How to Buy, Set up, and Structure a Real Estate Website

[Andrew Reichek]

All websites aren't equal. If you are a real estate agent then you should take the time to make sure that it's setup to convert phone calls and leads. But many of use simply don't know where to start. Here are some great tips for those of us who don't even have a website. So let's dive in and start from square one for those of us who don't even have a website.

For those of you don't even have a Real Estate website, we will show you how to purchase one, and get it ready FAST.

Pick out a Domain Name and the Hosting

You will need to pick out a domain name. We recommend one that ends in a .com or a .biz. There are many hosting providers like that allow you to pick up names for under $10. There is really no excuse not to have a website, since they are so cheap.

The hosting is where you website will live. You don't have to buy the domain name and hosting with the same company. But if you do get both from the same company, then you usually get the best deal.

Setting Up the Website

Configuring the website will take some technical knowledge. Many platforms like wordpress are very easy to use. But we won't dive into those details. You may need to get a friend or professional to get it up and running for you. Wordpress is a free platform, so you won't have to pay any costs upfront, or anytime during the lifetime of your website.

How to Structure the Site for Optimal Gains:

How you set up your site will certainly affect your customer retention rate and your lead generation. Here are a couple details to consider.

1. The site should be mobile friendly. Meaning that when you access it on your phone, it is optimized and easily viewable. Most Wordpress site are mobile friendly. Main Street Equity Corp has a mobile friendly template with large navigational buttons that allow our customers to start an apartment search on their site.

2) Your phone number must be easily accessible, and make sure it appears on the top of the page. Many professionals suggest the top right portion. Also, there should be a "click to call option". If a potential customer is using their Iphone to check the site, make sure they can simply click on the button, and then the phone call will connect directly to you.

3) The lead generation form might be the second most important feature on your site. There are many types of forms that you can use, and some very good ones are free. We have listed an example of one above. It should include all of the prospect's information. There are should be an easy to see "request information" button the prospect can click on when they are done. It's also important for the form to be easily seen. A good position is on the right side of the page. Again it should appear closer to the top of the page.

4) Be sure to include a professional photo of yourself on your website. There is some great research behind this action and more actions that can prevent users from leaving your website.

Other Website Additions to Consider.

With wordpress you can include so much more on your site than photos and text. There are valuable plugins (think of them like Iphone Apps) that allow you to insert data in a pretty way.

Tablepress allows you to insert tables in a variety of ways. You can arrange real estate data by neighborhood or subdivision and list their corresponding prices.

Having a table of contents is also very important for a real estate website. A user simply clicks on the information they are interested in from the table of contents and then are taken to that content without having to scroll.

Terms and Conditions and Privacy Page

If you haven't noticed, privacy is a huge issue in 2019. The CEO of Facebook was brought before Congress and questioned intensely. Do yourself a favor and write a short privacy and terms and conditions page for your site. It will make your website appear legitimate. Don't forget your Copyright Date. This should appear on the bottom of the homepage as well.

Getting a webpage online is actually very easy and doesn't require much technical knowledge. Think of it as your own personal "store" where customers can learn about you.