The real estate market is very competitive, with dozens or hundreds of agencies vying for the same slice of the pie. Things are even more challenging for newcomers, who often struggle to gain traction and build trust in their services. The same goes for independent realtors, as they may not have the same resources as larger real estate companies.
However, this doesn’t mean you should spend a fortune on advertising to make a name for yourself. A better option is to invest in a custom real estate website that speaks to your audience. It’s a simple, cost-effective way to build your online presence, nurture potential clients, and gain a competitive advantage.
First, search for available domains that contain your business name or relevant keywords, such as the city where you operate. Next, register your domain name, create a custom website, and add helpful content related to your services, the real estate industry, market trends, and other topics. You can do all of these with a no-code website builder like Wix.
You can do all of these with a no-code website builder like Wix. Alternatively, consider hiring a web developer, but the costs will be higher. Here’s how to get started.
What Is a Custom Website?
At its core, a custom website is one built from scratch based on your requirements. But depending on who you ask, this term may also refer to websites built by modifying a template to fit your business needs.
For example, Wix and other website builders feature hundreds of pre-made templates. These can be customized with your company’s logo, colors, preferred fonts, and other branding elements. You can also change their layout, add sliders, and upload your own images or videos.
This option takes less time and money than hiring a website developer or web designer. Depending on the level of customization, you can turn a generic template into a one-of-a-kind design marvel.
However, there’s nothing wrong with paying for web development services. On the contrary, this approach allows for greater flexibility and functionality than a pre-built template. Generally, it’s suitable for large websites or those with complex features like dynamic content, learning management systems, or live data dashboards.
With that in mind, make a budget and decide what you want from your website. Expect to pay anywhere between $10 and $500 per month for a website builder or $1,000 to $10,000 or higher for web development services.
Why You Need a Custom Real Estate Website
According to the National Association of Realtors (NAR), more than half of consumers found the homes they purchased on the internet, and 29% discovered them through a real estate agent. Yet, only 64% of brokers and 73% of real estate agents have a website.
Even those who run a website often fail to get results. One reason is that they focus too much on sales and not enough on nurturing prospects. For instance, their websites feature hundreds of listings but have little or no content, such as buyer guides and other helpful resources.
Another reason is that they ignore search engine optimization (SEO). If you skip this step, your site won’t make it to the first page of search results. That’s where most consumers look for available properties.
Additionally, many real estate websites are too generic and lack a clear value proposition.
If, say, you promote high-end properties, your site should reflect that. Think of it as an extension of your brand. From its layout and visuals to its messaging, every element must align with your branding efforts and business goals.
Simply put, you need a custom website that’s optimized for search engines and provides value to your audience. With this approach, you’ll find it easier to attract, nurture, and convert prospects into buyers while strengthening your position in the market.
Still not convinced? Let’s take a closer look at how a custom website can benefit your real estate business.
Create a Unique Brand Identity
A custom real estate website allows you to showcase your brand personality and stand out from the competition. By contrast, a one-size-fits-all template can make you appear dull and unoriginal.
For example, international luxury real estate agency John Taylor has done a great job. Its website emanates sophistication, featuring high-quality images, hoverable buttons, and an appealing design that draws the viewer in.
The hero slider showcases beautiful properties along with advanced search filters for different customer groups. The listing pages have detailed information, stunning imagery, social sharing buttons, and easy-to-fill contact forms.
When you see the website, you can instantly tell who’s behind it. The design, visual elements, and overall feel reflect the brand’s prestige, creating a sense of exclusivity.
Enhance the User Experience
Pre-built templates can only be customized to a certain extent. As mentioned earlier, you can change their layout, such as the navigation menu, header placement, and number of columns, but their core design remains the same.
Plus, they may have limited features or charge extra for add-ons, plugins, and other applications meant to enhance their functionality. Some web builders are open source and allow for a high degree of customization but require coding skills.
A custom website, on the other hand, can be tailored to your specific needs. This means you can add whatever features you think are necessary to improve the user experience (UX), from interactive maps to virtual property tours.
Generate Warm Leads
Most real estate agents resort to cold calling, spending hours on the phone each day. In today’s digital age, this prospecting method has a success rate of only 2% and can annoy potential buyers.
The solution? Use your website to generate warm leads.
With a custom website, you can nurture potential clients and make them trust you before reaching out.
Sure, you could do that with any website, but a custom site allows for a higher degree of personalization, making it easier to drive engagement. The more people engage with your brand, the more likely you are to win their business.
Let’s say someone visits your website and takes a virtual tour of a property in your portfolio.
They are not ready to buy yet, but they contact you to ask for more information. Even if you don’t close the deal, you can show them similar properties and keep them coming back to your site to see the latest listings.
This approach allows you to build lasting relationships with potential buyers and later convert them into customers. It’s a lot more effective and professional than cold calling, benefiting your business in the long run.
Have More Control over Your Website
Custom websites give you full control over your content and data. Zillow and other third-party platforms, on the other hand, can restrict or block your account without notice. On top of that, they may limit the type or number of listings you can display on your profile page.
These platforms fit into a larger marketing plan, increasing your visibility and reach. However, you shouldn’t rely solely on them.
When you have your own website, you can promote yourself however you see fit and showcase your properties in the best possible way. Moreover, your listings won’t appear next to those of other agencies, resulting in a competitive advantage.
Attract Targeted Traffic
A site built from scratch gives you more options in terms of SEO than real estate platforms or some website builders. You can optimize its URL structure, title tags, and other elements, including:
- Meta description
- Image attributes
- Page titles
- Page loading speed
- Website navigation
And much more.
For example, a platform like Realtor.com lets you optimize your listings by adding relevant keywords. However, you have no control over the URL structure, meta tags, and other SEO elements that could help you attract targeted traffic.
With a custom website, you can optimize every single page and piece of content to ensure they reach the right people.
For example, you could add dynamic content, which changes based on the user’s location, preferences, or online behavior. This marketing strategy can improve UX and SEO, driving more qualified leads.
Increased Scalability
A custom website can scale up or down as your business needs change. If, say, you start selling service packages online, you can adjust your site accordingly.
Another advantage is that you can implement advanced integrations, such as chatbots, AI tools, or marketing automation. These features can enhance UX and help expand your reach.
Significant Cost Savings
Custom-built sites have higher upfront costs than website builders and real estate platforms but could save you thousands of dollars in the long run. With this option, you’ll only pay an annual fee for the domain name and hosting.
Website builders and real estate platforms are easier to use and don’t require coding skills. While you don’t have to be a programmer to upload content or make minor changes to a custom site, you still need basic HTML knowledge.
Set Your Website Up for Success
Just because you invested in a custom website doesn’t guarantee success. You also need to continuously update, optimize, and monitor your site to reap the benefits.
For starters, follow these steps.
Choose the Perfect Domain Name
Select a domain name that reflects your business and what makes it unique. Keep it short and avoid hyphens, numbers, homophones, or complex words.
Let’s assume you operate a real estate agency specializing in holiday rentals in Key West, Florida. A good domain name would be KeyWestNest.com, KeyWestHavens.com, or GoKeyWest.com.
If possible, include your location in the domain name to attract clients looking for properties in that specific area. Incorporate words associated with real estate, such as “condos,” “villa,” “properties,” or “rentals.”
Make a List of Must-Have Features
Whether you decide to use a website builder or hire a developer, it’s important to have clear expectations.
Go online and search for real estate websites that match your vision. Think about what you like or dislike about them and make a list of features you want for your site. These may include:
- User-friendly navigation
- Easy-to-fill contact forms
- Social sharing buttons
- Advanced search filters
- Floor plans
- Virtual tours
- Community information
- IDX integration
- Customer reviews
- A blog or news section
For example, 3D floor plans help prospects better understand the property’s layout and decide whether it meets their needs. The same goes for virtual tours, which allow potential buyers or renters to explore their dream homes from anywhere.
Another useful feature is Internet Data Exchange (IDX), a system that enables realtors to display property listings from multiple listing services. IDX Broker, Placester, FBS IDX Solutions, and similar software programs work with most website builders, offering interactive maps, new listing notifications, and lead capture tools.
Share Expert Insights
Most consumers who search for properties online end up on Zillow and other real estate websites that rank on Google’s first page for popular keywords.
To stand out from the crowd, you must fill your site with valuable content that can’t be found anywhere else. This marketing tactic can help you climb Google’s rankings and build trust with potential clients.
Check out Reddit, Quora, and other social media platforms to see what your audience wants to know about the home-buying process, rental contracts, mortgages, and related topics. Also, use keyword research tools like Semrush, Ahrefs, and People Also Ask to gain further insights.
Next, address customers’ questions and pain points in your content. For example, if you’re targeting first-time home buyers, you could write about financing options, what to expect as a homeowner, the real costs of buying property, and so on.
Obviously, you’ll use a different approach if your target audience consists of investors or corporate clients. In this case, it’s best to focus on aspects like ROI, occupancy rates, and operating expenses.
Follow SEO Best Practices
Last but not least, optimize your website for search engines and readers alike. Incorporate keywords that match search intent, add ALT text to images, and use headers to divide the text into easily digestible sections.
Most importantly, make sure your writing is clear and to the point. If, say, you’re crafting a blog post about mortgage applications, avoid industry jargon and use a language your audience can understand. Consider adding comparison tables, infographics, or video guides and sharing real-world examples to convey complex topics in a friendly, accessible manner.
