Thread: What are Features a Real Estate Agent's Site Should Have?

Don't bother having a website if you don't have an IDX. Buyers all want to see all of the listings.

will be goin with idxbroker for the IDX

Big pictures gives them a good idea of the property in question. If the real estate you are selling is nice you shouldn't have a problem with large pics.

If your real estate listing is a business of a farm, buyers always want to know how long it will take for it to pay itself.

Make sure the website has clear image of the building and read the contents of the website.

I say give them less content, but a really good reason to contact you.

I have the "big fancy sites" with IDX for local searches, and news feeds, and all that stuff, but my simpler pages I use for marketing campaigns actually get me a lot more leads.

I say send people to the bigger site that you have met in person. Use more targeted "mini" sites in your marketing campaigns. For example: If looking for first time buyers, put out ads that appeal to first time buyers. Possible tax credit info, tips on getting financed for the first time, etc... This ad will take them to a site that gives them free info on whatever your ad was discussing. First time buyers also like signing up to get updates when new properties become available.

So I guess I suggest making sure your "Agent" site has a nice MLS search, some local market information, and a place for people to contact you with questions.

On the mini sites, keep it to one page, with a sign up form that is visible without having to scroll. Only talk about one single subject. Use images and colors that are appealing.

Re_Investor's correct. Keep it simple. You already have your IDX, good, one thing down. Have simple buttons that get the customer to where they want to go in a few clicks. That's two. Three, have plenty of pictures. OUTSIDE pics ALSO, TO GIVE THE CLIENT AN IDEA OF the size of the yard!

Choose simple, easy on the eyes fonts and color schemes. Blue on red won't work for example. If you have the time, make up a virtual tour of some or all of your listings. I didn't say video. I'm not unique in this point. Customers, like myself will 100% of the time scroll thru 100 pics AT OUR CHOSEN PACE, then to sit thru a rambling rah-rah video. I'd be done viewing all the pics you posted of a particular property while you're still talking to the stupid camera rambling on and on like that Graziosi jerkoff, enroute to the property.

Ok, "Fast forward it then". Ok....buffering.....buffering.....buffering....Oh? Still buffering? I'm done viewing the pics and have decided to call you. Ok, you're going to begin your tour inside the property? And what I just said about viewing all of your pics is STILL not faster than a video? Ok: "Here we have a nice open floor plan, hard wood floors thruout the first floor". Now you have to pan the camera left or right, go to room to room, zoom in, zoom out, trying desperately not to sound like a used car salesman, wasting your entire afternoon producing a video of just one of your many listings. All the while another customer (such as myself), is scrolling thru your many pics and is now done.

While you're shaking the camera and acting like Larry from Three's Company, you've only told me what I already saw in the pictures and I'm done and have decided to call you or not. Don't waste your time and for sure don't waste a customer's time.

Keep it simple. Don't have buttons to their "dream home" if you don't have the listings to back them up. Nobody's going to input all of their specific info only to see "property not found" when they've just wasted all that time. Do that to consumers once, and they won't return.

Don't have fifteen paragraphs describing your personal life. Nobody cares where you live or what you do on your personal time or that you just got back from Lowes and saw Joe Pesci buying a new grill.

Forget the novel length b***h sessions/blogs: Consumers are there because one of your listings came up thru a Google search. They are there to see many pictures of it and read the specifics. Not to read specifics on how you think you can personally fix the economy as well as the hole in your fishing boat.

Newsfeeds? Who knows. Most people who live in rural areas like myself, turn on the TV and watch the local news. If you think it'll draw, and you can get the host to place a local scrolling feed on the bottom of your site for free, than do it.

I don't think it's necessary to have a customer "sign up" to secure the "prospect". If customers (like me for example, because I'm always looking to move from here), want more info on the property, we'll call you. If you back customers into a corner after a few clicks and force them to sign up, they are: 1) Going to give you a phony phone number 2) Going to give you a phony email addy and they may not ever come back. Go thru all that? Just to get the address? No thanks, good bye. Follow?

Most importantly: HAVE A HOME BUTTON. People want to reach you! Well, make it easy for them! Get the customer lost even once and you can bet your house, they won't return to your site, ever.

Just keep things simple, easy on the eyes and you'll be ok.

hey guys nice information to share for making a good real estate website which is also helpful to the people who already made the site and will modify it according to the suggestions.

thanks once again.

1. Call to action
2. SEO
3. IDX solution of some kind
4. Open source
5. You own the content
6. You can manage the content
7. Has a blog
8. No flash (or very little)
9. Good server
10. A purpose
11. Excellent (easy) navigation

Those are all things that a good real estate site should have in no particular order.

You have to consider what a buyer wants when shopping. They don't care about how cool you are, or how many listings you have, they want data and information. Period.

Over 90% of buyers start their search on the internet and most of them are winding up in sales offices or driving around looking at stuff after seeing it on your site....without you!

If you try to lead capture them or get them to subscribe, you're done. Information is available and free, make sure you are the one who is providing the BEST information for free!!!!

Originally Posted by Chrisopher Moltisanti

Forget the novel length b***h sessions/blogs: Consumers are there because one of your listings came up thru a Google search. They are there to see many pictures of it and read the specifics.

Couldn't disagree more. (except for the novel length part)

While you may not prefer blogs, blogs are an outstanding way to have dynamic content on your site. Dynamic content is HUGE for SEO and a few articles, short articles, gives your potential buyers the perception that you are the professional.

Blog content can also serve as a library of general information: how to price right, what is escrow, steps to getting a loan....

Blogs are also the hub of Social Networking/Marketing, without them you have no original content of your own and rely on (news feeds).

You can't do it halfway, you have to put energy and personality into it and the leads will start flowing.

Ignoring a blog and social networking aspects is dead wrong.