Experienced Rails Developer Needed for Custom Real Estate Website with MLS Integration

Description: I’m looking for an experienced Ruby on Rails developer to build a custom real estate website on wordpress using a Divi theme. Site is already up and running. The site will integrate with an MLS (via RETS or RESO Web API) to pull active listings, store them in a database, and display them in a fully customized front end. I need robust search functionality, listing detail pages, photo galleries, and lead-generation features (e.g., “Ask a Question” forms).
Project Scope:
Tech Stack:


Backend: Ruby on Rails (PostgreSQL preferred)


Frontend: Tailwind CSS, Stimulus/Hotwire (for dynamic UI), JavaScript


MLS Integration: Must be comfortable implementing RETS or RESO Web API to retrieve MLS listings regularly


Deployment: Heroku, AWS, Render, or similar (to be discussed)


MLS/IDX Functionality:


Establish a scheduled data pull (e.g., every few hours) to update listings (e.g., new, modified, sold).


Store listing fields (address, price, beds, baths, property type, images, etc.) in the database.


Display disclaimers and “Broker Reciprocity” text or images as required by MLS rules.


Key Features:


Search: By city, price range, beds/baths, property type, or custom criteria.


Listing Detail: Photo galleries (Fancybox or Swiper), interactive map, property features, mortgage calculator, lead forms.


User Accounts (future phase, if budget allows): Save favorites, sign up for alerts, etc.


Admin Panel (optional/future): A backend to manage content, if needed.


UI/UX Requirements:


Responsive design with Tailwind.


Stimulus/Hotwire to power dynamic components (auto-complete search, partial page updates, modals, etc.).


Clean, modern, easy to navigate—both on desktop and mobile.


Deliverables:


Fully working Rails application with integrated MLS feed.


Documentation on how to run, maintain, and deploy the site (including setting up scheduling for MLS data pulls).


Deployed to your hosting platform of choice (Heroku, AWS, or others).


What I Provide:
MLS/IDX access credentials (if required, or a sandbox version).


Domain and hosting details or platform preference.


Wireframes or references for site layout (if available).


Guidance on exact search criteria, disclaimers, etc.


Who I’m Looking For:
Proven experience with Ruby on Rails in production environments.


Familiarity with Tailwind CSS, Stimulus/Hotwire, or a willingness to learn quickly.


MLS/IDX integration experience is a huge plus (RETS/RESO API/MLS Grid).


Great communication and attention to detail.


Budget & Timeline:
Open to hourly or fixed-price proposals. Please provide an estimate of hours or a price range.


Expected timeline: ~4–8 weeks for an MVP (depending on scope refinement).
Technical Skills:
Ruby on Rails (Including RESTful architecture)


JavaScript (ES6+)


Stimulus/Hotwire (or other front-end frameworks for dynamic Rails apps)


Tailwind CSS (Responsive design, utility-first styling)


SQL / PostgreSQL (Database modeling, queries, performance)


MLS/IDX Integration (RETS, RESO Web API, MLS Grid, or similar)


API Development & Integration (OAuth, JSON, XML)


HTML5 / CSS3 (Semantic markup, styling fundamentals)


Git (Version control, pull requests, branching strategy)


Deployment (Heroku, AWS, Render, or other cloud providers)


Background Jobs / Scheduler (Sidekiq, Resque, ActiveJob, Cron-like scheduling for data imports)


Third-Party Libraries (Fancybox/Swiper for image galleries, Leaflet or Google Maps for maps, etc.)


Testing (RSpec, Minitest, or similar)


Other Desired Qualifications:
Familiarity with Real Estate Listings (IDX compliance, disclaimers, broker reciprocity rules)


UI/UX Focus (Building user-friendly, mobile-responsive interfaces)


Excellent Communication Skills (Regular updates, discussion of features/limitations)


Project/Time Management (Meeting deadlines, managing scope)


PostGIS (Optional, for geospatial search if you plan advanced location features)