Lack of Real Estate Developer & Property Website - What Are You Losing?

If you are a real estate developer or operate in the real estate sector, and your website is not properly designed, you could be losing clients, money, and valuable time. Currently, over 70% of developers have websites that showcase their projects and investments. Therefore, simply having a website is not enough to effectively compete in the market.

Your website should not only be modern but also functional and aesthetically executed to provide potential clients with all the necessary information about your investment and help them make the right decision.

In this post, I will guide you through the key aspects of digital marketing in the real estate industry and show you how to effectively use online tools to increase conversion, i.e., the number of sales. 

Why invest in creating a real estate developer or investment website?

Our clients reap huge benefits from their websites. We observe this as a company that specializes in creating websites for property investments and real estate developer website.

So how can a website work to your advantage?

1. Save time and money

The website of your property investment allows potential clients to independently familiarize themselves with the projects, their advantages, location, and details such as square footage or price. All this happens without your direct intervention, saving you time that you can spend on individuals already decided to purchase. At RendPro, we provide our clients with advanced analytical tools that allow developers to continuously monitor interest in their investments, which translates into better planning and more effective marketing activities.

If your investment is targeted at the millennial generation, it will be essential to implement a "Live chat" option on the website. This will allow your clients to easily and quickly contact you. Millennials expect instant responses, so it is worth considering hiring a dedicated person to manage this channel or introducing automated responses.

This customer segment, which currently accounts for up to 45% of the mortgage market, cannot be ignored. Millennials have been functioning in the world of the internet since birth, which is an additional argument for creating an effective website. Such a solution not only saves time that you could spend on answering repetitive questions but also attracts well-informed potential clients who are already interested in your offer.

2. Move into the era of digitization

Undoubtedly, online presence is crucial for every real estate developer — having a well-designed website dedicated to a specific investment or general activity significantly surpasses the option of not having one. However, a website created 7 years ago on WordPress, which has become outdated over time, may not meet current market expectations. Customer requirements have evolved, and web technologies have significantly developed.

The importance of online presence for a developer is immense, as most potential real estate buyers use the internet in the initial phase of their search. To illustrate how the shopping habits of different age groups have changed, we have prepared a chart. This chart shows where people of different ages find information about homes, where they read about them, and where they ultimately contact the developer. This allows for a better understanding of how important it is for a website to be not only visually appealing but also functional and adapted to modern standards of communication and information delivery.

From the analysis of the chart, it is evident that the majority of your clients (51%) find information about your investment online, on sites such as the official property website or the property's Facebook fanpage. Meanwhile, 34% of clients find you through real estate agents. This is a crucial indication showing that digital marketing is not only effective but also cost-efficient compared to traditional methods, such as commissions for real estate agents.

The cost of acquiring traffic on a website is usually significantly lower than the costs associated with agent commissions. Considering these data, it is worth investing in effective digital marketing strategies. Optimizing the website, regularly posting on the investment fanpage, and utilizing other online tools such as social media advertising or email campaigns can significantly contribute to increasing interest in your offer and reducing customer acquisition costs.

3. You can use the most effective marketing tools

As you've noted, the internet offers limitless opportunities to attract new clients to your property investment. Here are a few key strategies you can use:

1. Search Engine Marketing (SEM) - Position yourself high in Google search results so clients can easily find your offer.
2. PPC Marketing - Use paid advertisements to quickly increase the visibility of your site and attract traffic.
3. Content Marketing - Create valuable content that is optimized for search engines to naturally draw visitors.
4. Other methods - Don't forget about other tools such as email marketing, affiliate programs, and activity on social platforms like Facebook, which can also contribute to increasing interest.

At RendPro, we help select the most effective marketing tools tailored to the specifics of your business to maximize traffic to your investment site.

If you are considering creating a website for your company or investment, using ready-made templates might seem like a tempting option due to time and cost savings. However, such a decision might turn out to be a critical mistake. Basic, free website builders often do not offer sufficient customization or advanced features that are crucial for effectively directing traffic and attracting clients. Instead, it's worth investing in a professionally designed site that is tailored to your unique needs and business goals.

What are the basic functions of the investment page?

Based on our experience, there are several features that can significantly enhance the appeal of your property investment website and facilitate decision-making for potential clients. Here is a more detailed overview of these features:

1. Active location preview - Allows clients to virtually tour the neighborhood, which is particularly useful when they cannot visit the place in person. This can be achieved through interactive maps or integration with Google Street View.
    
2. Interactive 3D visualization with availability preview - Enables clients to virtually tour the development and check the availability of individual units. This tool can also display current information about sold or available apartments.
    
3. Mobile-friendly website - In today's world, most website visits occur through mobile devices, so it is crucial that the site is responsive and easy to navigate on smartphones and tablets.
    
4. Photorealistic marketing materials - 3D visualizations of the development - Provide potential buyers with a realistic image of the future development. Well-crafted visualizations can significantly increase the level of engagement and interest.
    
5. Calculator - e.g., mortgage rates - A useful tool that helps clients quickly calculate potential costs associated with purchasing property, including monthly mortgage payments.
    
6. Construction photo section - Current photos from the construction progress can build trust and show that the project is developing according to plan.

Each of these features contributes to a better user experience and can effectively support the sales process, so it is worth considering their inclusion in the design of your property investment website. Not all features may be necessary, but their presence definitely adds value for potential clients.

Active location preview

Such a solution as location preview available on the website of your property investment is a very valuable tool. It allows potential clients to check the exact location and the nearest surroundings of the project without the need to leave home. This is particularly useful for people who do not have time for physical visits to the site or are interested in properties in other cities or countries.

The preview can be integrated with interactive maps, such as Google Maps, allowing for a virtual tour of the area, seeing what amenities are available nearby (schools, stores, parks, public transport stops, etc.), and assessing the accessibility of transportation. This kind of functionality not only increases the attractiveness of the site but also builds trust by providing clients with reliable and easily accessible information that can help them make a purchase decision.

Interactive 3D visualization with accessibility previews

Providing the client with an intuitive and pleasant way to check the availability of apartments or houses within your property investment is key to effectively presenting the offer online.

Mobile-friendly website

Adapting the real estate developer's website and property investment project to mobile devices is absolutely crucial in today's digital world, where more and more people use the internet primarily through mobile phones.

Why is a responsive website for an investment or real estate developer, so important?

1. Your customer's perspective. 

In the era of smartphones and tablets, where speed and convenience are invaluable, the responsiveness of a website is crucial.

2. Mobile-First indexing.

To ensure your website ranks high in Google search results, it is crucial to ensure its responsiveness. In the era of "Mobile-first indexing," Google gives priority to sites optimized for mobile devices. If your site only functions properly and aesthetically on desktop computers, this puts it at a disadvantage. The search engine will automatically place your site lower in the search results than those that are adapted to work on various devices. Therefore, it is important to collaborate with a company that not only optimizes the site for SEO but also ensures its full responsiveness.

Photorealistic 3D visualizations and other marketing materials

Calculator on the investment page

In 2021, banks granted a total of 256,456 new housing loans, the best result achieved by the banking sector since 2008.

In the image above, we see the interface of a mortgage calculator on a residential development website. The calculator allows users to enter data such as loan amount, repayment period, interest rate, and personal financial contribution, and then automatically calculates the estimated monthly installment, which is displayed on the right side. At the bottom, there is a "Contact Us" button that enables direct contact with the developer or mortgage advisor.

Why it is worthwhile to have such a calculator on your investment site:

1. Ease of access to information: A mortgage calculator on the site allows potential buyers to quickly assess their financial capabilities in the context of the investment they are interested in. This can help them better plan their budget and make an informed purchase decision.
    
2. Increasing engagement: Interactive tools like a mortgage calculator encourage users to spend more time on the site, which can lead to greater interest in the offer.
    
3. Generating leads: The "Contact Us" button integrated with the calculator is a simple way to generate sales leads, as users interested in the calculation results can directly seek more information or arrange a meeting.
    
4. Building trust: Providing tools that allow for transparent and easy financial calculations can build trust between the developer and potential buyers, presenting the company as helpful and responsive to customer needs.

A mortgage calculator is a practical and valuable tool that can significantly enhance the usability of a property investment website while supporting potential clients in making purchase decisions.

Construction photos section.

Construction photos on your property investment site play a key role in building trust and credibility among potential clients. Publishing realistic photos that are not necessarily "Instagrammable"—that is, those that show the actual state of the construction site, including less aesthetic and more chaotic moments—is very valuable. These authentic shots allow potential buyers to see the real progress of the work and feel more engaged in the investment process.

On the other hand, 3D visualizations should look spectacular and beautiful to show the potential final result of the project in the most appealing way. Such differentiation in the presentation of visual materials not only attracts attention but also allows clients to better understand the difference between the current state of construction and the future appearance of the investment.

Additionally, regular updates of construction photos can serve as a form of progress journal, which is especially valuable for investors and buyers who are unable to visit the site personally. This is also a great way to maintain interest and engagement on the website, which can contribute to better positioning and greater visibility in search results.

Other tools

When creating a website for a property investment or real estate developer, there are many tools that can significantly improve its functionality and attractiveness to users. The final choice of these features depends on you as the site owner, but based on our experience, I can recommend a few additional, particularly valuable options:

1. Live chat - This feature allows for real-time interaction with potential clients visiting the site. It is a particularly useful tool that can increase visitor engagement and the speed of response to their questions, which builds trust and improves the overall user experience.
    
2. Multiple contact forms - For larger projects, it is important to offer various contact methods, such as phone numbers dedicated to specific departments, email addresses, contact forms, or even options for scheduling visits through the site. This allows clients to choose their preferred method of communication, which can contribute to a better customer experience and more effective communication.

These features not only facilitate contact and build trust but also help distinguish your site from the competition. Integrating such tools is crucial in the digital age, where fast and effective communication is invaluable.

Summary

Considering the increase in the number of real estate developer websites and property investment sites, creating a competitive and effective website that includes the features discussed in this article can be a challenging task that will require not only significant time investments but also appropriate resources.

Therefore, it is crucial to choose an experienced and trusted partner who will support you in this endeavor. For more information about RendPro, we encourage you to visit our "About Us" section on our website. We offer a free consultation during which we can discuss your needs as well as estimate the expected time and costs associated with your project. Also, check out our previous projects to see how we can help in achieving your business goals.