ePropertySites Review

UPDATE:  I had some links to eProperty single property websites but the properties sold and instead of having to remember coming back and making changes constantly, I am leaving links to sites off of this post.

Disclaimer - I do not work for ePropertySites.com - I am just a client.  I know many agents have multiple websites and I do, too.  But I wanted something else, I wanted to streamline everything so it worked better and wasted less time and I wanted to control expenses better.

My First Website

I got my first website using a free Point2 Agent site many years ago.  It was a love-hate relationship.  I loved how it showcased my listings.  Nothing was close.  But I hated the huge code that made pages load slowly.  I also hated that Point2 insisted I put my listings in a "neighborhood" or "subdivision", even if one truly didn't exist, so they could then turn around and try to sell it back to me.  I was never happy with the full-page layout and even though I have completely customized a few Wordpress blogs, I didn't have enough css knowledge to make changes to my P2 site.

However, my first site, which is what I consider a niche site because it covered only one of several main villages I work in (I work in 40+ different towns but many are very small), made it to top Google position on a free Point2 site.  It wasn't overnight and took work on my part, but it happened. 

I have since converted that site to a Real Estate Webmasters site, one of two I currently have through REW.  Yet I kept my Point2 site and generalized it to a larger area, encompassing all of the Chicago suburbs I work in.  I even upgraded it last year so I could use up to 30 photos because it was still the best listing site I've seen and sellers liked it.  It also provided me with an unbranded "virtual tour slideshow" for the MLS.

For all those years I kept a free site and only upgraded a year ago.  I just canceled my Point2 website completely.  I've been searching for something else, something better suited for what I want - just a way to showcase my listings better online that I can use on my REW sites if I want (and my blogs, etc.).

Active Rain Helped Me Find What I Was Looking For

I was reading an Active Rain post and there was a quick mention of ePropertySites in one of the comments.  I checked it out and compared it with another similar provider.  But I chose to sign up with ePropertySites because of one item - the fact that they syndicated the listings and the other provider did not.

I've looked at and tried other single property sites such as Realbird, Classified Flyer Ads and many more.  I liked Realbird and was almost going to go with that exclusively since I do like it.  But I wanted something more. 

I Was Down To My Last Two Choices

It was between ePropertySites and VOBRE.  They each have somewhat different offerings.  I was leaning toward VOBRE because I could have used their e-fax services and get rid of my current one.  But at the time they did not syndicate the listings and all of a sudden my sellers are expecting this (they didn't before even though I offered it - it didn't seem to impress them in the past).

I even contacted VOBRE to see if syndication was in their future and they said it was coming soon.  But the last time I checked their site I did not see any mention of it.  So I signed up for ePropertySites instead.

Here's the Deal

If you only have a few listings per year then you'd probably be better off paying $10.00 a listing (for a year).  Because I get a lot of listings I chose the $10.00/mo. option which handles up to 10 listings.  

And here's what is offered:

• Single property website at $10.00 each or up to 10 at $10.00/mo. - customization of styles and colors available - the photo above is another of the sites I created.
• Unlimited photos - high def allowed.
• A virtual tour using 20 of those photos.
• The virtual tour can be sent to Realtor.com - no cost if you are a Showcase Realtor.com client.
• You get a branded and unbranded virtual tour and the entire website unbranded for your MLS - I've been using the entire site.
• You can create high-def panoramic tours (I haven't done this yet).
• You can create custom pages for your single property websites - add whatever you want!  You can upload paperwork such as disclosures, for example.
• Certain pages are already created if you want to use them such as a Map Page, WalkScore, Schools & Demographics page pertaining to each property's exact location.
• Each property gets a mobile phone number so people can text for more information.  Different phone providers offer different info - not all providers will work with this (to use it you'd order riders with the text # and single property url - you don't need to use either).
• The text messaging feature gives you call capture.
• Widgets are provided for your blogs and sites (mine is in the sidebar to the right).
• There is code provided for other websites, blogs and even special code for Active Rain postings!
• Flyers can be generated from the site.
• You can put your Open Houses on the site and can have text or a "canned person" introduce your website or open house.  
• You can add your own voiceover to your tours.
• There's a feedback system (for property showings) but I haven't used it.
• They syndicate to many other real estate portals and offer easy Craigs List and Backpage postings.
• You can get your own domain to re-direct to the site.
• The upgraded version ($10.00/month) offers a full agent website (I have no need for that) and more features that I haven't used yet such as one called Broadcast Your Move to give to a buyer after they purchase a house.

It's Blowing Away My Competition

I've attended 3 listing appointments and got all 3.  I took my little laptop with me and showed these sellers the single property site and used the examples from the site since I hadn't created my own yet.  It's a killer listing presentation and you can actually create a presentation using the listing you're trying to get (of course you won't have interior photos).  I haven't tried that yet.

My sellers have been extremely happy with their sites and I've been told I've gone above and beyond.  Keep in mind, I've been using Point2 and always send them the url but it just didn't generate the accolades like this has. 

There is a forum where you get good help and that's all I've needed so far.  I'm not sure what will happen when I get more than 10 listings, but it would be worth it to spend another $10.00/mo. for 10 more.  Or I might check out VOBRE again to see if they syndicate and do a side-by-side comparison on each provider.

All in all, I'm extremely happy with ePropertySites and just wanted to put it out there since I haven't seen much written on it and I think it might be a great fit for some of you like it is for me.