4 Tips for Real Estate Web Design Best Practices

The real estate industry has undergone significant changes primarily driven by technological innovations. Unlike before, when the real estate market was in realtor’s hands, 89% of current homebuyers use real estate apps and websites when searching for properties. This is a significant shift that players in the industry, including cash homebuyers, can’t ignore.

Physically, the real estate industry heavily relies on visual aesthetics. This explains why homeowners spend so much time and effort remodeling and staging their homes for sale. While the same applies in the online realm, website designs make the first impression. You should observe the following web design best practices.

1. Search Filters

You should use a user-friendly search engine that allows visitors to perform complex searches. The simplest search iteration should include conventional filters, which show properties based on location, size, and price. However, you should also allow visitors to find what they want using their preferred search phrases.

For instance, homeowners can use “cash homebuyers in Brooklyn, sell my home fast Brooklyn, selling my home for cash,” and other phrases to find potential cash homebuyers. Similarly, you should leverage big data and integrations to provide detailed information about listed properties. This should include:

• Average age rate, education levels of residents, and family status
• Infrastructure, schools, and other amenities
• Crime rates in the region
• LGBTQ protection rate and perception of locals

2. A Listing Database

A listing database is the cornerstone of real estate websites. The broader your database, the more popular and preferred your website becomes. Fortunately, you can develop a comprehensive database using other broker’s databases. You should choose the database based on your region of operation. For instance, if you want to cover the expansive U.S. real estate market, use the Multiple Listing Service or the U.S. National Association of Realtors database.

3. Map Feature

Your real estate platform won’t be conceivable without maps because potential homebuyers prioritize property location. Like most real estate websites, you should integrate Google Maps because visitors are accustomed to it. You can also use map service providers, such as Open Street Maps. Consider integrating other web services that show useful statistics on the map, such as nearby schools, restaurants, parks, and more.

4. Your Website Should Be Responsive

Having a responsive website ensures that you don’t turn away potential clients. For this, test your website regularly for broken links, troubling image files, and other design elements that affect user experience.

Similarly, you should ensure your real estate website is mobile-responsive. This caters to the increasing number of customers who Google search from their smartphones. Fortunately, most templates available for designing real estate sites are mobile-responsive. As such, you don’t have to worry about additional coding or modifications to create a mobile version of your site.

Endnote

Real estate website design significantly differs from other standard websites. Real estate sites should have specific design elements that favor real estate clients. Other shared design elements that should feature in your website include the favorites section, in-app messaging ability, and a calendar for easy scheduling.