What should real estate websites look like? This is a question that many realtors ask themselves when they are in the planning stages of their realty website. There are so many different ways to design real estate web pages, and there isn't really a set rule of how realtors can go about designing their real estate websites. Many times it comes down to the personal preference on what their real estate webpages should look like or what an ideal real estate website would consist of.
Below I'll outline some items that your real estate website may need and some tips on how to design an IDX real estate website. But if you want a real estate website that already has an amazing design, is cheap, and easy to set up, then you'll want to check out the vesper design. Vesper is one of our most fluid templates that allow easy customization and has the highest-performing real estate website.
So let's get started with how your real estate website should look.
The design
First, real estate web pages should have a professional look. They should be designed in a way that will draw in potential clients and make them want to explore more about what your realty business has to offer. You'll want to use high-quality graphics and photos on your real estate websites, as well as legible fonts and colors.
There are so many real estate websites online that use low res photos that clash with the text or have busy designs that can be overwhelming to visitors.
When it comes to web design, simplicity is key. Too much information on one page can confuse and overwhelm visitors, so make sure that you only include the most important information on each real estate web page. This includes a brief overview of your realty business, a list of the services you offer, your contact information, and some high-quality photos of your properties.
Another thing to consider when designing your real estate websites is the layout of your pages. You may want to consider using a grid layout as it is easy to navigate and makes it easy for visitors to find the information they are looking for.
Adding negative space
Have you ever been on a website that has text and images colliding with each other? It makes things so complicated to read and it doesn't give visitors a guide on where to read or look.
So don't be scared of negative space. Negative space is the term used for the areas that do not contain any text or imagery. These areas serve as a rest area for your real estate web visitors, and they can even improve the readability of your real estate web pages.
The functionality
Now that we've talked about how real estate websites should look simple, let's talk about whether real estate website functionality is important. Real estate web pages are used to attract new clients and generate leads that will hopefully turn into sales; therefore, real estate websites should be designed to serve this purpose.
When designing real estate web pages, you'll need to think about the information architecture of your sites. This includes how you plan out where different types of content can go on real estate web pages so that visitors won't have any problems finding what they are looking for. For example, if someone clicks on a link for apartments for rent but doesn't find any listings there, chances are they will leave your real estate site and never come back again.
This also means that all real estate web pages should be easy to navigate. Visitors should not have to click more than three times to get the information they are looking for. You should also include a search function on your real estate websites so that visitors can easily find the properties they are interested in.
So does this mean you need IDX?
Another important real estate website functionality is an IDX feed. This allows visitors to view real estate listings on your site from different Multiple Listing Services (MLS). This is a great feature to include on your real estate web pages as it gives potential visitors a wider range of properties to choose from.
We partnered up with iHomefinder to bring our clients the best IDX tools needed to grow their real estate business. All our IDX websites are integrated with iHomefinders versatile software for user-friendly searches and property management.
Sometimes agents can opt-out of having an IDX, but can miss a lot of opportunities to capture leads. IDX has useful tools to grow your website and one of our IDX partners is IHomefinder. IHomefinder is one of the largest IDX providers in the market, and Hungry Ram is listed as a trusted partner on their website!
An IDX website is a real estate agent's best friend. By having an IDX website, you can offer potential clients a wider range of real estate listings to view on your site. This can help increase the chances that they will find a property that they are interested in and will eventually turn into a sale.
So make sure you don't miss out on getting more leads by integrating an IDX to your website.
Consistency is key
Keeping the design of your website is key when it comes to building a website. You want your website to remain consistent with your home page. For example, if you have a call-to-action (CTA) button that is green, then keep that CTA button green throughout your website.
The trick is to have your visitors go through your website while seeing the same CTA button on every page. So when the time comes to fill out a form, they know what to click.
Our team is very picky with consistency, we like to have pages match other pages that are created. For example, the container of the website content is typically a fixed-width focused on either narrow or a wide container view. If your home page is a narrow view, then keep all your pages narrow.
It would be a bad thing if someone were browsing your website, and all of a sudden the layout drastically changes, and then they get lost thinking they've entered a new site.
The content
Content is important to a real estate website. Not only should you have high-quality photos of your properties, but you also need to write compelling real estate web copy that will attract visitors to your site.
When writing real estate web content, it's important to remember who your target audience is. You'll want to write in a way that appeals to them and provides them with the information they need so they can convert into a lead.
Your overall content on your website should be informative and straight to the point. You don't want real estate web pages to be too wordy because this will likely turn people away. Just make sure you include the necessary information needed for visitors to convert into leads.
Although real estate content is important, it shouldn't take up most of your pages. If you're looking to increase your content, it should be placed into a blog.
So, what kind of real estate copy should your site have?
- realty services offered and what you do at your realty company
- a short description about who you are and what makes you unique
- contact information including your license number.
These should be outlined on your home page since that will be where the majority of your traffic will land. Keep content that is important towards the top of your website. You don't want people to have to scroll through a lot of text in order to find what they are looking for.
Make sure you also include real estate news on your website. This will show that you're up-to-date with the industry and it can help attract potential visitors. This falls in line with having a blog.
Conclusion
By following these tips, you can create a real estate website that will help you grow your business! Want to invest your time into your business? Let us build your website for you! Hungry Ram has all the resources to build real estate websites to help you maximize leads. Contact our team today!
