Rainmaker
19,362
Joe Trusty
Norcal Web Designs - Sacramento, CA
Real Estate Website Development Expert

WordPress would have to get my vote. For one thing, with a website builder platform like Squarespace you're renting your website each month from the service provider. You're paying monthly to build up equity in a website that you don't own. That's kind of like renting an apartment and paying $10,000 to remodel the kitchen when you move in.

Another thing is the amount of off the shelf IDX plugins that integrate with WordPress these days makes it a no brainer for any Real Estate agent that wants to show branded listings with teaser registration on their website and offer property search. There is a Diverse Solutions product that integrates with Squarespace but it's lousy in comparison to the tool they've built for WordPress. I've had to implement it in several cases for Agents that had a Squarespace site and it wasn't anywhere near as full featured as the WP equivalent.

I would steer Real Estate agents away from Squarespace if I could. Not a good platform for Agents or Brokers that are serious about SEO or MLS Search.

https://support.squarespace.com/hc/en-us/articles/205815388-Adding-an-MLS-search

 

Sidenote to OP: I haven't evaluated WPL Pro, but I build Real Estate Agent & Broker websites and will give it a try out and let you know what I think.

May 23, 2020 12:38 PM #1
Rainmaker
948,274
Doug Dawes
Keller Williams Realty - Topsfield, MA - Georgetown, MA
Your Personal Realtor®

Thank you for the comparison Realtyna Inc  I hadn't heard of Squarespace before today.

May 23, 2020 07:08 PM #2
Rainmaker
19,362
Joe Trusty
Norcal Web Designs - Sacramento, CA
Real Estate Website Development Expert

 Doug Dawes - here's a compliment sandwich about Squarespace. I think Squarespace is a fantastic product for anyone that doesn't know a thing about website development, web design, or SEO. With that said, I would still kick the living daylights out of a Squarespace site  or any single one of these do-it-yourself website products in a Pepsi Challenge when building a site for another agent in WordPress.

You cannot touch the SEO results you're going to get with using the right tools and having the right person set everything up. It's just not apples to apples or even the same food group.

All that said, Squarespace is still a solid alternative for anyone on a very tight budget that's just getting started. A word of caution for ESTABLISHED Real Estate Agents & Brokers considering a Squarespace site, if your competitor hires me or any other professional web agency that specializes in Real Estate Websites to build them a WordPress site and do their SEO, it's a wrap . You hire a professional to shoot your drone footage & photography, hire a pro to build your website. You'll get way better results.

May 23, 2020 09:47 PM #3
Rainmaker
1,623,673
Carol Williams
Although I'm retired, I love sharing my knowledge and learning from other real estate industry professionals. - Wenatchee, WA
Retired Agent / Broker / Property Manager

I'm glad you've featured Squarespace here. I think most people have never heard of it. 

May 28, 2020 05:35 AM #4