While browsing the New York board, I kept wishing valuation and market-report threads showed days on market in a consistent, searchable way. It would make local comparisons easier and cut down on repeated questions.
What would work best: a required field when posting, an optional tag, or a search filter tied to a structured field? My concern with making it mandatory is that casual members may not know the figure, and adding steps—especially on mobile—could discourage posts. An optional field would be quicker, but inconsistent entries could limit its usefulness.
There are also edge cases: listings that were withdrawn and relisted, different regional conventions, existing threads with no data, and the extra moderation needed to keep tags consistent. I would rather leave old threads alone than create a large migration task.
If you had to choose, would you prefer an optional structured field that becomes searchable when completed, or a required field with an “unknown” option?
What would work best: a required field when posting, an optional tag, or a search filter tied to a structured field? My concern with making it mandatory is that casual members may not know the figure, and adding steps—especially on mobile—could discourage posts. An optional field would be quicker, but inconsistent entries could limit its usefulness.
There are also edge cases: listings that were withdrawn and relisted, different regional conventions, existing threads with no data, and the extra moderation needed to keep tags consistent. I would rather leave old threads alone than create a large migration task.
If you had to choose, would you prefer an optional structured field that becomes searchable when completed, or a required field with an “unknown” option?