As a real estate professional, you know that in today's digital age, your online presence is everything. An attractive, user-friendly website is key to engaging potential clients and showcasing your properties. However, building an effective real estate website requires significant time, money, and technical skills that you may not have. The good news is, you don't have to go it alone. There are services that provide easy-to-use website builders tailored specifically for real estate agents and brokers. With one of these real estate website developers, you can quickly create a custom site to promote your business and listings without needing to learn how to code.
What Makes a Great Real Estate Website
To attract home buyers and sellers, a real estate website needs to be informative, user-friendly, and professional. Here are some of the key elements that make a great real estate website:
Easy Navigation - A clean, simple menu makes it easy for visitors to find what they need. Group listings, property details, contact information, and other content logically. Include a prominent search feature on the homepage.
Eye-Catching Listings - Professional photos, virtual tours, maps, and property specs should be prominently featured for each listing. Use enticing yet honest descriptions to draw interest. Display listings attractively with enough details to capture attention but not overwhelm readers.
Valuable Content - In addition to listings, provide resources for home buyers and sellers like market reports, community guides, mortgage calculators, and relocation tips. Content that educates and adds value will keep visitors engaged with your site.
Responsive Design - With more people accessing websites on mobile devices, a responsive design that works across platforms is essential. Listings, photos, and key details should be easy to view and navigate on any size screen.
Trustworthy Experience - A real estate website should convey professionalism and expertise. Use high-quality photos, minimal typos or grammatical errors, and consistent branding across the site. Testimonials, agent bios, and contact forms also help establish credibility and trustworthiness.
An effective real estate website balances esthetics and functionality. With the right design, content, and user experience, you can build a digital destination for home buyers and sellers in your market. Crafting a professional website is one of the best investments a real estate agent or brokerage can make. If you're looking for a way to quickly generate leads, you might want to consider using a high-converting landing page. Unicorn Platform offers a solution for building high-converting real estate lead generation landing pages that you can learn about in their article The Fastest Way to Build High-Converting Real Estate Lead Generation Landing Pages.
Top Real Estate Web Development Companies
As a real estate professional, your website is your digital storefront and the first impression for many potential clients. To build an effective real estate website, consider partnering with a web development company that specializes in solutions for real estate agents and brokers. Some of the top real estate web development companies include:
- Bold Leads. Bold Leads is a real estate marketing solution that provides IDX websites, lead generation tools, and CRM software. Their custom real estate websites offer single property websites, blog integration, email capture, and social media connectivity.
- Placester. Placester offers all-in-one real estate marketing software with beautiful, customizable website templates, an IDX plugin to display MLS listings, lead generation forms, and tools to help you nurture leads into clients. They have solutions for both individual agents and large brokerages.
- BoomTown. BoomTown is a robust real estate platform that provides predictive CRM software, marketing automation, recruitment solutions, and professional web design services. Their real estate websites feature IDX integration, blogging capabilities, and Premium lead generation tools. They work with real estate teams and brokers of all sizes.
- Real Estate Webmasters. Real Estate Webmasters builds custom real estate websites and provides internet marketing services. They offer single listing sites, agent and team sites, brokerage sites, and IDX search. Their websites are optimized to generate leads through integrated social media, blogging, and email marketing tools. They have been developing real estate websites since 2001.
- Placeable. Placeable offers simple, beautiful real estate website templates that make it easy to create a professional online presence. Their drag and drop website builder requires no coding knowledge and provides IDX integration, lead capture forms, and drip email campaigns to help convert website visitors into real estate leads. Placeable works with individual agents, teams, and brokerages.
Best Real Estate Website Developers
When looking to build a professional real estate website, partnering with an experienced web developer is key. They have the skills and expertise to design an attractive, user-friendly site that will effectively showcase your properties and services. Some of the top real estate website developers include:
Unicorn Platform
Unicorn Platform is a popular drag and drop website builder geared toward real estate professionals. It offers 100% no-code solutions, so no technical skills are required. You can easily build a custom site and blog using their templates and elements. Unicorn Platform is affordable, starting at $29/month, and provides 24/7 support to help you through the process.
Placester
Placester is an all-in-one real estate marketing platform that lets you create an IDX website, set up email marketing, access a CRM, and more. Their website builder tool has beautiful templates to choose from, and you can customize the site to match your branding. Placester pricing starts at $99/month. They are best for real estate teams and brokerages looking to streamline their digital marketing.
Kunversion
Kunversion focuses solely on real estate web design and development. They have built sites for top brokerages and agents across the country. Kunversion offers custom web design services, building your site from scratch to your exact specifications. They also have pre-designed themes and templates to choose from if you're on a tighter budget. Kunversion pricing varies but typically starts around $3,000 to $5,000 for a basic 5-10 page real estate website.
Additional Considerations
When evaluating real estate website developers, consider factors like:
- Experience - Look for companies that specialize in real estate and have an established portfolio of projects.
- Services - Determine what services you need, e.g. IDX integration, lead generation, CRM, etc. Some offer full-service digital marketing solutions.
- Ease of Use - For DIY website builders, make sure the platform is intuitive and easy to update yourself. For custom web design, look for responsive support and solid onboarding.
- Pricing - Real estate website costs can range from under $100/month to $10,000+ for an enterprise site. Choose a solution that fits your budget.
- Reviews - Check online reviews from other real estate professionals to determine quality, value, and customer service.
Working with a skilled real estate web developer will give you an attractive, lead-generating website to help grow your business. Comparing your options based on key factors like experience, services, ease of use, pricing, and reviews will ensure you find the right partner for your needs.
How to Choose the Right Website Builder for Your Real Estate Business
Assess Your Needs
When choosing a website builder for your real estate business, first determine your key requirements. Do you need a simple landing page, multi-page informational site, or more advanced portal with property listings and e-commerce? Some builders specialize in specific types of real estate websites. Evaluate options based on:
- Site types: Informational, listings, e-commerce enabled
- Design flexibility: Pre-built templates vs. drag and drop builder vs. custom
- Features: Contact forms, blogs, social media integration, customer portals, etc.
- Pricing and fees: Monthly subscription, one-time fee, transaction fees
Ease of Use
As a busy real estate professional, you want an intuitive platform that is easy to set up and update. Consider website builders that are:
- No/low-code: Require little to no coding knowledge to build and edit
- Drag and drop: Simply drag visual elements into place to design pages
- Mobile-friendly: Create sites that display well on mobile and tablet devices
- Integrations: Connect to tools you already use like email marketing, CRM, and accounting software
Custom Branding
Your website is a key part of your brand and online presence. Choose a website builder that allows you to fully customize the look and feel to match your brand. Look for options with:
- Modern templates: Professionally designed templates for real estate websites
- Color scheme: Change colors to match your logo and brand guidelines
- Fonts: Select from a range of stylish font combinations for headings and body text
- Logo: Easily add your logo to create a cohesive brand experience
- Favicon: Display your logo or brand icon in the browser tab
Strong Support
As with any technology, issues can arise. Select a website builder with helpful customer support to assist you in setting up and optimizing your site. Consider options that offer:
- Phone, email and chat support: Reach customer service reps through multiple channels
- Video tutorials: Step-by-step guidance on how to use the platform
- Knowledge base: Searchable articles to help troubleshoot any questions
- Community forums: Connect with other users to ask questions and share tips
In summary, evaluating your needs, ease of use, custom branding options and level of support can help guide you to choosing the ideal website builder for your real estate business. With the right platform, you can create an effective web presence to reach more clients and grow your business.
Unicorn Platform: The Best Real Estate Website Builder
As a real estate agent or broker, your website is your digital business card. It’s where potential clients and customers first encounter your brand and services. Choosing a website builder that specializes in real estate websites will give you an edge. Unicorn Platform is one of the best options for real estate professionals.
Simplicity
Unicorn Platform is extremely easy to use, even for those without technical skills. Its drag and drop builder allows you to create a professional real estate website in minutes. You can choose from pre-designed templates and elements to build your site, with no coding required. This simplicity means you can focus on your business instead of struggling with web design.
Customization
While the platform is simple, it also offers advanced customization options. You have full control over colors, fonts, page layouts and more. You can upload your own photos, logos and other media. Custom CSS and HTML code can be added for those who want more advanced design capabilities. No matter what your brand esthetic is, you can achieve it with Unicorn Platform.
Lead Generation
As a real estate professional, lead generation is essential. Unicorn Platform has powerful built-in lead capture forms and CRM integration. Capture buyer and seller leads directly on your site and automatically sync them to your CRM or email. You’ll never miss an opportunity to connect with a potential new client.
SEO Optimization
Unicorn Platform builds fast, SEO-optimized websites. Your site will load quickly, have clean code, and content is optimized to rank in search engines like Google. The builder also has an SEO toolbar to help you optimize page titles, meta descriptions, headings and more. Rank higher in search results and get found by more prospective clients.
Affordability
Unicorn Platform is extremely affordable, with plans starting at just $8 per month and including your own custom domain name. Considering the power and customization it provides, this is an unbeatable value for real estate agents and brokers. Focus on your business growth instead of your website budget.
If you need to create a custom commercial real estate website, Unicorn Platform can help you do it without any coding. Check out their article on how to create custom commercial real estate websites without coding for more information.
Key Features to Look for in a Real Estate Website Builder
When choosing a real estate website builder, several key features are essential to consider. The ideal platform will allow you to create a professional, tailored site to meet your specific needs.
Customizable Templates
Look for a builder with modern, eye-catching templates that you can fully customize. You want options that are responsive, meaning they automatically adapt to mobile devices. Customizing the template with your brand colors, logos, and images helps establish your identity and connect with your audience.
User-Friendly Editor
An intuitive drag-and-drop editor lets you easily update content, images, and pages without needing advanced technical skills. Look for features like pre-built elements, color pickers, image enhancers, and more. The simpler the editor is to use, the less time you'll spend on website management.
Lead Generation Tools
For real estate, a website's main goal should be generating new leads and clients. Look for a builder with integrated lead capture forms, live chat, email marketing, and social media integration. These features make it easy for visitors to contact you and for you to nurture relationships.
Blog Hosting and SEO
Having an on-site blog is one of the best ways to rank higher in search engines and become an authority in your market. Choose a website builder that offers professional blog templates and makes it simple to create and publish posts. It should also have built-in SEO tools to help optimize your content.
E-Commerce Functionality
If you want to sell properties or other products/services on your site, e-commerce capabilities are essential. Look for a builder that provides payment processing, shipping, inventory management, coupons, and more. Some platforms charge extra for e-commerce while others include it as part of their paid plans.
Using a website builder with these key features allows you to craft a powerful real estate website that generates leads, builds your brand, and fuels business growth. With an optimized, user-friendly site, you'll gain a competitive advantage and open your business up to more opportunities.
Why You Should Use a Website Builder Over Coding Your Own Site
Save Time and Money
Building a website from scratch requires significant investments of both time and money. Coding a custom site demands hundreds of hours of developer time, which can cost tens of thousands of dollars. Website builders like Unicorn Platform eliminate the need to code by providing drag and drop functionality and pre-built templates. You can have a professional website up and running in just a few hours at a fraction of the cost.
Easy to Use With No Technical Skills Required
If you have no experience with web development or coding, building your own real estate website from scratch is virtually impossible. Website builders like the Unicorn Platform platform are extremely intuitive and easy to use. You don’t need any specialized technical skills or knowledge to create a beautiful, functional website. With drag and drop tools, stock images, and pre-designed templates, you can build a website through a simple point-and-click interface.
Mobile-Friendly and Optimized for SEO
Websites today must be responsive and mobile-friendly to rank well in search engines like Google. Creating a responsive, optimized website requires web developers with experience in UI/UX design and SEO best practices. Website builders like Unicorn Platform handle all the technical aspects of building a mobile-responsive website and optimizing for search rankings. Your site will automatically adapt to any screen size and the platform frequently updates to keep best practices in place.
Free Hosting and Built-In Features
In addition to saving time and money, website builders provide free web hosting for your site as well as access to built-in features. You don’t need to pay for separate hosting and can easily add things like contact forms, blogs, appointment scheduling, and more with the click of a button. Additional features and integrations that would normally require custom web development are included in the platform.
For instance, if you are a real estate agent, you can use Unicorn Platform's drag-and-drop builder to create a professional real estate website without any coding experience. Take a look at their article on real estate website design made simple to learn more.
Best Practices for Real Estate Website Content and Design
To build an effective real estate website, there are several best practices to keep in mind for your content and design:
Focus on High-Quality Photography
High-resolution photos are essential for any real estate website. Use professional photographers to capture appealing images of properties, community amenities, and lifestyle shots. Photos should be bright, well-lit, and showcase the best features of listings.
Optimize Listing Descriptions
Write detailed yet scannable listing descriptions highlighting key specs, features, and benefits. Include relevant details like square footage, beds/baths, year built, lot size, school district, etc. Use headings, bulleted lists, and a simple font to make descriptions easy to read. Include keywords throughout to improve searchability.
Include Property Tours and Videos
Videos and virtual tours allow visitors to experience properties remotely. Work with a videographer to capture walkthroughs, drone footage, and short lifestyle clips featuring the surrounding neighborhood and community. Videos give visitors a better sense of what it might be like to live in a home.
Provide Detailed Neighborhood Profiles
Include profiles highlighting amenities, attractions, schools, crime rates, and other neighborhood attributes for each listing. This additional context helps homebuyers determine if an area suits their needs. Profiles should be objective, focusing on facts and statistics from credible sources.
Choose an Intuitive Website Platform
Select a website builder optimized for real estate like Placester, Real Estate Webmasters or IDX Broker. These platforms offer IDX integration, responsive templates, and tools to easily add and manage listings. They handle the technical work so you can focus on content and service.
Prioritize Mobile-Friendliness
With more people accessing real estate websites on mobile, responsiveness and mobile-friendliness are must-haves. Choose a platform with templates that automatically resize and reformat to suit any screen. Photos, videos, descriptions, and all other content should be easy to view and navigate on mobile.
Include Lead Capture Forms
Include lead capture forms like contact us, schedule a showing, and email signup in multiple areas of your site. These forms allow visitors to express interest in properties and connect with your agents. Be sure to place forms above the fold on listing pages, the blog, resources section, and contact page.
Real Estate Website FAQs: Common Questions From Agents
As a real estate agent, you likely have many questions about developing and managing your website. Here are answers to some of the most frequently asked questions from agents:
What are the benefits of having my own real estate website?
Developing your own real estate website provides numerous benefits:
- Build your online brand and establish credibility. A professional website helps you stand out from the competition.
- Attract new clients and listings. An optimized website helps people find you online, leading to more inquiries and business.
- Provide a 24/7 online presence. Your website is open all the time, allowing people to learn about you and your services anytime.
- Improve search engine optimization. A well-designed website with quality content helps you rank higher in search engines like Google, putting you in front of more potential clients.
How much does a real estate website cost?
The cost to develop a real estate website can range from $500 to $5,000 or more, depending on the complexity and features. Some options to consider include:
- DIY website builders: Low cost but time-consuming. Options like Wix and Weebly are easy to use but limit customization.
- Custom web design: Typically $1,500 to $3,000. Provides a tailored, professional design but requires web design experience.
- Real estate IDX website: Around $1,500 to $5,000. Integrates local MLS listings and property search tools but is an additional monthly cost.
- Agent website networks: Varies but often a monthly fee. Networks like Placester and Home Junction offer agent websites with additional resources and support.
How do I optimize my real estate website?
Some tips to optimize your real estate website:
- Focus on local SEO by targeting keywords related to your city and neighborhood. Use location names prominently on your site.
- Create informative content like market reports, neighborhood guides, and blog posts. Content helps search engines find your site.
- Get reviews from past clients and feature them prominently on your website. Reviews build trust and social proof.
- Ensure fast load times by compressing images and keeping your website design clean and simple. People expect websites to load quickly.
- Submit your website to local business directories and real estate networks to generate more backlinks. Backlinks increase your search ranking.
- Track how people use your site with analytics to see which pages are most popular. Then optimize those pages to rank higher in search results.
With the right real estate website optimized for search engines and user experience, you'll attract more clients and take your business to the next level. Let me know if you have any other questions!
Conclusion
With the right platform and help from the industry's best real estate website developers, you can build an incredible custom site to showcase your business and attract more high-quality leads. Don't settle for a basic template - work with professionals who understand your unique needs and goals. They will guide you through a seamless process to create a site that establishes your authority, engages visitors, and converts them into happy clients. Your online presence is crucial in today's competitive market so invest in a website that helps you stand out and achieve your vision of success. The opportunities are endless if you have the perfect digital partner to help make your dreams of an impactful real estate website a reality.
