Property Website

[topman988]

Hello everyone

This my first post and I'm just looking for a little bit of info as to which system to use for my website. I'm currently in the process of setting up a lettings agent and obviously need a website - I'm setting this up myself to save on start up costs. Could anyone recommend what platform to set this up on? E.G. Would a site such as WordPress be suitable for this type of site - and allow me to showcase each property?

Any advice greatly appreciated.

Thanks

 

[JoshB92]

You can certainly achieve this with Wordpress. There are a fair few themes on ThemeForest that are setup as agency themes, or I think WooThemes do an 'Estate' theme that might be suitable.

The basics are to use a custom post type to enter and display property information, and a customized search to let people look at your properties by location, price, bedrooms etc;

I believe there are also a couple of letting agency packages that get mentioned on here from time to time, that may have a website solution. Might be worth using the UKBF search to look into them.

 

[fisicx]

...I'm setting this up myself to save on start up costs....

Not going be possible. A good freind has just given up working for himself because the marketing costs were getting silly.

If you can't afford to promote on rightmove and the other major letting sites then your chances of success are heading towards zero.

Yes you can use wordpress and a suitable theme/plugin but this isn't going to bring you any decent traffic, you need to adverte on the major platforms and the local press if you want to get a toe in the door.

 

[hostmedia]

Have to agree with @fisicx here as the advertising costs of letting agents is huge and you will be competing with larger companies who can list on Rightmore/Property Finder and so on. I wouldn't give up as any company can work as long as you have a plan!

I would first start researching pricing of property listing sites such as Rightmove and then do some Google searches for integrated CMS's/systems that post to sites as Rightmove via their API.

Are you new to this industry or are you going from an estate agent to your own company?

 

[topman988]

Thanks everyone for the replies/advice.

I was previously working in an estate agents - just on the lettings side of things.
I was aiming to advertise mainly on the property portals sites Rightmove/Zoopla etc. I was going allocate most of my spending on advertising costs but going by your advice I best do some more research on the charge for Rightmove.
I was also hoping to find a site that would integrate with one of these so like you suggested I could post on my site linked with a post on a portal.

Again thanks

 

[hostmedia]

Thanks everyone for the replies/advice.

I was previously working in an estate agents - just on the lettings side of things.
I was aiming to advertise mainly on the property portals sites Rightmove/Zoopla etc. I was going allocate most of my spending on advertising costs but going by your advice I best do some more research on the charge for Rightmove.
I was also hoping to find a site that would integrate with one of these so like you suggested I could post on my site linked with a post on a portal.

Again thanks

A plan and as much research as you can do is always best. Also you might want to have a little read of this: http://www.colinharris.net/technology/vebra-rightmove-api/ - Found via a Google Search

 

[webhostuk]

Check out GeoPlaces wordpress theme is really good for property website if edited correctly.

 

[LettingExpert?]

Hi Topman,
I would agree with the posters about marketing your properties with the big portals, if you are going to win business from landlords they really see this as a minimum requirement.

I would say that your own website should be mainly developed around attracting landlords and not so much tenants (the vast majority will use the portals to search out properties). Your website may be viewed by tenants following up on making a decision of a property they have viewed or wish to view to check up on your credentials / business.

If you look at the vast majority of letting agency websites they are all targeting landlords via seo with their keywords more than trying to attract tenants.

I work with a number of agents who have a wordpress site and backup listings which they have advertised on the portals on their own site.

Zoopla and Rightmove charge a starting off letting agency pricing of approx £295+ per month, Gumtree is approx 1/2 of this.

If I can be of any help please just ask, best of luck

 

[Cheapwebdesign]

The best theme for wordpress which I have come across for estate agency is "OpenDoor". The features are bordering on endless, however the only downside is there is no direct feed to Rightmove, Zoopla etc from these systems and I haven't come across a reputable theme/plugin for Wordpress which does this.

I have actually developed a plugin which offers a live feed to the main portals through your website if it's built through OpenDoor which saves a lot of work in future. Drop me a PM if you're interested.

 

[Stephen Ward]

Where you buy the domain you will get options of free website builder. You can use from multi choices it can be wordpress, b2evolution or other platforms. Book your website and can check for free platforms

 

[JonathanSEO]

If you worked in an estate agents how can you not have an idea on the price of Right Move?!

I think you are going about this the wrong way, a website shouldn't even factor yet as its not a show stopper for a business like this.

If it was me I'd stick working at an estate agents, run the lettings side, build relationships with landlords and then start your own + take a few with you.