By James Sheldon
Property Webmasters boasts extensive experience in developing websites for some of the most prominent and well-established estate agent franchises worldwide, as well as handling multiple start-up and broker-exclusive websites. Throughout our work, we have encountered a wide array of critical mistakes made by estate agents in their online presence.
These mistakes are not the typical and generic issues commonly discussed in online guides. Rather than focusing on well-known topics such as website metadata and SSL certificates, we have identified five specific points that are often overlooked but can significantly impact an estate agent’s online success. It is essential for estate agents to take note of these points and ask themselves why they might be making these errors in order to rectify them effectively.
By addressing these specific points, estate agents can enhance their online presence, improve user experience, and boost their chances of attracting clients. At Property Webmasters we believe our insights serve as a valuable resource for industry professionals who strive to stand out in the competitive market, with our experience in building websites for some of the largest estate agents in the world.
So to kick us off, we have:
A website that lacks robust search functionality for property listings can result in a frustrating user experience. Estate agents should implement a search feature that allows users to filter properties based on criteria such as location, price range, property type, and amenities. Providing advanced search options and an intuitive interface can greatly enhance user satisfaction.
One of the biggest mistakes estate agents can make is loading up way too many properties on their website for the sake of having stock. For our UK estate agents, this is typically not an issue however, in Marbella for example, ReSales Online allows you to upload around 10,000 properties onto your website, but are all of them relevant and do they fit the bill as a comprehensive listing with good imagery? Absolutely not! It is important to keep your stock relevant and looking good.
Insufficient information, low-quality images, or missing floor plans can discourage potential buyers or renters. It’s crucial to showcase high-quality photos, accurate property descriptions, key features, and relevant details to attract and engage users.
By addressing these aspects and optimizing their online property listings, estate agents can effectively attract and engage potential clients. A well-presented online platform with high-quality images, accurate descriptions, key features, and relevant details fosters trust, credibility, and positive user experiences, increasing the likelihood of successful property transactions and building a solid reputation.
Do not let your property feeds let you down!
While we are all aware that website speed is an obviously important factor, uploading video content to the website homepage or on important pages that are key for conversions will kill page load speed. While it is possible to upload videos and they look great, it has to be done properly.
Website speed is a critical factor in determining user experience. Slow-loading pages due to heavy video content can frustrate visitors and lead them to abandon the site, seeking faster alternatives. Users expect quick access to property listings and information, and a slow website can create a negative impression of the estate agent’s professionalism and efficiency.
Many users access websites from mobile devices, where slower loading times can be more pronounced due to varying network speeds. If video content is not optimized for mobile devices, it can lead to a poor user experience and deter potential clients from engaging with the website.
At Property Webmasters, we make it clear that large 4k videos are great for the design of the website but implementing them must come with a warning and not a detriment to the performance of the website.
At PWM we have options for new estate agents like our AgentPlus package, real estate brokers via our BrokerOnly package as well as big custom projects. One thing that we have kept in mind for clients on all these packages is the future-proofing and support that go alongside the products themselves.
Our AgentPlus solution is a multi-tenant system which allows our development team to deploy improvements and new features to the solution which are then available for all tenants (Estate Agents) on our system. An example of this was Webhook Integration, the feature became a priority for our Lead Developer, Mal Boston to integrate and once done, our 50+ tenants at the time of deployment had an option to take this up!
Our Custom Website Projects have future-proofing options via our new framework and support team which allow for new pages to be added via a ticketing system and redesigns possible down the road to refresh the design of your website.
In conclusion, Property Webmasters‘ extensive experience in creating websites for leading estate agent franchises has provided valuable insights into common mistakes made by estate agents in their online presence. Rather than focusing on generic issues, Property Webmasters has identified specific points that significantly impact an estate agent’s success in the competitive real estate market.
Addressing these mistakes can revolutionize an estate agent’s online platform. Implementing an instant search functionality, curating relevant and appealing property feeds, and showcasing high-quality visuals with accurate property details can greatly enhance user experience and engagement. Furthermore, paying attention to website speed, especially when incorporating video content, is crucial to prevent potential clients from being deterred by slow-loading pages.
Additionally, future-proofing your estate agent website is essential for staying ahead in the digital landscape. Property Webmasters offers forward-looking solutions with continuous improvements and support, ensuring that your website remains up-to-date and equipped with the latest features and design options.
By heeding these insights and taking proactive steps to rectify these top estate agency website mistakes, estate agents can position themselves for success, attract more clients, and solidify their reputation as industry leaders. We serve as a valuable partner in this journey, offering cutting-edge solutions and expertise to help estate agents thrive in the ever-evolving online real estate market.
By Ben Spowart