (Bounding Box query). ● Clustering: Implement Google Maps marker clustering to handle high-density listings. ● Clean Up Filters: Surgically remove "Zombie features" (e.g., "For Sale" dropdowns) from the search builder. Hardcode logic to default to "For Rent" and hide irrelevant real estate options. ● Pagination: Replace broken numeric pagination (currently showing missing font icons) with a modern "Load More" AJAX button. 2. Property Detail Page (PDP) – Conversion Optimization ● Visual Hierarchy: Rebuild the hero section to feature a mosaic gallery or swipeable carousel at the top. ● Sticky Sidebar: Implement a "Sticky" conversion column that stays with the user as they scroll, containing the "Schedule Tour" and "Apply Now" actions. ● Mobile Experience: Ensure "Apply" and "Tour" buttons are fixed to the bottom of the viewport on mobile devices (Sticky Footer). 3. Technical & Performance ● Asset Repair: Fix broken FontAwesome/Glyphicon assets currently showing as "boxes" or "numbers." ● Speed: Optimization for Core Web Vitals (caching, image compression to WebP, lazy loading). ● Resident Portal: Create a dedicated "Residents" landing page to separate maintenance/payment traffic from the leasing funnel. Ideal Candidate Profile: ● Expert in the Houzez Theme (you know how to override templates in a child theme without breaking updates). ● Experience with Backend Integrations: You understand how to bridge WordPress with a custom backend DB. ○ Experience with Advanced Custom Fields (preferred): This is our preferred property data/management tool. You are skilled with optimizing how this displays to end users and are able to export existing data from our current site and import to the redesigned site. Open to alternatives to Advanced Custom Fields so long as behavior is similar and its compatible with ACF exports. ● Strong JavaScript/jQuery: Essential for the map interactions and custom search logic. ● UX-Focused: You understand a pixel-perfect execution. You can properly adjust page spacing and you understand nuances like "Apply Now" is a checkout flow, not a contact form. To Apply: Please start your proposal with the word "NITTANY" so I know you read the full post. 1. Share two+ examples of a Real Estate or Listing site you have built or customized (specifically one with map-based search). 2. Briefly explain your experience with the Houzez theme or similar complex WP themes. Apply tot his job Apply To this Job