| For those in the real estate business, having an online | | | | throughout the site. |
| presence is a must. From being able to contact and | | | | Your real estate web site may be composed of |
| interact with potential buyers and sellers to showcasing | | | | several different sections. For example, some real |
| the properties you have available, the quality and | | | | estate websites have one system running to |
| effectiveness of your website design can have a | | | | showcase multiples listings, a blog integrated into their |
| major impact on the success of your business. | | | | site to keep customers up-to-date on the latest news, |
| Unfortunately many realtor's websites do not project a | | | | and often several regular pages describing the city or |
| professional image. Here are a few tips to make | | | | town the agency is located in. Because each of these |
| certain the website design for your real estate agency | | | | sections may have been created with different |
| helps add to your bottom line. | | | | programs, the color schemes and fonts may not |
| Tip Number One: Make sure your home page is clean | | | | match. |
| and fast loading. | | | | Be sure to have your website design company make |
| Your home page is the first page most of your clients | | | | the theme match as much as possible throughout the |
| will see. Make certain to make a good first impression. | | | | site. This may be as simple as creating a header |
| Your home page should have a clean layout and very | | | | image for the top of every page in the site, to a more |
| few graphics. This will allow the page to load fast. | | | | complicated customizing of the style-sheets to create |
| Especially in this day of high-speed internet access, | | | | a completely integrated theme for the entire site. |
| there's nothing that says "unprofessional" like a | | | | Tip Number Three: Keep your real estate web listings |
| slow-loading web-page. | | | | up to date. |
| On the same note, make sure the company that is | | | | Imagine a potential client coming across one of your |
| hosting your website provides you with a fast enough | | | | listings on your website and deciding it's the perfect |
| server for your site. If you haven't chosen a hosting | | | | place for them, only to call and find out it was already |
| provider yet, be sure to ask potential hosts to give you | | | | sold or rented days or weeks ago. You've likely just |
| links to other sites on their servers. You can then | | | | lost the chance to ever do business with that person. |
| check to see how fast these sites load. | | | | To prevent this from happening, make certain |
| As far as content goes, you first page should include a | | | | someone on your staff is responsible for keeping all |
| message about your real estate company - focusing | | | | the listings on your website always up-to-date. |
| on the benefits that you provide the customer. You | | | | Depending on the program used to manage the listings |
| should also include your contact information. Make | | | | section of your website, this might require some extra |
| certain to have your website designer include a | | | | training to make sure whoever is responsible can |
| contact form on your website so people can get in | | | | perform these updates as quickly and efficiently as |
| touch with you directly through the site. | | | | possible. The investment in time and training will |
| You home page should also include easy navigation to | | | | certainly be worth it though. |
| the other sections of your website. Make the links to | | | | By taking these tips into consideration, you should be |
| the other sections very descriptive so surfers can find | | | | able to better communicate with your website |
| their way to what they are looking for fast. Do not try | | | | designer about your real estate site. This will help |
| to fill your home page up with photos and descriptions | | | | ensure you are able to project a professional image |
| of all your latest listings. Instead, place a simple text or | | | | online too, increasing your marketing reach and your |
| text and small image link to that section of your site. | | | | bottom line. |
| Tip Number Two: Keep your website theme constant | | | | |