There are currently over 45,000 real estate agents in Illinois, with only around 66% of all agents nationwide having an online presence. There is an opportunity for real estate agents to build intuitive and beneficial websites that deliver leads every day.

After looking at numerous real estate websites nationwide, we narrowed it down to 6 key features of the best-performing real estate websites.

6 Features of a High-Performing Real Estate Website

You’ll notice that the complexity of these features depends on how website-literate you are. Some of this stuff might be super easy if you’re familiar with WordPress. If you don’t even know what WordPress is, you might need some help.

The good news is that if you want help, The Loop Marketing is here for your real estate business. Our award-winning web design service helps companies like yours create an incredible online experience that consistently drives new leads and sales.

Responsive Design and Mobile Optimization

In the United States, around 31.57% of all internet traffic came from mobile devices (in the last quarter of 2023). Some reports have this number up to 43%. Building a mobile-first real estate website provides a seamless user experience across all devices and improves SEO rankings.

Your real estate agency website needs to focus on a welcoming, simple user experience as much as possible.

This includes integrating features like GPS-based property searches, allowing anyone to immediately find listings near their home.

The home-buying process is stressful enough; don’t make helping people find their dream home more complicated than necessary.

Visual Design and Branding

A recent study noted that 94% of customer first impressions are design-related.

How your website looks and navigates impacts whether or not a home buyer sees you as their agent almost immediately.

For branding, you must communicate who you are as a real estate agent and how you’ll help them; remember, home buyers want someone who’s on their side, consistent, and professional.

Branding may also be reflected throughout your digital marketing presence, from the social media platforms you use to how you communicate with your email list.

Find an idea you believe in, and build upon it for your real estate agency branding.

Easy Navigation and Search Features

Websites with well-structured menus and easy-to-find search bars see a 50% increase in engagement.

Adding search capabilities with advanced filters for property type, price range, location, and more enables users to find listings that meet their criteria, enhancing the likelihood of converting visitors into leads.

Look at how Zillow, Redfin, and other mainstream real estate websites have made it easy for people to search and visit properties. Try to use a similar plugin for your website.

Engaging Property Listings

Property listing is your website’s heart and soul if you’re a real estate agent.

Listings with high-quality images, detailed descriptions, and virtual tours generate 49% more qualified leads. When the competition is so high, these details matter.

Ready for a crazy statistic? Including video content, such as virtual tours, increases engagement rates by 403%.

Remember, your real estate website should be all about convenience. Exploring properties remotely saves time and allows you to tour only homes that clients are interested in.

Optimize Your Real Estate Website for Lead Generation

Strategically placing contact forms on property listings, landing pages, and blog posts helps capture user information.

In 2024, 54.2% of real estate agents’ marketing budgets were allocated to digital marketing, meaning it’s more important than ever to have an online presence that lets your clients communicate with you as efficiently as possible.

Another lead generation tool is AI-driven chatbots. Usually a simple-to-install plugin, these chatbots engage visitors in real time, answering questions, scheduling viewings, and doing just about anything else.

Calculators and Tool Integrations

Integrating tools like MLS feeds, mortgage calculators, and property valuation software adds tremendous value to your site and keeps users engaged (keeping them on the site longer).

With the addition of AI and predictive analytics, you can tailor property recommendations to individual users based on their search history and behavior, leading to more targeted and successful interactions.

Need Help Transforming Your Real Estate Website?

A high-performing real estate website is your best lead-generating tool—but only if it’s built right.

At The Loop Marketing, we specialize in award-winning web design services tailored for real estate professionals.

From responsive design to advanced search features, we’ll create a site that showcases your brand, engages your audience, and delivers results.

You can schedule a free call or contact us online, and one of our team members will respond to you.