Being a real estate agent can be a lucrative career. However, with over 3 million active real estate agents in the U.S. according to the National Association of Realtors, you have a lot of competition.
So, how can you stand out among the crowd and encourage buyers and sellers to choose to work with you? It all starts with a great website.
Read through this guide to learn how to set up your site and what you need to include to make the best real estate website for agents. As a result, you’ll be able to find more clients and make more money.
Start With the Basic Setup
First things first, you’ll need to do the technical aspects of setting up a website. Setting this foundation upfront will make it easier for you to build a site that will work for you.
Register Your Domain Name
Start by buying a domain name, which is the URL people will type in to visit your website. As a real estate broker, it’s a good idea to include either your name or a reference to your local market in your URL, so it’s easy for clients to remember.
Since most domain names are taken, you might have to get creative. Once you find one that’s available, register it with a domain registrar company.
Choose a Hosting Company and Plan
After you do that, you’ll need a hosting plan. This is essentially a server where your site will “live” so that people can access it. Some domain name registrars offer website hosting as well, so you can choose a hosting plan that way if it’s available. Otherwise, choose a specific hosting company that fits your needs and your budget.
If you choose a shared hosting plan, where your site lives on the same server as other sites, you’ll only have to pay as little as a few dollars each month.
Choose a Content Management Software (CMS)
Finally, you’ll need a CMS, which is a software application that lets you build a website without having to know how to be a web developer. The most popular CMS is WordPress since it’s very easy to use.
If you don’t think you’ll have the time to create and manage your site yourself, it’s best to hire a web design firm that can create and update your site for you. If you choose to go that route, they can also help you with the domain registration and hosting.
Include the Right Features
Whether you decide to build your site yourself following the steps we outlined above or you choose to hire someone to create your site, it needs to have the right features in order to be successful. Here’s a closer look at the most important features your real estate website should include.
Property Listings
The most important thing your website should include is a list of the properties you have available. When people are looking to buy a house, part of the fun is looking through listings to see if there’s anything that appeals to them. By including these listings right on your website, you’ll draw people to your site and encourage them to stay on it for a while.
To do this, you’ll need IDX integration, which displays listing information and keeps protected information private.
Information About You and the Market
When people are looking for a real estate agent, they want to work with someone who is not only experienced but someone who knows the local market inside and out. You should include some information about your real estate background on your site to give potential clients a better idea of your experience.
It’s also a good idea to talk about market specifics and mention how long you’ve been in the area, so they get a better sense of your familiarity with the market.
A Blog That You Update Regularly
Think a blog doesn’t really matter? Think again! Your blog can be a valuable resource to potential clients. Not only will it help you showcase your real estate knowledge, but it can bring in real estate leads for you.
When you write about real estate topics and include keywords that people care about it helps people find you on search engines. For example, if you have a blog post about the most valuable home upgrades, someone looking to sell their home might come across it when trying to decide if they need to upgrade their home. As a result, when they’re ready to sell, they might contact you.
Calls to Action
Your website won’t work for you unless you make it easy for people to take the actions you want them to take. If your main goal is for people to contact you about being their agent, then you should have multiple calls to action so they can do just that.
Put your phone number in the top navigation and have a prominent contact page where people can call, email, or fill out a form for more information.
Simple Navigation
If people come to your website and don’t know how to find what they’re looking for, they’ll leave in a matter of seconds. You need a simple navigation bar at the top of your website with links to what people want to see the most, like the following:
- Home listings
- About page
- Contact page
- Blog
If your site is easy to navigate, it’s more likely that your prospective clients will stick around.
Testimonials
Finally, be sure to include reviews from past customers on your website. Positive testimonials can help sway prospects who are undecided to hire you since it gives them an idea of what it’s like to work with you. Just be sure to ask former customers if they’re comfortable with their reviews being on your website.
Build a Functional Real Estate Website for Agents
Now that you’ve learned about the initial setup and key features to include, you know how to build a real estate website for agents. Time to either hire someone to make it happen or get to work yourself!
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