Does anyone have an estimate of the cost for building a website and marketing it in search engines? I have spoken with two companies and gotten similar estimates, with a start up cost of between $6000-$8000. Both are highly reputable companies. Thanks!

Costs of websites all depend on what you put into them, how much content you provide vs. they provide for you and what you want the website to do.

Your estimate sounds really high, based upon my experience (I got a quote for $500 for a fully functioning real estate agent site), but without knowing what this $6,000 site will do, I don't think anyone can really comment on whether that's a good price.

That is WAY more than you need to spend. Why re-invent the wheel? You are going to be paying these companies to build you a listing database and contact management system (at least I hope that is where some of the money is going) when there are systems out there already that totally meet the needs of real estate agents. Designers often spend a whole pile of time on the look and feel of the site when that is not worth wasting your money on.

I know there are people in this forum who don't believe in template sites. But I have one and we love it. When generate tons of business from it - 5-10 leads a day. We're spending a bit of money on Google Adwords getting traffic to the site, but we also do quite well on the search engines without spending a penny.

No matter what you choose, your website will not generate business on its own. You have to get people to the site, get them to contact you, respond right away, and have a system in place to stay in touch with them until they are ready to buy or sell.

Our site is through Point2Agent, you can sign up for a free one here: http://agent.point2.com/selfreg/ColdwellBankerJohnstonSelfReg.asp
but you have to upgrade to a paid site to get all the functionality you need.

Hope that helps!
Sara

Hey, you [usually] get what you pay for! Template sites are fine... if you want to look exactly like 50 other agents in your town and 10,000 other agents nationwide. And if you're not into being creative or writing original material to make your site stand out amongst all of your competitors, template sites come with dozens and sometimes hundreds of pages of material... already written. The exact same material as is on 50 other agents in your town and 10,000 other agents nationwide. Generic, mindless information you can find anywhere.

You spend so much time, money, energy and effort in trying to make yourself look better, more knowledgable and more qualified than the next guy. A canned website will go a long way to negate that - as you look EXACTLY like everyone else. Except maybe "theme A" in green with a boy picture instead of "theme B" in blue with a girl picture.

Get some quotes from several companies. You don't have to spend $8000, but for most people, spending $2-$4000 should get you a decent, custom site that will present your image the way you probably would like to, and give you a decent number of pages so as to make somewhat of a dent in your marketplace in regards to search engines.

I agree with RealEstateWebGuy -

You don't need to spend $8000 on a website, although you typically DO get what you pay for, so you could get a really well done site for that kind of money.

On the flip side, you don't want to spend less than a couple thousand either. If someone is promising you a listings database, management software, etc. for $1500, it's probably going to be pretty half-ass.

While template (or "cookie cutter") sites tend to have a bad rep, I'm actually thinking of starting a full-service realtor network, based on a yearly subscription model.

When someone opens an account, they can pick their design (or have a completely customized one done for some fee), then build their microsite using our *really* nice content management system. This obviously would include a listings database, photo management, search, dynamic mapping, and some other bells and whistles I won't mention here... wink wink.

I'm a web developer at an advertising agency (with a handful of incredibly talented artists who are on-board)... so this would be a pretty high-end project... NOT the average "insert name here" kind of trash...

Would anyone here be even remotely interested in something like this?

CHRIS

Thanks for all your comments! The one company I am leaning towards actually does quite a bit for the money. They provide me with a website as well as an entire marketing plan that focuses on marketing me as a Realtor, but also making me unique. They include a lot of "extras" that most companies don't seem focus on. I am going to continue researching for awhile before I make any decsions.

That actually sounds good. There are two components to success on the web. The site itself, and the most important part - the MARKETING of the site. This is where most people fall flat. A website is a billboard in the middle of nowhere. If you don't have a PLAN to get people to that site (and that doesn't mean putting your URL on your business card and in your ads), you won't be successful. It's that simple. And that's why template sites don't cut it. It's just a cookie cutter site. There's really no ongoing marketing plan associated with it.

What are you getting for your $6000? Do you get an excellent listing database that automatically forwards your listings to other sites like Yahoo Classifieds and Google Base? Do you get Google mapping and Google Earth? Do you get a completely customizable drip marketing system to stay in touch with your leads? Do you get an RSS feed for your listings? Can you add and change content on your site whenever you like? Can you show MLS listings on your site through IDX or VOW? Can you track how many times your listings have been viewed, and who is coming to your site and where they are from? The list of features I'm getting on my site are endless, and have a look....(www.edmonton-homes.ca) it doesn't look like any other sites out there because I've completely customized it. That's the beauty of a template based site.... you get all the features you could need, and you can customize it as much as you like. It's your money though...

Thanks again for the comments. I know I do not want a template site. No matter how much you "customize" a template, to me it still looks like a template. I would rather spend extra to have a site that stands out in the crowd. I can have a custom site that functions just as well as any template I've seen out there, and it will be unique on top of it. And so I will continue my research. Thanks!

Realtor websites,
As with real estate, think location, location, location with your website. You can spend tons of money on your website but if no one finds you it won't matter. I have been helping real estate brokers develop and advertise their websites and that is my main advice. Make sure you come up in the search engines and pick a good domain name. I also developed www.worldwideluxury.com as an advertising means for luxury realtors. Visit it to get some ideas of higher end sites. I can tell you that the $6,000 quote is high, but don't buy something too cheap! Get what you pay for sometimes.

good luck, let me know what your name is when you get it done

girl media

Now that's very funny coming from a guy that plagiarized pages and pages of my real estate SEO web site. And yes, I still have copies of the source code and screen shots.

Last time I checked your site many of the pages are just derivative works of my pages - still a copyright violation. Hopefully you have changed it all by now.

I have noticed a lot of real estate agents are building their own sites-- case in point this site, daniellebarton.com/ .. I found this site in a Costco advertising pamphlet for their web hosting and design services.

Real estate agents signing up for their own domains and then adding features as they need them using a scalable web hosting service is a good way to go...

I recently added a blog to my web hosting service which incorporates the look of the rest of the site. I have also done work on my news service real estate page --

I want to help real estate agents find scalable solutions that are robust in services and allow you more control over your own site without having to take a course in database feeds, html, css or java.

I can help you get online and in control-- even with your feeds at a very low cost. Why, I know software and understand the Internet.

Bottom line-- I have done some research... I think you are paying a lot for your online services.

Q...

I develop websites from Costa Rica and have my own real estate websites made, all sites are made from scratch, programming, design...etc and we can quote for much less than on the states because labor here is cheaper.
You can see some of our work on the following links
Online Properties
Rentals Costa Rica
Investment Costa Rica
CostaRaiz.com

Luxury Homes (in progress)

Beach Properties (in progress)

I can tell you for a fact regardless of the size of the project, our quote won't exceed $3000 including hosting and domain registry.

You will find that you often get what you pay for, but upwards of 6-8000 is rediculous.

You will find many cheap templated companies and for free they offer a basic website that you fill out the information for.

A custom website could run you about $2000, but it will be unique to you.

On top of that, you must put a marketing plan in place. Building a website will not get you the traffic you might expect. Probably only friends and family at first. SEO will help get you up in the search engines and paid advertising will definetly help. SEO should cost around $250-$500 /month. There are different optimization methods, and I would suggest organic SEO.

You can have a look at what we offer
Real Estate Web Design


Fraser Pogue
Twelve Seas Web Design

I must say. Everybody is right in their own ways… Here is another way of doing this… and this is what we do at the company I’m with ( Theagentweb.com ). We can create a custom template that plugs into our system. This gives you the unique look that you are looking for with all the features that you would expect for a $6000 but instead It would cost you $750 and the hosting fee. It’s another option. Like I said, everybody is right on this one…

Removed more spam

I think that $6000 is way to high for a web site even with the marketing. If you are looking for a fully custom site with nice flash to catch the eye and draw people in I would say that would be closer to $3500. Just my thoughts dont really know all the features they are offering.

As for the marketing I would want to know what they are going to do to market your site and get more of an itemized bill on it. This way you know where you money is going and you can make sure it is going to be best used to increase the traffic to your site. Adwords are going to be a good way to go and are usually not that costly.

asking what the cost of a website should be is like asking " how long is a piece of string"

All websites are NOT created equally...period....the vast majority are little more than billboards in the desert.

There should be a place in your marketing plan for several types of websites. My image site, www.MissSanLeandro.com is an example of site that I have paid thousands for. It helps "seal the deal" with potential clients and reinforces my professional status with my current clients, sphere, etc.

I also use template sites, www.BuyingSanLeandro.com which is great for creating instant leads. These leads will often take quite a while to cultivate, but having several sources from your transactions is the way to make it all work.

Best of luck,

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 have my international listings all on www.glo-con.com and get more inquieries as I can answer . It is a free property listing service for realtors , brokers and home owners . You can add up to 7 pics , detailed description , complete contact details and even a link to your website . In addition you can get lots of information in the article section and free link exchange with your website is offered .

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.

If you'd like to see the real estate related sites I've designed, I put together a portfolio at http://www.interwebdesigns.com/savannah-web-design-portfolio-2.htm . You'll notice that some are very simple, while others have many "cool" and useful features.

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.

The final Products and Client list speak for themselves:

Custom websites and other Real Estate tools.

Quickspace

www.quickspace.com

Custom Website Samples

zach@quickspace.com

1-888-777-2535

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.

You can check out some of my clients at www.postyourlisings.com

Exactly... Quickspace is the best solution...

User friendly, and designed to client specifications with no ongoing support or maintainance costs.

The annual fees are for our subscription based products. They include access to an automated system that allows clients to create, track and deliver the presentations all made simultaneously in minutes. A good compliment to our industry leading custom websites

If you take another look I'm sure you can differentiate between the two.

We have been in business since 1989... All work fully guaranteed. Our extensive list of commercial clients demand a high level of service and I can provide references.

Corporate Website Samples

Property Website Samples

Client List

http://www.quickspace.com

Enough said.

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!

I can not figure out how to creat a new post however I have a internet domain for sale if you guys know anybody looking.

OHIOLAND.NET

Please e-mail me at domains@pcwanted.com
or send a message to me here

Thanks

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.

I hope my opinion is better late than never. I am not in the web site business and provide this info for your enjoyment only.

I have designed and published two non-template sites using Open Source Realty as the back-end and many more using templates from http://www.ubertor.com or one with http://www.myrealpage.com.

The two non-template sites are http://www.proc.ca and http://www.propertiesbyalexis.com. Focus on the content and layout versus the design which would be custom for you. These two sites cost around $ 2500 including the license for the back-end.

An example of an Ubertor site is http://www.lesliesuttonsells.com, www.anniharkins.com or http://www.ianwatt.ca. The last one for Ian Watt is a customization of a template using CSS coding and is relatively inexpensive and easy to do.

An example of a MyReal Page site is http://www.terriweber.com which is a customized template.

DING DING DING
We have a winner!!!

Some of the ugliest sites out there actually have the highest conversion rates while visitors of some of the prettiest sites out there get lost in the beauty and spend so much time looking thru the houses, they forget to fill out the form or call.

Honestly:

What I specialize on when building sites (mine and clients') is branding. Strong branding is the key.

If you study and understand online behaviour, you can easily build a powerful website for 2.5k max (fully optimized and not including a low monthy SEO rate) which generates more leads and ranks better than some of the producst running 10-25k

Mike Dammann

its free and one account will let you post all your listings for free... editing is easy as well.

All of the self promotion aside ... which needs to be dialed back a notch .... The question you are asking is impossible to answer ... My typical answer to it is how long is a piece of string ... or how much does a car cost ... I say this only to point out that without details on exactly what is required, desired etc. there is no answer you can take seriously

Can something less costly work?..maybe... can something be customized and tweaked? or is custom coding needed from start to finish? ... Lots of things to consider before pulling the trigger on anything with anyone ... Best of luck

I have dumped about 5k in my site this year that includes design, SEO, IDX and hosting plus another 4k on other avenues driving traffic to the site.

I agree with these prices.

I have actually started developing a property listings management system. Check it out (http://www.andrewcarrothers.com/realestate/index.php). I am looking for a test client if anyone is interested. I will integrate + customize my solution for someone free in exchange for some feedback.

Hi All,

Thanks for your comments. I found a site designer that was less expensive and more interested in making a site that represented me and my goals, so I went with him. I now have a custom site that I'm very happy with. Let me know if you have any feedback!

Valorie Bradley
Long Realty
http://www.valoriebradley.com
520-918-5209

I have a template website and I think it looks very professional and my clients don't seem to care at all. The best thing is that the site was free and it only costs me monthly hosting. As a new agent keeping my start up costs down was important, since I have all the other fees to take care of. It has been an easy solution and while I build my business this site will work. It has only been up for a couple months and I have already gotten some top ranking in the google natural listings. I got the site from Real Estate Promoter.

Seems a bit steep. Depends on what you are after though. I could do something nice for about half. Generally, I don't do private stuff anymore, but every now and then ...

Let me know if you decide on anything, and let me know how it goes. I will start reviewing companies and posting them on my site.

Good luck

Sorry, I didn't read your last post. I am guessing he did the site that is in your sig?

Website developers are in the habit of pretending like their Brain Surgeons. 10 years ago when designing and developing a website took a masters in computer science the high prices were warranted. $6,000 - $8,000 for a website to market your services is way too high.

I say this because if you don't know how to build or manage your own website then you won't be able to understand or properly use the functionality that a website like that should come with. I'd also be asking them what they meant by 'marketing it'. That's too broad. SEO is usually charged for on a monthly basis (you can get good stuff for $20 - $50 per month), and if you want to buy PPC ads it's simple for you to do on your own. There are also many ways you can easily market your website yourself online.

If you want to save yourself a lot of time and money get a sign-up for your free invitation to join GoGlobe.org. The website is launching in September and you'll get a free webpage with your own URL. It comes with built-in marketing (it's a resource for consumers to find real estate professionals) and it's as easy to input your information as Facebook.

I found a free websitem just buy your own domain.It has turned out pretty nice for me, even with the basics. You can add paid features later. Free website