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11 steps to building a Real Estate Website that WORKS!

By
Services for Real Estate Pros with Virtual Results

Whether you are building a standalone website or an Active Rain outside blog, here are 11 things you MUST consider when creating an effective Real Estate Website...

 

1) Properties for sale, Properties for sale, Properties for sale

 

A quick trip to adwords will prove to you that searchers are NOT searching for Realtors on the web, they are looking for property. So if we KNOW that searchers are searching for property, why would be host a REALTOR web site, instead of a Real Estate Website… Answer? We Wouldn’t… would we.

 

2) Not a good IDX, but a Great IDX

 

Your IDX is the most useful tool on your site. This tool allows your reader to search every property on the MLS, and then contact YOU to learn about it… Great IDXs have super easy to use interfaces, with cool ways to sort properties and terrain style maps… My fave? Diverse Solutions Why settle for a poor IDX, when the price difference between a poor IDX and a best of breed IDX is $20/month…

 

3) Up to date VALUABLE market info

 

As a Realtor that most common question you get asked is most likely “Hows the Market Doing?” How do you answer? Here’s the proper answer..” Well currently it is ….., but this is a unique and exciting market and it turns on a dime. Tell you what, if you want weekly, up-to-date market information emailed right to you, here’s my card, go to my website and subscribe. I send valuable info, weekly for no cost and no obligation...” Need the info to provide? There is NO ONE better than Altos Research.

 

4) Custom Neighborhood Content

 

No, not cut and pasted, regurgitated drip. Your personal opinions, and impressions describing what YOU love about each neighborhood. If you give YOUR honest opinions of a neighborhood, and one of your readers feels a bond with your opinion, could they really NOT choose you as their Realtor?

 

5) Micro Searches

 

Why would a Real Estate searcher use YOUR site to search, instead of a National site, like Zillow, or Trulia. Once they know which neighborhood they would like to buy in, give them a link to only search and receive updates on that neighborhood, then you have offered a service that very few, if any, other web sites will offer them… this is your competitive advantage.

 

6) Interesting Dynamic Lists

 

Your readers love lists. Create a list for the 5 least expensive properties in your area,5 most expensive, 5 best values, (you can actually blog by phone from your weekly caravan and update a “This weeks breaking values” list.) Give your readers a reason to come back and check these lists, over, and over.

 

7) Your Voice As a Realtor

 

Your most important value is KNOWLEDGE. Use your website as a tool to show your Realtors that you are the Defacto authority regarding Real Estate in your market. Take quick notes of daily questions your clients are asking you, and post them to your web, with the answers you gave. You own the knowledge your prospects need. Give it away.

 

8 ) Subscription Button (RSS)

 

Give your readers the ability to subscribe to your pearls of wisdom. Once they subscribe, they will get all your updated info, when you update it.

 

9) Video… Add video to your website

 

Tips for first time homebuyers, Neighborhood walk arounds, Community events, etc. Video give your readers a chance to see your personality.

 

10) Contact Info, Contact Info, Contact Info…

 

Make your contact info SUPER Visible on your HOMEPAGE, (not a contact page) Make sure you list multiple ways to contact you. Phone, email, chat,etc. When web readers want to speak to you, don’t make them wait. Make sure they can fine the info easily, and make your self available by THEIR favorite method of Communication.

 

11) Call to Action

 

Tell you reader what YOU expect their next action to be. Subscribe here!, For more detail call (XXX) XXX-XXXX, To receive weekly market reports, enter your email HERE!! Tell them specifically what you want them to do and give them the opportunity to do it easily, and immediately!!

 

 

Show All Comments Sort:
Kathleen Lordbock
Keller Williams Realty Professionals - Baxter, MN
Keller Williams Realty Professionals

I like the top 5 lists, I could see that being a big hit with my subscribers.

Mar 26, 2009 04:26 PM
Kristina Yorke
www.LowestHomeLoanRatesinFL.com ~ FL FHA Mortgage Expert - Saint Petersburg, FL

I too like the top 5 lists but arent there limits to agents posting other agents listings?  Thanks for telling us your favs for IDX and researching!

Mar 26, 2009 04:34 PM
Dean Moss
Dean's Team - Keller Williams Realty Partners Chicago IL - Chicago, IL
Dean's Team Chicago IL Real Estate Team

Jim -

Great Checklist!  Thanks!

DEAN & DEAN'S TEAM CHICAGO

Mar 26, 2009 04:36 PM
Christine Donovan
Donovan Blatt Realty - Costa Mesa, CA
Broker/Attorney 714-319-9751 DRE01267479 - Costa M

Jim,

I have some work to do and will spend some time on my outside blog using your tips as a guide. Thank you.

Mar 26, 2009 04:44 PM
Jim Marks
Virtual Results - Laguna Beach, CA

Thank you everyone for the feedback..  I was actually out at a Chris Brogan session this evening and came back toa whole lotta Active Rain Love...

Joe, if you have any questions about the DS IDX, call me..  I have no linkage with the company other than 20-30 super performing websites that use it...  I would be happy to invest a few minutes telling you why it works so well and the analytics we have on it (like a 8% bounce rate?)

 

Mar 26, 2009 05:56 PM
Jim Marks
Virtual Results - Laguna Beach, CA

Tim,

Lets evaluate the statement "I do think that many people are in fact searching for a real estate agent. Do a keyword search analysis and you will see that there are significant searches being done for realtors and real estate agents"

This is actually what I do, so I like to speak in analytics rather than example...  I will use LOS ANGELES because the larger the market, the more data, and the more data the more accurate...  here goes...

Using GOOGLE ADWORDS, (Not my favorite tool by a longshot, but your choice) the term Los Angeles Real Estate averages 550,000 hits a month...  Los Angeles Realtor averages 3,600 hits per month..But lets not stop there...  because in order to GET TRAFFIC you have to rise up through the noise... 

For Los Angeles REAL ESTATE, there are currently 28,000,000 websites indexed in Google, for Los Angeles REALTOR, there are 54,000,000...

So right off the bat, we are competing with TWICE as many sites for .006 or 1/50th as many clicks...  Does this make sense?

Now, add to this BOUNCE RATE.  The average bounce rate on a Realtors website is between 70%-85% (and I have seen them higher)  The average bounce rate on a Property site is 50%-60% and we have sites as low as 30%-35%...

Now figure in conversion...  how do you convert someone looking for a Realtor..  DO you really have the ability to write such convincing copy that a prospect, sees and immeidate diifferentiation and chooses to self identify to you as opposed to other agents and companies with much larger marketing budgets?  We have yet to meet the Realtor that can do this...

Would love to discuss this more and have millions of logged Real Estate clicks to prove out my statements... 

Thanks for your interest in the post.

 

 

Mar 26, 2009 06:12 PM
Jim Lee, REALTOR, CRS
RE/MAX Shoreline - Portsmouth, NH
Buying or Selling? Ann & Jim are the local experts

You left out the one most important thing that makes a real estate website successful.

Consumers have to be able to find you in the huge herd of other real estate websites taking up space on the www.

You can have the most wonderful website ever created that is the end all be all for both buyers and sellers and if no one can find it to look at then it's not going to do you very much good.

Once you get found then the other 11 things you mentioned kick in.

Mar 26, 2009 11:42 PM
Jim Sinnott
Bedard Realty - North Attleboro, MA
Realtor, GRI Licensed in MA and RI

Jim,

I just joined Active Rain last week and it's posts like this that make me glad I did. Very useful information, like the others I am also going to use this info to tweek my website.

Thanks

 

Mar 27, 2009 02:07 AM
Melanie Kapuschinsky

Jim,

I just joined ActiveRain.  Your article was the first I read.  I am new to the networking idea.  One thing I am trying to do is start a website.  I already have a domain name.  But as far as a host and company to help develop the site I am stuck!  Any ideas please pass along!  Thanks!

Melanie K.

Mar 27, 2009 02:25 AM
Russell Lewis
Realty Austin, Austin Texas Real Estate - Austin, TX
Broker,CLHMS,GRI

Good points, I am in the process of rebuilding and updating my website and appreciate your tips!

Mar 27, 2009 02:44 AM
Christine Wade
Christine Wade - Derby, VT
Operations Strategist / Online Business Manager

Jim - this is a great informative post and I look forward to putting yout tips to use!

Mar 27, 2009 04:09 AM
Jim Marks
Virtual Results - Laguna Beach, CA

Russell, Your Welcome!

Christine, Hope that works out for you...

Jim, Good for you, and welcome to AR!

Mar 27, 2009 04:34 AM
Monica Bourgeau
Portland, OR
Authentic Marketing for Heart-Led Agents

Hi Jim - good to see you on ActiveRain! Great suggestions, we just started adding video and it makes things much more interesting. Nice job and congrats on the feature :)

Mar 27, 2009 04:56 AM
Mark Eckenrode
HomeStomper - Maricopa, AZ

hey jim, good info. i especially like the "lists" idea - people will always be attracted to lists.

but i question the effectiveness of promoting subscription to the RSS feed instead of capturing email. aside from the fact that most folks still have no clue what RSS is, RSS is not a leveragable business asset (you have no clue who these people are or how to contact them). an email list is an asset (names that you can contact directly).

RSS also requires folks to log into an RSS reader to get the updates and it may be a week or two down the line. using email you can reach out and contact people directly. plus, email is more intimate than RSS and the copy can be written to leverage that aspect.

sure, still offer RSS but getting folks to become email subscribers will do far more for your business in the long term than an RSS subscriber, for sure.

Mar 27, 2009 05:02 AM
Jim Marks
Virtual Results - Laguna Beach, CA

Mark,

I understand your point...

I also understand that I would RATHER have a phone call, than an email address...  so do I stop promoting self identification via email so people can ONLY call?

Lets agree on three things... 

1) Some small amount of the Internet Population uses (and prefers) RSS and feed readers...

2) This populations is growing (by some accounts, rapidly)

3) Once a searcher CHOOSES a feed, they typically reduce or stop searching that topic..

So, KNOWING this, there is an RSS Subscription "land grab" going on...  If an RSS lover (I am certainly one) visits your site and you DON'T offer him this ability, he WILL find it elsewhere, and probably not be back...

If SOMEONE is going to push this info to him, shouldn't it be you?

As far as it not being an asset, WEB 2.0 measures assets in numerous ways...  Is a Twitter follower an asset?  A Face book Friend? A blog reader?  How about someone who saves IDX searches...  ALL OF THESE ARE ASSETS...

You have to fish where the fish are.  And if the fish are in the RSS pool?  You better have a line there...

 

 

 

Mar 27, 2009 06:19 AM
Loreena and Michael Yeo
3:16 team REALTY ~ Locally-owned Prosper TX Real Estate Co. - Prosper, TX
Real Estate Agents

You're exactly correct on this topic. I've just signed up with Diverse, and I thought about it for over 2 months. Nothing that I've researched come close and you are right, many of them are almost there in price.

I cant wait to get my stuff going.

And thanks for the pointers for the rest of the website. I am crossing it off my list and it feels good.

Mar 27, 2009 06:43 AM
Sharon Wilson
Free Real Estate Ads Online - Plantation, FL

Great advice, we are testing some video right now and using our own youtube channel for additional exposure. It appears to work quite well.

Mar 27, 2009 11:49 AM
Mike & Sheryl Eddy Realtors® Wailea Maui Hawaii
Coldwell Banker Island Properties - Wailea, HI

I hate to admit that I have been struggling with my website for a long time without much success. I'm going to review each of your tips to see where it can be improved. Thanks!

Mar 30, 2009 02:15 PM
Teresa K. Nelson
Compass - Woodinville, WA
Your Trusted Real Estate Advisor

I am so happy to have found this post so that I can double check what I have done to my own website and get some upgrade ideas.

Apr 09, 2009 04:53 PM
Coleen DeGroff
Coldwell Banker M.M. Parrish Realtors - Gainesville, FL
Haile Plantation Real Estate - Gainesville FL

Jim,

Thanks for this great post!  I'm in the middle of getting a new website and have just decided on one thru Diverse Solutions. I'm bummed that our Gainesville MLS does not offer their IDX service, but at least I can have a kick-butt Diverse Solutions website, and incorporate IDX Broker into my site.  And I've bookmarked this post to incorporate your great ideas....so thanks!

Sep 18, 2009 09:47 AM