Jennifer -

 I too marvel over websites that informative and easy to navigate.  I would love to set-up mine exactly like that and don't feel talented and patient enough to ever come up with all the material.  It's tempting to think about cut & paste but I also know that would come to bite me back in the long run.  I use and keep great examples and slowly integrate ideas like the good stuff onto my site.  I believe that's all any of us can do.  That or hire someone with the ideas and talents to do all the work.

Hi Jennifer,

I don't know what your budget is for your new website, but if you have not yet made your decision, I would highly recommend that you check out http://www.realestatewebmasters.com/  Their sites are just wonderful, the customer service is wonderful, and the sites themselves are very very good for SEO performance.  Here are a few examples of their work.

http://www.destin-florida-real-estate.com/

http://www.movetoarizonahomes.com/

http://www.falconliving.com/

http://www.mslasvegasrealestate.com/

http://www.finehomesofhiltonhead.com/

I have no financial stake in this company, and do not even have a website with them yet, I will next year when it is time to update and upgrade my site.

Check them out, it cannot hurt.

Jim

Cynthia - I just went to your site.  It is actually preety nice.  The key components are there, meaning mapping features and some content to keep visitors interested in staying and coming back.  Good job.

Jim - we have made our decision for a vendor, but thank you for the info.  I did visit the site though and I didn't have that WOW factor on their portfolio sites that I did with Real Living.

I too am re-evaluating which vendor to use.  I have had an Alamode web site for 2 years and their customer service has been top notch.  If anyone else can recommend a vendor - pls do

That is fine, I do not have any interest in the company, I just know that wow factor is one thing, but how easy it is to get the website to place in google and yahoo's index is quite another. 

I would seek to find out everything you can about the company and the website you have chosen.  Is it a template? Do they use Frames (Frames are bad bad bad for SEO) what is their customer support like? what is the actual cost? 

Things to consider, you can get a very very nice looking Point2agent website made for your at a nice discount, but if you are in a market with heavy web competiton, you will have great difficulty getting the site to place high enough in Google in order for many people to actually find the site.

Just my 2 cents.  Best of luck to you, the site you picked does look nice, though I have never heard of the company.

Jim

Judy - Are you a broker or independent agent?

If a broker, I suggest Katabat.  This is who we are working with and they have top reviews and services.

If you are an agent -- Look in to Prostep. 

Jim - those are good points.  I and my web team have researched all of this.  The WOW factor is secondary to the rankings -- this I do know.

However, at some point you must focus on providing valuable content to the consumer.  As one of our top agents has stated -- the web is a unique animal.

We are trying to be a strong presence in a competitive market.  We are a small locally owned and operated company competing with big more national franchises who put millions into their sites.

Local, relevant content and linking are key, plus all the keywords.  I am simplifying it, I know.  But, I was impressed with what Real Living offers the consumer. 

As a Real Living agent, I can tell you that in addition to the internet broker site, their intranet platform is awesome ... lots of tools for us to use. FYI, our "leader" was voted one of the top innovators in the nation. 

Elaine - Thank you for that feedback - obviously that is something that you don't see on the public side.  We are trying to make our intranet user-friendly and a powerful tool as well.

Jennifer: Elaine forwarded me your post.  The Real Living websites have been morphing since 1996?  Or maybe it was even 1995 when the HER website  was born. I remember a company meeting when Harley E. Rouda Jr. talked about how important the internet was going to be to real estate marketing.  I thought he was nuts.  I used email.  I had even seen and played on the 'internet' and the world wide web... but he was talking about doing away with our HER TV show for the intranet!  I remember thinking what madness is this?

Locally it is the site to use to find a home.  I think we take a lot for granted inside the company.

Maureen - interesting.  That is what we want to be -- locally.  Our struggle is against the power houses that can spend millions on their web sites.  One of my agents commented that his own mother goes to the competiors site to search.  We want to be the "go to" site.

As I told Elaine in an email SEO can be managed with SEM.  What is important is whether you have traffic and quality leads to justify the expense.

Jennifer: this entry is of  course featured in the Real Living group!  We (Real Living HER) are the power house in our market but were before the internet too.  Just because everyone uses your website doesn't mean they are going to use your agents (people at open houses working with competitors will say they use our Real Living HER site) but I believe web 2.0 and those drawn to it are changing that somewhat.

Buy a franchise? Offer what Real Living now has to the public in your market.  I have no idea how the franchises are priced, how it works... but Jim H. and others on ActiveRain are franchisees.

I'd love to buy a franchise -- alas - no moolah!  I am also not a licensed agent.  I work for the broker in the web/editing department (I know strange combo).  You piqued my curiousity though.  I am looking to run my own business in the future.  I can look into it.

:)

broker has moolah! Suggest a franchise... no then Jennifer would not be as necessary or maybe would be more necessary?   

I don't sell franchises.  I am just a lowly r.e. agent. Here I've read what you've written and thought you were the broker!  Take that as a compliment.   

I am flattered - I think. ;)