As a real estate professional, having an effective digital presence is critical to reaching potential clients and growing your business. In today's world of short attention spans and information overload, your website is often the first impression and can make or break your ability to connect with interested buyers and sellers. However, building a custom real estate website requires both time and technical skills that you likely don't have, taking your focus away from what really matters - your clients and business.
There is an easier solution. With an intuitive drag and drop website builder like Unicorn Platform, you can create a professional, high-converting real estate website in minutes without needing any coding experience. By offering designer-made templates tailored to real estate along with an easy to use interface, Unicorn Platform empowers you to build a custom website that reflects your unique brand and style. Stop wasting time struggling with complex web design and get back to focusing on growing your real estate business with a website that makes the right first impression. Unicorn Platform - a website builder made for real estate, by real estate professionals.
One great example of a real estate website built using Unicorn Platform is The Best Real Estate Agency Websites: Built With Unicorn Platform. This article showcases a variety of stunning websites that have been created with the help of Unicorn Platform's intuitive drag and drop builder.
Why You Need a Custom Real Estate Website
As a real estate agent, having your own professional website is crucial for establishing your online presence and attracting new clients. A custom real estate website provides many benefits:
- Build your brand. A personalized website allows you to promote your unique brand and market your services. You can highlight your experience, credentials, and the types of properties you specialize in.
- Improve search engine optimization (SEO). With a custom domain and optimized content, your site will rank higher in search engines like Google when people search for realtors in your area. This means more visibility and leads.
- Showcase listings. A website gives you space to feature high-quality photos and details on current listings. Clients can get a preview of what you have available and connect with you to schedule a showing.
- Generate leads. With lead capture forms, email opt-ins, and calls-to-action, you can convert website visitors into leads. Gather their contact information so you can follow up and stay in touch.
- Build trust and credibility. A professional website establishes you as an authority in the real estate industry. It gives the impression you are tech-savvy, invested in your business, and care about providing the best service to your clients.
- Offer a great user experience. An attractive, easy-to-navigate website will keep visitors engaged. They can easily find what they need, whether exploring listings, learning about your team, or contacting you.
- Stay competitive. In today’s digital world, most homebuyers start their search online. If you don’t have an online presence, you could be missing out on a huge opportunity to connect with motivated buyers and sellers. A custom website is essential for any real estate agent who wants to compete.
In summary, a professional real estate website is a must-have tool that will take your business to the next level. With the right website builder, you can create an impactful custom website yourself in just a few minutes. What are you waiting for? Get started today!
Pros and Cons of Custom Website VS Website Builders
As a real estate agent, building an effective website is crucial for your business. You have two main options: use a website builder or create a custom site. Both have advantages and disadvantages to consider.
Website builders like Unicorn Platform, Wix, and Squarespace offer an easy drag-and-drop interface to quickly launch a basic site.
- Pros: Simple to use with no coding required. Low cost or even free. Easy to update content.
- Cons: Limited design and functionality options. Can appear amateurish. Often not optimized for search engines.
A custom website, designed by a web developer, provides more flexibility and a professional image.
- Pros: Unique, high-quality design. Custom features and integrations. Optimized for SEO. Establishes you as an industry expert.
- Cons: Typically more expensive. Longer setup time. Requires ongoing maintenance and updates.
For real estate agents on a budget or with little technical experience, a website builder can work well to establish an initial online presence. However, for the best results long-term, investing in a custom site is recommended. A custom site will give you a competitive edge and serve as a powerful marketing tool to attract new clients.
The option you choose depends on your needs, skills, and budget. With the right platform and optimized content, either can be effective in building your brand and generating leads. The most important thing is to have a professional website that makes it easy for people to find you online and learn about the services you offer.
Choose a Modern and Mobile-Friendly Template on Unicorn Platform
To build your custom real estate website, you’ll first want to choose a modern and mobile-friendly template on Unicorn Platform. Unicorn offers drag and drop templates specifically designed for real estate agents and brokers.
Elegant and Functional
Select a template with an elegant yet functional design that is optimized for lead generation and showcasing property listings. Templates offer:
- Responsive design: Displays beautifully on all devices from smartphones to desktops.
- Lead capture forms: Make it easy for visitors to contact you about properties.
- Property showcase: Highlight listings with photo galleries, descriptions, and details.
- Blog section: Share market updates, neighborhood guides, and home tips with a built-in blog.
- IDX integration: Sync your listings from the MLS to your website automatically.
Customize the Design
Once you’ve chosen a template, you can fully customize the design to reflect your unique brand. Options include:
- Color scheme: Select complementary colors that match your logo and branding.
- Fonts: Choose multiple fonts for headings, content, and accents that are clean, readable, and professional.
- Content sections: Add, remove or reorganize sections like About, Services, Testimonials, and more.
- Header and footer: Include contact info, social links, and a logo or image in the header and footer.
- Page layouts: Adjust the layout by adding sidebars, changing the width, or repositioning sections.
Set Up Your Domain and Hosting
To launch your real estate website, you’ll need to purchase a domain name and hosting. Unicorn integrates seamlessly with affordable and reputable providers. A custom domain like yourname.com will lend credibility to your online presence. Managed hosting provides speed, security, and 24/7 support for your website.
With a professional template, customized design, and your own domain and hosting, you can have a high-quality custom real estate website up and running in just a few hours. Unicorn’s simple yet powerful builder requires zero coding skills to create a stunning site that will attract new clients and highlight your properties.
Add High-Quality Photos of Your Listings
High-Quality Photos Are Essential
If a picture is worth a thousand words, high-quality photos are worth infinitely more for a real estate website. Potential buyers visiting your site will form their first impression based on the photos of your listings. Make sure each property is represented accurately by including multiple photos of each room, outdoor spaces, amenities, and the exterior.
Choose a Professional Photographer
Rather than taking the photos yourself, hire a professional real estate photographer. They have the proper equipment and experience to capture properties in the best possible light. Wide-angle lenses, proper staging, and editing skills are needed to showcase homes effectively. Investing in professional photos will give your website a polished, high-end feel that inspires confidence in buyers.
Include a Minimum of 10-15 Photos per Listing
To give buyers a comprehensive view of a property, include at least 10 to 15 high-quality photos for each listing on your website. Be sure to photograph the following:
- Exterior of the home from multiple angles
- Kitchen, living room, dining room, bedrooms, bathrooms, etc.
- Backyard, patio, pool, or other outdoor spaces
- Any recent updates like new flooring, appliances, or fixtures
- Community amenities if applicable
Optimize Photos for Web Display
Professional real estate photographers will provide photos optimized for web display, but if supplying your own photos, keep the following in mind:
- Use high resolution photos of at least 1000 pixels wide or more. This allows buyers to zoom in on details.
- Choose landscape orientation for most rooms. Portrait orientation is best for narrow spaces like hallways.
- Use natural lighting when possible and avoid harsh shadows. Supplementary lighting like flash can also help brighten dark rooms.
- Edit photos to correct imperfections, adjust color and brightness, and make sure the property is looking its best before uploading to your website.
- Compress photos to reduce file size without compromising quality. Aim for less than 100KB per photo for fastest page load times.
- Add captions or labels to provide context for each photo. Mention the room location, dimensions, or any key features or upgrades.
- Arrange photos in a logical sequence that guides visitors through the rooms of the home. The flow and presentation of photos significantly impacts the user experience on your site.
With stunning, high-quality photos optimized for the web, your real estate website will capture the interest of buyers and drive more inquiries and showings. Photographs are one of the most important tools for selling a property in the digital age. Invest in professional photography to market your listings at their full potential.
Feature Your Listings Prominently
To maximize the visibility of your real estate listings on your website, prominently feature them on your homepage and listing pages. Presenting listings front and center will allow potential buyers to easily find current properties for sale or rent.
Highlight Featured Listings
Create a “Featured Listings” section on your homepage to showcase your best or newest listings. Include large photos, the listing price or rental rate, number of bedrooms and bathrooms, square footage, and a brief description with a link to the full listing page. Use eye-catching fonts, colors and formatting to make these listings pop on the page.
List All Active Listings
In addition to featured listings, include a complete list of all current available properties on your website. Organize them by property type (e.g. residential, commercial, land), location, price, or other categories that would be helpful for users. Ensure listings are up-to-date by connecting your website to the local Multiple Listing Service (MLS) or manually adding and removing listings as needed.
Link to Individual Listing Pages
Each listing should have its own page on your website with details like the asking price, photos, virtual tours, maps and floor plans if available. Describe special features and amenities to capture interest. Provide your contact information prominently on each page so potential buyers can easily get in touch with questions or to schedule a showing.
- Offer high quality, professional photos of each listing
- Include specifics like number of rooms, square footage and year built
- Note any recent upgrades or renovations to the property
- Mention nearby schools, public transit, shopping and recreation
- Discuss the neighborhood and community to help buyers determine if it meets their needs
For more information on how to create an informative yet esthetically-pleasing website with a user-friendly interface and engaging content, check out this article: How to Choose Real Estate Website Designers. Featuring your listings prominently is key to connecting potential buyers and tenants with properties that meet their needs. With an effective online presence marketing your services, you will build your business through word-of-mouth referrals and new client relationships.
Include a Property Search Tool
To provide the best experience for your real estate website visitors, include a property search tool. This allows potential buyers and renters to easily look for listings that match their needs.
Select a Customizable Search Tool
There are many free and paid options to choose from. Consider a tool like Placester, HomeSpotter or IDX Broker that offers:
- Customization to match your brand. You can change colors, fonts and add your logo.
- Flexibility in the search criteria. Allow people to filter by location, price, property type, number of bedrooms/bathrooms and more.
- Mobile-responsive design. With more people accessing the web via smartphones and tablets, your search tool must display properly on all devices.
- Regular data updates. Listings change quickly, so you want a search powered by a frequently updating data source like your local MLS.
Prominently Feature the Search on Your Website
Place your property search front and center on your homepage, internal pages and in your website navigation. You want to make it extremely easy for visitors to find. Some effective ways to feature the search include:
- A large search widget at the top of your homepage. This allows someone to start a search right away.
- A “Search Listings” link in your main navigation bar. This takes visitors directly to the search page.
- A search box in your page footers. In case someone scrolls past the main search options, a footer search ensures they can still perform a search.
- Blog posts and content about the local market. Mention your search tool as a way for readers to view available properties.
- Email newsletters. Regularly promote your search in newsletters, reminding clients and subscribers it’s the best way to find real estate on your website.
By prominently placing a customizable property search tool on your real estate website and promoting it through multiple channels, you make it easy for people to connect with listings that match their needs. The more useful visitors find your search, the more time they will spend on your site exploring properties and the greater opportunity for lead generation.
Share Information About the Local Market and Community
To build trust and establish your expertise, provide information about the local real estate market and community on your website. ### Market Reports and Statistics
Publish quarterly or monthly reports on home prices, days on market, absorption rates, and inventory levels for different property types in your market area. Use graphs and charts to visualize the data and highlight key trends. These reports establish you as a source for information and insights into the local real estate landscape. For instance, you can use a no-code tool like Unicorn Platform to design a user-friendly and visually appealing website, as discussed in Real Estate Website UI Design with no code tools.
Community Profiles
Create profiles for different neighborhoods, towns, or communities in your market area. Discuss factors like demographics, school districts, recreational opportunities, development projects, and business centers. Link to resources with additional details. These help homebuyers determine what locations meet their needs and priorities.
Local Resources
Compile lists of resources for homeowners and homebuyers in your area like:
- Mortgage lenders and real estate attorneys
- Home inspectors, contractors, and repair services
- Moving companies, storage facilities, and shipping services
- Property managers and rental agencies
- Utility companies and service providers
Events and Activities
Promote local events and activities on your website like:
- School sporting events, fundraisers, festivals, and town celebrations
- Cultural events at museums, theaters, libraries, and historic sites
- Recreational events at parks, trails, golf courses, and recreational centers
This positions you as an engaged member of the community and provides additional value to site visitors. You can also sponsor or participate in select events to increase your visibility.
Sharing information about the local real estate market and community establishes your credibility, provides helpful resources for clients, and demonstrates your knowledge and expertise in the area. Keep content up-to-date and refresh reports, profiles, and resource lists regularly to build an informative and useful website.
Establish Yourself as an Expert
To establish yourself as an expert in the real estate industry, you need to consistently provide value to your audience. By building a resource-rich real estate website, you position yourself as a knowledgeable leader in your market.
Share Your Knowledge
Publish blog posts, videos, and other content that provides helpful information to readers. For example, write about local real estate trends, tips for buying or selling a home, or updates in the industry. Use an educational and advisory tone to build trust in your expertise.
Highlight Your Experience
On your website's about page, detail your credentials, experience, accomplishments, and credentials. Discuss how long you have been a real estate professional, your specialties, career milestones, and past clients you have helped. Back up your claims by also featuring reviews and testimonials from satisfied clients on your site.
Stay Active in Your Community
To become a recognized expert, you need to be actively involved in your local real estate community. Join your area's realtor association and attend industry events. You might also consider hosting a seminar on a topic you know well or offering to speak at related organization meetings. These types of engagement raise your visibility and help to strengthen your reputation.
Promote Your Website
Once you have built a resource-rich real estate website, promote it actively to drive more traffic and establish your credibility. You might:
- Submit your site to real estate directories and lists like Realtor.com.
- Share new blog posts, videos, and other content on your social media profiles.
- Pitch yourself as an expert source to local media outlets. Reporters are often looking for real estate professionals to provide insights and commentary.
- Build backlinks by guest posting on other industry sites and blogs. Ask to include a brief bio and link back to your website.
- Run a digital advertising campaign targeting those interested in local real estate. Your ads should highlight your experience, expertise, and website.
By positioning yourself as a helpful resource, promoting your knowledge and experience, engaging actively in your community, and optimizing your real estate website, you can build a reputation as an expert in your field. Consistency and authority are key. Keep providing value, and your status as a leader will grow.
FAQs: How Much Does a Custom Realtor Website Design Cost vs Unicorn Platform?
Designing a custom real estate website is a significant investment for any realtor. Building a website from scratch typically requires hiring a web developer and designer, which can cost between $5,000 to $30,000 or more depending on the complexity. Unicorn Platform offers an affordable website builder specifically for realtors that provides professional templates and powerful features at a fraction of the cost.
Cost Comparison
- Custom Website Design: $5,000-$30,000+
- Unicorn Platform: $29/month
Unicorn Platform is a budget-friendly solution for realtors to create a high-quality website. For a small monthly fee, you have access to designer-made templates, an easy drag-and-drop editor, lead generation tools, and more. You do not need any technical skills to build a stunning site on your own.
Features Included
Some of the key features available in Unicorn Platform include:
- Professionally Designed Templates. Choose from modern templates optimized for real estate websites. Easily customize the design to match your brand.
- IDX Integration. Display MLS listings on your site and keep them up-to-date automatically. Sync with top IDX providers like IDX Broker, Diverse Solutions, and iHomefinder.
- Lead Capture Forms. Create custom lead capture forms to generate new client leads from your website. Forms are integrated with CRM and email marketing services.
- Blog Builder. Share market updates, community news, and buying/selling tips on your blog. Build blog posts in minutes without any coding.
- Custom Domain. Use your own domain name to establish your brand and improve search rankings. Unicorn Platform includes a free custom domain to get you started.
- Responsive Design. Your site will display beautifully across all devices like desktops, tablets, and smartphones. No need to create a separate mobile website.
Unicorn Platform offers an affordable and powerful solution for realtors to build a professional website. For a low monthly cost, you can have a custom real estate website up and running to help you attract new clients and grow your business. Let us know if you have any other questions!
Conclusion
As a real estate agent or broker, having an attractive and optimized website is key to attracting new clients and standing out in a competitive industry. With Unicorn Platform's real estate website builder, you can create a custom website tailored to your brand and needs in minutes without any technical skills. The simple yet powerful drag and drop builder allows you to choose from professional templates, add your logo and images, write engaging content, and connect your website to tools you already use. Whether you want a basic landing page or a full-featured property search site, Unicorn Platform provides an easy, affordable solution to establish your online presence and start generating more leads. Take control of your online marketing today with a custom real estate website that makes a great first impression.
