20 Fantastic Features for Real Estate Websites

Create trust and encourage repeat visitors and prospective buyers by utilizing great features on your site that keep interest high. Following are some great ways to do just that - as well as personalizing your website and online presence with great features visitors are sure to love:

1. Mobile Ready or Responsive Website - of the 7 billion people on earth, 4.2 billion possess a toothbrush while 6.8 billion have a cell phone. Mobile internet usage has surpassed desktop internet usage. This means more users will be searching for new homes on their smart phones more than ever. Your website should only involve scrolling, not zooming and scrolling. Your site should show mostly text and search and not look like a mini version of your desktop version. Mobile Ready sites load quicker and are optimized for easier reading on a phone screen.
2. Walk Score - Include the option for folks to check out the Walk Score of homes they are interested in. Here they can find what's local to walk to (cafes, restaurants, parks, etc) or check their commute time via car, bus or foot.
3. CTA form - Allow sellers to fill out a form on your site that emails their information directly to you. This is a great way to get leads from your site.
4. Personality, fun & color - show your personality by sharing photos of the fun you are having with clients or friends in local cafes, restaurants or events. Share these on your social media sites as well as on your "About me", Blog or other page on your site. This builds trust with prospects and let's them see you as a real person they can identify with when making one of the largest purchases of their life. Adding online games to your site (soduku anyone?) can also add to the return rates and increase length of time visitors stay on your site.
5. Action! - Upload or link videos showcasing your area. Often your local visitors bureau or Chamber will have videos that highlight many great features of your area. Upload video introducing yourself or to display the great features of hard to sell or unique home you have listed. Including video or a slideshow will add movement and interest to otherwise static two-dimensional websites.
6. Photos - photo posts on social sites receive 84% more clicks than text and link posts. Include a picture to support your post and keep in mind a picture really can be worth a thousand words! Each article on your website should include a photo so folks can pin and share it.
7. Reviews - build trust and credibility on your website with prospects by displaying prior customers testimonials. Feel free to copy and paste them from off your Zillow, Yelp, LinkedIn or other website
8. Social Bookmarking - Be sure to include on your pages the option for visitors to tweet, like or share your information. This gives your website information "legs" and can be a great source of free advertising for you.
9. Search - the most popular feature visitors want on Real Estate websites is the ability to search for their perfect home. Make sure the search tool is quick and easy to use with basic elements home hunters want and need without being too complicated or too many required fields. "84% of smart phone users take action after performing local searches."
10. Social Media links - Allow your visitors to easily find and connect with you on social sites. Be sure the links to Facebook, LinkedIn, Pinterest, etc open in a NEW window so visitors aren't taken away from your site.
11. Tools - such as mortgage calculator and interest rates are great to have featured on your listings and/or search pages.
12. Blog - Blogging can help your website in a myriad of ways! Be creative in your blog posts, show your humorous side, share local news and events - be the "go to" website for all things happening in your area!
13. Local Resources - show your visitors that you are an expert on your local area. This builds trust and confidence with potential clients and offers visitors information they are seeking prior to moving to your area. Include things like demographics, utility info, movers, storage facilities, things to do, etc.
14. Weather - Include a weather widget so out of towners can get an idea of what type of weather to expect when living there or if they are going out house hunting they know how to dress.
15. Education - link to education.com or create an article listing schools in your area including both public and private schools and higher education options.
16. Subscribe Form - add an email subscribe form to your website and send out monthly or quarterly eblasts using a trusted provider (to ensure you don't get banned from your email provider for SPAM complaints). Keep in touch with former and prospective clients by sharing what's new in town, highlight how the town is growing, new developments/building, what new listings you have and more information readers will find useful.
17. Buyer & Seller Tips - who doesn't love great tips? Buying or selling a home is a stressful event! For buyers, it's one of the most important and largest purchases of their lives. Give buyers and sellers the information they need to make the sale or purchase as smooth as possible. Create checklists for moving, staging a home tips and other items that they are looking for.
18. Listing Perks - where do you promote your listings? Print? Online? Social Media? List all the places and perks that sellers will get when they list with YOU. List the incentives and your expertise.
19. Logos - MLS & Fair Housing Logos as well as your Broker logo or name are essential.
20. Your Listings, Office Listings and Visual Tours - keep everything on your website and allow your website to do all the work. This way buyers can read and see everything about a home so they are more prepared once they contact you.

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