Hi,

Asking is $6,000 for a web site too much is the same as asking is $300,000 for a house too much It really depends on what is included in the cost. Some sites need lots of custom database programming work, and for those $6,000 might be a good deal. On the other hand, a small, static web site would cost much less then $6,000. It is all about what is included.

And don't forget about marketing. Having a good, functional web site is just the first step to actually getting clients online. Another thing to look for is whether you are getting some marketing training/consulting included in the cost. This will increase the price, but it will also help you with getting your web site out there for potential clients to see.

My only suggestion is to ensure that who ever develops your web site makes it search engine friendly. SEO varies beyond making your site search engine friendly. The estimate of 250 - 500 a month is rather low. Reputable companies with a large track record charge from 1k - 4k, with even larger companies doing it for 20k a month

I've been designing web sites for the past 11 years, and decided to get my real estate license last year because of the huge potential the internet offers.

I've designed web sites for all types of businesses, but found that the client's of mine that were Realtors seemed to benefit the most from the web.

Although I've never designed a real estate related web site for $6,000, to say that it is a ridiculous price is unfair without knowing exactly what it is comprised of. Web sites really are like "homes" in that you can spend a little and get a little, or you can spend a lot and get a lot more.

The average real estate related site that I design costs around $1500. Those who want more "bells & whistles", such as the ability to add/remove/edit properites themselves, or tying into Google and displaying properties through the use of Google Maps, have to expect that it will cost more to design.

The nice thing about web sites is that you can start "small" and add to it over time.

How long is a piece of string? A good way to approach this problem is ask them to give you an hourly rate, and then ask them how many hours its likely to take to get what you want. Steer clear of web designers that say they will submit your site to the search engines, because you can do that yourself for free. Make sure the company you use is familiar with title tags and search engine friendly urls, there is nothing worse than visiting a site with the title tag homepage. You wont get very far in search engines with those sort of tags. By the way who built your current site?

What ever you do make sure that YOU OWN THE CODE, the domain, etc. Don't be locked into having to go back to the developer to have every small change made.

If the web developer owns the code and domain, they control your site. This can not only slow down changes, but also completly stop from upgrading the site.

I have seen a 3 million dollar real estate web site, get redone and redone until it was fully functional.

That means user friendly and basic.
You can get a fully functional web site with no setup charges or contracts with a marketing package included.

Ok ... I hate to rain on the lovefest of self promotion going on in here but There's so much misinformation and websites I wouldn't reccomend for many reasons I'm going to keep it simple and tell everyone that I would ignore mostthings said in this thread ... I apologize for not seeing this sooner..

The new members here need to know that self promotion in answering to threads here is a nono .. If you want to post products in the appropriate forums only please do so ... They will be reviewed sometimes more in depth and very publicly by the many knowledgable members here so be prepared for many varying opinions and public scrutiny

My website was only $10. My husband is a master at the computer and I helped on the design. We host it. The only thing we paid for was the domain name. Although, I've already changed the way my site looks 3 times. I am sure he'll be sorry for helping me...lol

The price of your website should depend on the level of customization that the site requires. If the website is merely a template site with no search engine optimization, it should cost significantly less than a site that is custom written, designed and optimized for search.

If it is a template website, I'd say it's worth from $499 to $1000.

A semi-custom website using a template that's not optimized can be worth $1500.

A custom optimized website with custom graphics should run you about $3500.

A custom optimized and programmed website with specialized dynamic features should be around $5000 - $10,000, depending on the features.

Hope this helps!

It's not about how your web site looks, but how it performs. You certainly have an image to uphold, but I rate web sites on how it perform but the number of leads it generates. My site generates over 400 leads a month.

Hello Tucson Arizona Realtor and All

You are all right in your own way My recommendation as a Real Estate Marketing Consultant is to really think of your website as the face of your business 24 hours a day when you are unable to meet with potential prospects, so at the end of the day it should look good. Whether you pay a low or high price on the website should be of least concern (unless as an organization or individual you are financially unstable), it should reflect you as a person/organization and the type of product you are selling. For example, if you are selling million dollar homes, your website should have somewhat of an expensive and rich look.

Templates can get you up and running quickly, but if as an individual/organization you are planning to rapidly expand, I would highly recommend you doing it right the first time such that you can build out your website and add more features and functionality for existing and new clients. Consult with some real estate website development experts before you go out and purchase yourself a template and of course think about the ROI. Think about how many houses you need to sell before you pay off the development of the website.

Are they an outsourcing company? are they also included an SEO specialist for your site? if not SEO specialist also needed for that which the main important for investing or in SEO called it ROI (Return of Investment).

6k is way to much unless you have multiple offices!

Check out elance.com - it is a place where website designers and developers bid on contracts. There are a ton of them who do real estate websites. You can choose your price range and see what you get. I would also say that paying $6,000 to $8,000 is way too much for a website. Maybe 10 years ago when people thought it took a neuro surgeon to build one, but it is common now and you should get a lower price.

All of this pricing is right on the money. However as also said there is no reason in going over 3,000. I have had clients choose me over the competition due to a website alone so I figure the money can be worth it within reason.