Setting up a custom WordPress website for real estate with custom post types (CPTs) and Advanced Custom Fields (ACF) can be time-consuming, but it doesn’t have to be. With the right approach, we can automate much of the setup, ensuring accuracy, efficiency, and scalability. I’ll walk through a real-world example of how I worked with ChatGPT to set up a custom Properties post type.
The Goal: A Robust Properties System
For this project, the goal was to create a Custom Post Type (CPT) for Properties that would allow for easy listing, sorting, and filtering of homes. The requirements included:
- A custom post type:
properties - Taxonomies for Neighborhoods, Floor Plans, and Availability
- Custom fields for pricing, square footage, features, and more
- SEO-friendly, queryable, and structured data
While this can be done manually via the WordPress admin, using pre-generated JSON files makes the process significantly more efficient. Instead of manually entering fields and taxonomies, I had ChatGPT generate ACF JSON files that could be imported instantly.
The best part, rather than writing a lengthy list of the required fields, I had ChatGPT analyze an existing property page on the client’s website and generate a structured JSON file for the Properties section, ensuring that all relevant fields were included.
How ChatGPT Helped (and Where It Fell Short)
1. Challenges with Custom Post Types (CPTs) and Taxonomies
ACF does support Custom Post Types and Custom Taxonomies, but generating JSON files for these proved difficult. ChatGPT attempted to create JSON files for the Properties CPT and associated taxonomies, but the output didn’t work as expected when imported. Ultimately, I found it easier and faster to create the CPT and taxonomies manually within ACF rather than debugging JSON import errors.
This highlighted an important lesson: AI assistance is great for structured data, but sometimes manual setup is still the best approach.
2. Success with Custom Fields for Properties
Where ChatGPT really saved time was in generating the 20+ custom fields for properties. Instead of manually entering each field one by one in ACF, I was able to have ChatGPT generate a complete JSON file that included:
- Property Details (Price, Beds, Baths, Square Footage, Lot Size, Garage Size)
- Location Information (Address, City, ZIP Code)
- Features & Amenities (Interior/Exterior Features, Energy Efficiency)
- Media & Additional Info (Images, Virtual Tour, Builder Notes)
This alone saved a significant amount of time, reducing the need for repetitive data entry and ensuring consistency across all property listings.
The Efficiency of Automating JSON Creation
Manually entering ACF fields, taxonomies, and CPTs can be a tedious process, especially for complex content types like real estate listings. By having ChatGPT generate JSON files instead of setting things up manually, I was able to:
- Save hours of time on custom fields.
- Ensure accuracy by reducing human error in naming conventions and field structures.
- Quickly troubleshoot and iterate, adjusting the JSON files as needed before importing.
While the CPT and taxonomies were easier to set up manually, the time savings from automating custom fields was the biggest win.
If you’re building a custom WordPress website with custom data structures, consider generating JSON configurations instead of manually creating each field. It not only speeds up development but also makes versioning and collaboration easier.
Final Thoughts: AI as a Development Partner
While AI-generated solutions aren’t always perfect, they can greatly enhance efficiency when used correctly. The key is to:
- Understand the structure of WordPress data (CPTs, taxonomies, and custom fields).
- Verify the output before importing.
- Iterate and refine as needed.
For complex real estate, directory, or product-based custom WordPress websites, automating setup with JSON files is a game changer. By leveraging ChatGPT for structured JSON generation, I was able to bypass manual setup for custom fields, avoid redundancy, and create a highly scalable system.
If you’re interested in implementing custom post types and ACF fields more efficiently for your own projects, feel free to reach out. Let’s make WordPress development faster and smarter!