As real estate agents I am curious as to what you consider the "most" important element of a website. What is that 1 thing that "must" be included above all else if the website is to succeed.

Is it the lead capture form, its placement or delivery?

Is it the presentation of contact information (Phone # or email)?

Is it the delivery of information about the area?

Above are jsut a few examples of things I could think of off the top of my head but I'm sure there are tons of other elements you guys and gals can come up with. I'm anxious to hear your thoughts as real estate professionals, I think the suggestions put forward would sincerely benefit us all.

Thanks for your time :-)

I have always thought that if you give the visitors to your website "free" entry and if they like your creditionals and references, they will fill out the contact form or email you for assistance.

I know there are a lot of sites out there that require a vistor to "register" prior to viewing MLS listings, but I feel that offering the ability to view the MLS without any strings attached makes a better user experience. If a possible client wants to work with you, they should contact you, instead of you emailing that client through a required registration form. I could be completely off base here, but that is my personal feelings. Keep in mind that I am not a Realtor, but am the keeper of my wife's website. I would rather have someone contact my wife through here website, than require them to register and then have her "spam" them.

The Houston MLS might be a little different, in that if you link to the MLS properly, there is a link called "schedule showing" within the details that will email my wife for any listing the visitor is interested in.

Larry
Clear Lake Real Estate

My thoughts.. Allowing the user to search for properties with out having to give a blood sample is 1# key... If there not able to search immediatly there on to the next site that will allow them to. Next in line would be having a search saver option which allows them to save searchs and favorites creating rapport between the site and the client. I would say that this ties for first since what your objective is to have them come back... Buy having that option your giving them a key to your house telling them there welcome at anytime and also rembering who they are. I belive that rapport is passed on from the site to the agent... The number one goal is rapport in real estate and in any sales. Simple fact Buyers and Sellers only work with people they like and thats built through rapport.

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Jeff,
I also think that having the ability to automatically email your prospects weekly (daily) listings automatically is nice. My wife used to have this tool available where she used to work, but her current affiliation does not offer this capability. In the 1 year or so we had it available on her website, only 6 or so people took advantage of it though. The cost of an IDX solution for most realtors is prohibitive.

Larry
Clear Lake Real Estate

Larry. Here is who I use http://www.mlsfinder.com. I did see they provide it for Texas. When people set a search criteria, and a new listing comes on the market, within there search criteria it sends them the new listing automatically. The sytem is updated every fifteen minutes. With in the admin you can see how many times they have logged in and there favorite properties saved and do mass emails with a few clicks. If you have multiple sites you only have to buy there system once and can use it for every site.

__________________
Edina is home to the first indoor mall. Search Edina Realty to find your new home.

Jeff,
Unfortunately, they don't offer their services for the Houston area. Houston has an IDX MLS, which can be "framed" on your personal web site, but the ability save searches and automatically send out emails that match certain criteria is not available to agents. Thanks for the link though.

Larry
Clear Lake Real Estate

I know they are expanding. I would recommend giving them a call and ask when they are projected to be in your market..

__________________
Edina is home to the first indoor mall. Search Edina Realty to find your new home.

Looks alot nicer than the mls services here in PA that's for sure. Do you frame it in and Can visitors to a site that is using mlsfinder.com sign themselves up through your site and have you as the default contact?

Rich- Its not our mls, its just a company that provides indiviudal sites MLS, Another cool thing is that that they use your domain name as the name source to pull off their system, so your domian is in all your code.. Here is an example http://www.mlsfinder.com/MN_RMLS/igo...ame=minnetonka lake
I frame it in giving me the ability to use the meta tags. I have nothing to do with the mlsfinder site to have access to my site.. On every page on my sites I have a search saver link allowing them to register, save there searches and get email when new listings come on the market instantly.

__________________
Edina is home to the first indoor mall. Search Edina Realty to find your new home.

I really like the concept but I can't find anything like it for my pa sites. Everthing is from FSB Data systems aka Flexmls and it's features are antiquated. The only thing they have that has any advanced features like saved searched for the public are on the sites you must buy from them and they won't let you frame anything into another site. Seeing as their sites have very little ability to customize and are completely invisible to the serps they're of little value if any.