Creating a real estate website for your business is mandatory. Period. But every business has its unique characteristics which should be taken into account. 

In this article, we will look at the main real estate website requirements and features. We will also provide you with a list of must-have website elements and commercial real estate content ideas. Plus the guide covers why it is important to invest in website creation and how to choose a real estate website developer.

Creating a real estate website

Real estate website requirements

Website building requirements for a real estate website do not differ drastically from those for any commercial website. Their main goal is to offer the customer a smooth enjoyable experience.

• Website load time and speed. Your website has to load within three seconds, or two seconds if it is an e-commerce site.

• Navigation, search, and filtering tabs. They should be easy and intuitive.

• Website mobile-friendly mode. Professional mobile responsive design is one of the components of your brand. Take care of it.

• Social media buttons. It is easier to talk with the audience through social media. Don't ignore this channel. 

• Pop-ups. It helps to grab leads. Use every opportunity for this. However, remember about balance: pop-ups can be annoying if they are numerous. 

• SEO (search engine optimization). Promote your website not only using ads. By doing this, you can save some money. Check out the article on how to conduct a website audit, and learn what tools can help optimize the website's work.

What should a real estate website have?

Must-have website elements

1. Agency logo.

2. Listing search bar. One of the first things users are searching for is a search box. It should catch the eye.

3. Listing images featured in the header/hero image. It also helps to attract users’ attention to the homepage.

4. Resource pages. Pages with information intended for different users, for example, buyers, sellers, etc. 

5. Notable listings with the IDX (Internet Data Exchange) integration.

6. SSL (Secure Sockets Layer) certificate. To keep information transfer between services safe, you should get an SSL certificate. By owning it, you accomplish two goals at once: customers’ trust and an increasing site’s position in the Google ranking.

7. URL. A keyword name of a domain is a great option. But you can also consider a brand URL, the main characteristics of which are simplicity and easiness to spell. 

8. Contact information. Make sure that contact information is visible and can be easily found. 

Commercial real estate web design

A visitor needs a few seconds to decide whether to stay or leave your website depending on what structure and info they can grasp from the page in this minuscule amount of time. Make your website easier to comprehend. 

For tips on real estate web designs and UI/UX, please head to our beginner's website audit guide. There you will find a comprehensive checklist of commercial real estate website design features.

Content for real estate website

It can be visual and written content. You can provide audio content as well and it will have an audience because the speed of life makes people value their time. 

Here are the must-have types of real estate website content:

• High-quality photos and videos
  People are easily convinced by visual information. Try to do your best while taking quality pictures and videos.
  Here is a tip: make virtual tours. Use spotlight lifestyle images to make visitors think they are the owners of that spot. It will force them to make their choice faster.

• Useful information about the real estate market
  Users will appreciate the valuable insights you are sharing, so the credibility of your company will increase.
  What content can it be? The latest news in real estate, market reports, reviews and guides, tips on buying and selling houses, and legal cases of buying or selling a property.

• Calculator
  Mortgage, affordability, rent vs. buy, refinance, and debt-to-income calculators are people's favorite things and bring a lot of traffic to the website.

• Best cases from your practice
  Beautiful pictures of real estate with happy new owners. What can be more persuasive? Except for, perhaps, rave reviews from these exact customers. 

• Engagement content (tips, articles) for your website blog
  It can be tips on maintaining the future property, explanation articles about choosing the right real estate company, you can even reveal what real estate marketing strategies real estate companies use, etc.
  People are happy to give comments and share useful content, and this will help you promote your website and the services you provide.

• City maps
  It is important because people go to your website to make complex decisions. Such a little thing as providing the maps will ease their search. Let them feel that working with you is easy even in the early stages.

• Agent roster
  Add information about your agents. Use good photos and relevant details. Future customers should know what commercial real estate agents might work with them.

• Your employees' and company awards
  Your company is your people. Be proud of their achievements and show them to the world. By showing successful realtor profile examples, you will kill two birds with one stone. First, it is proof of a reliable company; second, you will encourage your employees to do their best.

Here is a tip on how to make your website feel more personalized: create a website section where you tell about yourself to make users’ visits more personal (see an example below). Don’t forget to focus on what customers’ problems you can solve and then how users can contact you. Professional real estate websites should make a good impression on users.

Why should you invest in a real estate website?

• You will save time.

• You will get qualified leads.

• Your business will survive in the digital era.

As usability/UX consultant Steve Krug said: “On the internet, a competitor is within one click reach. Don’t let your potential customers go to others”.

By making a custom real estate website, you will save time from searching for clients offline as well as get qualified leads because of SEO.

Note that in the digital era, you cannot afford your business not to be on the internet. 

According to the national association of realtors, 99% of Millennials search the internet compared to 89% of Older Boomers and 77% of the Silent Generation.

Generation Categories:

• Millennials/Gen Y: 1980–1998
• Gen X: 1965–1979
• Younger Boomers: 1955–1964
• Older Boomers: 1946–1954
• Silent Generation: 1925–1945

• Only 63% of Gen X visited an open house.

• Older Boomers use a mobile device at roughly half the rate of Millennials.

• Both Younger and Older Boomers use online video platforms more frequently than other age groups.

How to hire a web developer for building a real estate website

Define your budget
Be aware that the costs of creating a website may vary, and making a real estate website can be very expensive due to its complexity.  

Choose the location of a hiring agency
You can work with an agency in your living region or you can work with a remote team of real estate website developers. The latter will save you some money.

If you choose to hire a remote team, we recommend you search through these platforms:

• Clutch
  Clutch is an American research organization that analyzes and does IT company ratings to help businesses choose partners.

• GoodFirms
  GoodFirms provides reviews and ratings of top software companies and products.

• IT Firms
  IT Firms does in-depth research and analysis of different IT companies globally. 

Check out the portfolio
Do not start to work with a team unless you saw their work. It’s better to protect yourself from unnecessary worries. Here is how to choose a web development provider.

Get familiar with FAQ
The main two questions you should get answers to before making the website are: 

• How much time will it take?

• How much money will it cost?

You can find additional info on how much creating a real estate website costs and how much time it takes in our other article.

Now you’ve learned what information a commercial real estate website should contain, why you should invest in the website, and where to find a development team.

We hope this information was useful for you. If you have other questions, contact us, we’re happy to help.

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