We have a formula that works well. I'll tell you what it is, if you'll help us develop it and brainstorm.

We start with a main heading (h1) with a major keyword in it, if we can get away with it.

Then we start the copy with an introduction to the website. We explain how to use the site and its features, if that's helpful.

Nothing wrong with a little bit of self-promotion here, either, but one must be careful - most users are ready to skip the sort of fluff they've seen on other real estate sites.

(Many web writers will encourage you to keep your home page copy to a minimum, but in the case of the real estate website I would disagree, because a little more text seems to be easier to rank with. At the very least, it's "more hooks in the water" for targeting keywords.)

If our client is a competitive realtor based in Maryville, then his/her most important keyword is "Maryville real estate", and that's our subject for the rest of the home page. We add a secondary heading (h2) like "Beautiful Homes in Maryville", followed by a paragraph promoting Maryville homes or informing about them - their styles, price ranges, qualities, etc. Of course, you could always write about yourself here, talking about how you're the greatest real estate agent in Maryville.