Real Estate Web Design - What You Should Know

**Real Estate Web Design** · 11-25-2005, 11:57 AM

Real Estate Web Design: Are You Being Sold? Abstract: Real Estate Web Design experts review the needs of Realtors(R) and real estate brokers, and highlight the advantages of dynamic real estate websites. The most successful real estate agents and brokers realize the value of their agency websites and are constantly working to improve them. Unfortunately, many agencies throughout the United States are still working with static websites that are difficult and costly to maintain.

But how do I upgrade? you ask. Often this is not a simple answer. You need to consider the needs of your business and your agents. How will you manage listings? Are you using a Multiple Listing Service (MLS)? Should your agents have access only to certain parts of your administration panel, and not others? What about logging agent and visitor actions on your website? Here is what you should look for in any real estate management system you contract for:

Dynamic, searchable listings. If your listings are not currently in a database and searchable, they need to be. This feature is the reason so many homes are sold online. It's the

**Chief Tutor** · 11-25-2005, 04:41 PM

As you can see, I have edited the above post so that it is not a blatant Advertisement, however I left the post as I think it can create interesting conversation.

I would like to hear about a few aspects mentioned above.

Dynamic pages vs Static pages
- easier to manage but.....not search engine friendly
- not search engine friendly = no internet traffic (other than PPC)
Listing Tools built into the website
- Costly to set up and....isn't that what an IDX link does and no updating is required since it is a direct feed of the MLS
Template vs Custom
- We have seen templated sites without unique content get hammered after every Google update, Doesn't this tell us something?
- If your serious about generating business via the internet, why choose something that every one else has? Also, If your serious about benerating business on the internet, why not create a custom site which has proven itself time and time again to be what search engines want to provide to their users.

Would love to hear others comments.......Or mybe our poster is a one post wonder

**frobn** · 11-26-2005, 05:20 AM

Originally Posted by Chief Tutor

As you can see, I have edited the above post so that it is not a blatant Advertisement, however I left the post as I think it can create interesting conversation.

I would like to hear about a few aspects mentioned above.

[list][*]Dynamic pages vs Static pages

easier to manage but.....not search engine friendly
not search engine friendly = no internet traffic (other than PPC)

From my web site:

You have probably heard that search engines do not like dynamic urls, you know, those pesky urls that look something like 'cssdesignmagic.com/?page=page-name'. Dynamic urls on this site are converted to static urls with an easily learned mod-rewrite technique. What to see it in action? The dynamic url of each page is "http://cssdesignmagic.com/?go=page-name" for example, cssdesignmagic.com/?go=template-modules is the dynamic url for cssdesignmagic.com/template-modules.htm. Neat isn't it?

Listing Tools built into the website

Costly to set up and....isn't that what an IDX link does and no updating is required since it is a direct feed of the MLS

Costly? Hardly! There are many good listing management programs. My choice is open-realty which is considered by many to be the most powerful and flexable listing management programs available and it's free. Don't want to be bothered setting it up? There are many programmers who will set it up for you for a $25 donation to open-realty.org.

Template vs Custom

We have seen templated sites without unique content get hammered after every Google update, Doesn't this tell us something?

I have no idea what you mean. A template is a shell or wrapper for the content, that's all. Are you saying you are the only outfit that knows how to add unique content? BTW open-realty comes with two built-in wysiwyg html editors that makes it easy to add unique content pages and with built-in dynamic to static page urls.

If your serious about generating business via the internet, why choose something that every one else has? Also, If your serious about benerating business on the internet, why not create a custom site which has proven itself time and time again to be what search engines want to provide to their users.

I agree why choose an inferior product when there are many good products and web developers available.

**STVP** · 11-26-2005, 11:05 AM

When templated was refrenced, I think he was talking about, Homes.com, Ihouse2000 ect. No one is saying that these sites are unrankable all we are saying is why go back and rewrite hundreds of pages and do all of that extra work when you can create quality in the first place. Ya know. Why would you build your business on a design that someone else has. It doesn't make sense thats all I'm saying.

STVP

**nuvru** · 10-03-2007, 01:09 AM

Don't use any service that lets you quickly build your own real estate site! It will be pure junk and a waste of time and money.

The best possible site you can design is one built by hand, period. That means good ol' static .html pages.

And I mean best in that it will actually rank in Google for your keywords.

Before using anyone to design your site ask where they have ranked other agents in the SERPs (search engine result pages) - Ask them if they have examples of websites they have designed and optimized and ask for the exact keywords so you can search and see it for yourself.

I bet 90% of the companies out there won't be able to answer you.