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I need Website Help!

Real Estate Agent with Coldwell Banker Burnet

November 13, 2007 07:15 AM

I'm in the stages of building my website and I'm about ready to pull all my hair out. tyghre I've been doing my research and looking at my competitors (that's all of you) and I can't decided where to draw the line. I have a few questions for you:

Is it best to have a lot of information so they can get everthing off of your site with out leaving it?, or is it best to give them just enough to get them interested in you???

I work with a lot of first time home buyers and sellers and it seems no matter how much info is out there, they always have questions, so why then do we put so much stuff on our websites???

Maybe its just me and I'm starting to get lazy, but I want something simple, not too wordy, and not a bunch of links either.

Here's my main links:

HOME
ABOUT ME

      BUYERS
        Seven stages to buying your home
        Deciding how much house you can afford
        Mortgage Calculator
        Location, location, location
        Buyer’s Bill of Rights

       SELLERS
      Eight stages to selling your home
        Pricing to Sell and Still Making Profit
        Increasing your home's appeal
        Tyghre's Ulitmate Exposure Program
    Seller's Bill of Rights

CONTACT

Of course there is a search option and a link to my blog. I currently don't have any listings, so I'm not sure if I want to put that option on there.

Any information, regarding content or tools you used to build your website would be helpful!

Thank You!

tyghre.com

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Mike Jaquish

Realty Arts - Cary, NC

919-880-2769 Cary, NC, Real Estate

Tyghre,

I believe that two things will cover 90%+ of the needs that visitors have.

1. Something about you. A blog will do it nicely.

2. Easy access to IDX search.

The rest is optional, IMO.

Nov 13, 2007 07:21 AM

Tyghre Collentine

Coldwell Banker Burnet - Minneapolis, MN

Thanks Mike...your website is very professional! Best wishes!

Nov 13, 2007 07:23 AM

Jennifer Esposito

JenRan Realty, LLC - Woodstock, CT

One of THE most important things is that you keep all your info CURRENT. If you cannot 'get in' to make immediate changes and have to rely on the webmaster or the host company you will be a step behind. Make it easy for visitors to navigate, have lots of photos, and don't forget the branding with your colors, logo etc.

Nov 13, 2007 07:26 AM

Mike Jaquish

Realty Arts - Cary, NC

919-880-2769 Cary, NC, Real Estate

Tyghre,

Thanks. But it is just the Keller Williams free templated site.

I am turning over to a Wordpress.org blogsite and going to clean up my site and use it for the IDX. Until I can get a good widget to handle the IDX.

I think the blogging is that important.

Nov 13, 2007 07:26 AM

Frank Jewett

tech4REpros - San Jose, CA

You're off to a good start because you have differentiated between buyers and sellers. Too many real estate websites go for "thud factor" links down the left side of the screen because thud factor is how cookie cutter sites market themselves to internet neophytes. Here is my approach:

IDENTIFY - Give your visitors an easy way to identify themselves before dumping information (and tons of ugly, noisy graphics) on them.

Buyer, Seller, Investor, Renter (depending on your niches - if I managed properties, I'd want renters to contact me through my real estate website to make sure they realize I can help them become home owners)

PITCH - Once the user has self identified, give them a short paragraph and bullets explaining why they should pick you to help them.

CALL TO ACTION - Encourage them to contact you.

NEXT STEP - Phone numbers, button to send e-mail, IM, etc.

MORE INFORMATION - Links to other resources on your site and other helpful sites.

Finding out about your services and how to move forward should always be simple.

Nov 13, 2007 07:28 AM

Frank Jewett

tech4REpros - San Jose, CA

Note on pitch: If you met me in person and I self-identified, would you give me the same pitch regardless of whether I was buying, selling, or investing? I doubt it, so I don't understand the popularity of a single pitch or combo catch all pitch on the front page. Site visitors appreciate ease of use. Give em two or three big buttons that allow them to self-identify, then give them a specific pitch on your "Buyer's resources" or "Seller's resources" page related to their interest. Combo catch all front page pitches waste visitors' time.

Nov 13, 2007 07:36 AM

Ken Realivent

Realivent - San Francisco, CA

Hi Tyghre, lots of great ideas... how about a website + blog all in one place ?
A nice front page that is simple and crisp and lots of inner pages with detail that you control. We are seeing a lot more interest in this hybrid approach. Good luck!

Nov 13, 2007 07:43 AM

Tyghre Collentine

Coldwell Banker Burnet - Minneapolis, MN

Thanks Frank, thats sort of the direction I'm heading in!

Nov 13, 2007 07:43 AM

Don Stern

Realty Executives South Louisiana - Baton Rouge, LA

Greater Baton Rouge Real Estate

I'm still working on the right formula but I offer a mix of information. Some they can get without identifying themselves and some they must identify themselves to get. I've also made sure that searching for real estate is easily located and anonymous.

Good luck with your site.

Nov 13, 2007 07:45 AM

Frank Jewett

tech4REpros - San Jose, CA

By self-identify, I don't mean "enter contact information in my lead generator", I mean "click a button that says BUYER or SELLER."

Most real estate websites have a "Buyer's resources" page and a "Seller's resources" page already, but to get to them you have to filter through several identically colored, indentically sized, identically located buttons... and when you get there - no tailored pitch whatsoever.

Here is a site that is far from perfect, but look how easy it is to

1 - Self identify your role

2 - See the pitch

3 - Find out what to do next (phone number or click here)

Am I missing the hidden benefits of not making your site this easy to use?

Nov 13, 2007 08:26 AM

Chris Mitchell

Keller Williams - Nashville, TN

CallNashvilleHome.com

In my opinion it really depends on your target market, if you are mostly dealing with first-time home buyers and you are using your website as a lead generation model then you should provide them with enough information so they can make an informed decision about where they want to live in your market. We provide school information, relocation information, access to area demographics etc. Our sites are lead generating machines and they are our primary marketing tool to first time home buyers moving into our market. We have referred clients to our site for information about communities etc... Of course we also provide bios links to our BLOGs and an IDX search as well as several forms for capturing data.

If the only purpose of your website is to show up in the search engines, well maybe show up, and be a business card site then sure all you need is a link to your public access blog and your resume. If you want to provide a resource for potential buyers and sellers then you are going to have to treat it like a business and support it as such. It is also helpful to provide things on your site that are not on every other site available, even if it is just a collation of links for a specific purpose. I tell people your website can be your second office or it can be your business card, which do you think will get you more business. The answer deends on your dedication to the site, a bad site will turn more people away than it will bring in.

Nov 24, 2007 06:21 AM

Tyghre Collentine

Coldwell Banker Burnet - Minneapolis, MN

Thanks Chris for all the great points to think about...I think my head hurts even more:(:(:(

And after some thought...I decided to just stop worrying and to just get my website out there!

So, I hope you all like it!

Nov 25, 2007 01:56 PM

Melissa Wagner

Leo Parker Real Estate & Auction - Woodbury, TN

I think that less sometimes is best. I think when you get too much on a website, it is too distracting and then the main things you want people to know end up getting overlooked. I find that I am constantly changing or updating something no matter what I do, so getting it out there was the best thing to do!

Nov 27, 2007 12:04 PM

Rob Aubrey

Cottonwood Heights, UT

Hi Tyghre,

I have mentioned to others, the three things a consumer wants from the Internet is

Homes for sale (the most traffic)
Home Values (fishes for sellers)
Area Information (out of state buyers)

If you are not focused heavily on those three things you are spinning your wheels.

When you go shopping online, let's Costco.com. Have you ever checked the part about the sales people? What about Circuit City.com, same there I bet.

So we that said clearly define what you want your site to achieve.

There are two types of sites, unbranded -Lead Generators

IDX-MLS Search Site

CMA Site

Email Me Listings Site

Last and the least your branded site, the one with your photo and blah, blah, blah...

Then I always ask this very important question.

Do you have a plan and a budget to market your web site(s)?

If not then get the cheapest $9.99 per month thing you can find. Because if you do market it then it is a total waste.

Most of my leads come form my unbranded sites

www.MoreHouseValues.com

www.EmailMeUtahListings.com

My blog is starting to get traction, it is two and ahalf months since I have been writing articles and I am starting to see the search engine results.

PS I hired a company to teach me about blogging, the same with my other sites.

Dec 02, 2007 11:41 AM

David Hood

Chino Valley Real Estate - Chino, CA

If not then get the cheapest $9.99 per month thing you can find. Because if you do market it then it is a total waste. Great point, no one will ever find your site unless you market and drive traffic.

Dec 02, 2007 12:35 PM

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