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Critique My Website!!! And don't worry, I can handel it!

By
Real Estate Agent with Coldwell Banker Burnet

First of all, thank you to all of those that commented on my blog, "I need website help," I took your comments to heart and hopefully created a great website. 

And now, the time has finally arrived, my website is almost complete. It's colorful, to the point, and hopefully useful.  

 

tyghre.com

tyghre.com

And now I need your help, yeap that's right, as professionals in the indusrty, I value your opinion.  This is my first website, so it's pretty basic.


Here are some of my biggest concerns regarding my website:

  • Usability- Is it easy to navigate?
  • Content- Too much or too little?
  • Grammar- Yes, I will admit I'm not the best speller in the world and even though there is spell check, I still make mistakes!
  • Is it Memorable- Both the real estate world and internet world are extremely competitive.

 

Comments, questions, concerns...Bring them on!!!



Thank you for your support.

 

 

tyghre.com

Comments (18)

Gary Bland R (S) E-Pro, ABR
Hawaii Life Real Estate Brokers - Wailea, HI
If you get a chance to view my web site also at www.garybland.com  to help your design process.
Nov 26, 2007 07:43 AM
Tyghre Collentine
Coldwell Banker Burnet - Minneapolis, MN
Thanks Gary, your site looks nice, easy to navigate...but as you can probably tell, I was going for somehting out-of-the-box.  Best wishes!
Nov 26, 2007 09:28 AM
Kim Wilbourn
Kim Wilbourn Realty - Scottsboro, AL
Your Local Alabama REALTOR

Sorry! Wished I could help you, but I need help with mine also. Nobody told me that I had to know how to develop a website when I got my Real Estate license? Good Luck!

Nov 26, 2007 09:40 AM
David Yeoman
Mortgage Intelligence Inc. (David Yeoman) - Barrie, ON

I think one consideration would be the amount of flash used on your site. Depending on your market area there would be the concern that any number of potential clients would be viewing your site on dial up opposed to high speed.

Two very important pieces of advice I received when developing my Team Site was get off the network machine and go where there is dial up and see exactly how fast your pages load and how easy it is to maneuver around.  The surfer simply doesn't wait anymore, it's got to be fast.

The other was not to forget that everyone is not necessarily using your same version or the latest version of MS Explorer and there is an ever increasing number of Firefox users so make sure your site looks pretty much the same on every Browser.  From what I understand there is also something called a MAC out there.

This is why a number of webmasters are going back to the basics with fast loading page content and as we have done with www.OntarioMortgageTeam.com developed a middle of the page type format to insure it all looks the same regardless of browser.

Good Luck with your new site, DAVE

 

 

Nov 26, 2007 09:44 AM
Tyghre Collentine
Coldwell Banker Burnet - Minneapolis, MN
Thanks Dave, my developer took those items into consideration.  And your absolutely right, today's internet users don't want to spend time waiting for a website to load.
Nov 26, 2007 10:05 AM
Frank Jewett
tech4REpros - San Jose, CA

Tyghre, please excuse what J.A. Nelson used to call "programmer art" in the examples below.

Tyghre.com - front page

The buyers and sellers buttons get lost next to home, about me, and contact.  They are the two most important buttons on your front page.

Use color, size, and position to make them stand out.  Where is the most natural place to have them?  How about right below your introductory paragraph?

Tyghre.com - buyers page

Your page has no pitch and no call to action.  The buyer links are passive.  Shove them furthur down the page to make room for your buyers pitch which, with apologies to the vast majority of agents who use a one role fits all combo pitch, should be different from your sellers or investors pitch.  Put your pitch front and center.  I've told you I'm a buyer.  Now tell me why I should choose you!

And if I do choose you, what next?  Put a call to action with contact info.  And hey, if it's the biggest thing on the page, that's okay.  Maybe I'd rather call you than wade through the buyer links.  That's a good thing!

I love the use of color and the overall look and feel, but I expect a little more agression from a Tyghre. ;)

Finally, no property search gizmo cluttering up the front page?  I'm proud of you!

Frank Jewett

Nov 26, 2007 05:04 PM
Dale Campbell
Virginia Real Estate - Mechanicsville, VA
Tyghre - Great site - I love the effects, but I do agree with Dave.  Make sure it will work for everyone.
Nov 27, 2007 02:55 AM
Tyghre Collentine
Coldwell Banker Burnet - Minneapolis, MN
Thanks Frank for the great ideas!
Nov 27, 2007 05:12 AM
Melissa Wagner
Leo Parker Real Estate & Auction - Woodbury, TN
Hey Tyghre! I like your website and really like that it is different. Right now I am limited to subscribing to a RE webdesign company that has lots of different templates, etc to choose from. I am looking forward to being able to either A. Afford to hire someone to make something custom for me or B. Me learn how to do it myself. Frank does have some good tips. I like the direction you have taken with it! Very nice.
Nov 27, 2007 12:11 PM
Tim Walsh
Strano and Assc. - Belleville, IL
I love your website! It is super clean and crisp. It seems like you have great content for your customers -- which is a top priority. What did you use to produce it?
Dec 01, 2007 03:21 PM
Heather Fitzgerald
REALTY WORLD-Harbert Company, Inc. - Greenwood, IN
REALTOR Greenwood Indiana Real Estate

Frank,

Thanks for the info about a call to action.  I need to check my website out based on your info and have some modifications made.

Thanks for posting Tyghre.

Heather

Dec 02, 2007 04:40 AM
David Hood
Chino Valley Real Estate - Chino, CA
People don't want to spend time waiting for a website to load, it loaded very fast for me, looks clean I like it.
Dec 02, 2007 12:31 PM
Tyghre Collentine
Coldwell Banker Burnet - Minneapolis, MN
Thanks David, I 'm glad you were able to download it quick!  And your so right, today's buyers don't want to wait for a website to load.  Take care!
Dec 05, 2007 09:19 AM
Christina Iacono
Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Fox & Roach Realtors - Chadds Ford, PA
Wow Tygher the site looks great!  I think it is clever and easy to navigate.  I am envious of your state board requirements.  The page looks really nice without company logos on every page...can't get away with that in Pennsylvania.
Dec 05, 2007 05:30 PM
Tyghre Collentine
Coldwell Banker Burnet - Minneapolis, MN
Thanks Christina! 
Dec 06, 2007 08:29 AM
Anonymous
John Tittle

Put your business phone where prospects will see it.

Link your email. Use a form if you can because putting your email out there unencoded makes you a spammer target.

Does your broker provide customized pages for agents?

Once someone goes to trulia you'll lose them. Better to provide a customized search on your broker's site.

People who buy, visit websites to look at listings. Once they see something they like they usually contact the first available person/company they can find.

You're doing a lot of things right. At the moment I'm learning from you.

We get a lot of business from our website, but just beginning to consider a blog. 

Best of luck to you.

Our web site with listings from your area:

http://searches.tittlerealestate.com/listings/list.php?ZipCode=55408&webbroker=tittle 

Dec 27, 2007 01:44 PM
#16
Anonymous
Rick Turner
First off, Tyghre... what a cool name!  Now I'm not a web master, just a plain old agent from Toledo, Ohio, but with all that color, (and I like the color)  I see you have a black & white photo!  Now I'm sure that you will be changing it but it as a general visitor that's what I noticed!  Oh well, good luck and I'll check back later to see how your progressing!  Happy New Year!!
Dec 28, 2007 02:18 AM
#17
* Rate A Home
Rate A Home - Saugatuck, MI

Tyghre,I like how your site loads.

I looked over your "Buyers" section and the 1st item was telling the buyer to create a "Wish List". I wanted to make you aware of a free program available to you for use on your website that the buyer can complete a wish list and only you capture the lead from this wish list. Meanwhile your buyer gets a copy e-mailed for their use and you receive a copy to help them find the home that meets their needs. There's no charge for this service to you or the buyer. Plus your logo and name shows up on each wish list, so even if the buyer isn't serious on purchasing today, 6 months down the road when they review their wish list, there's your name and logo in front of their eyes. Continued marketing.

You can test and add the wish list here.

Dec 28, 2007 02:34 AM