In order to be of any use, real estate websites for agents need to have the following 4 things:
- Up-to-date information and data on the US housing market (national and local)
- Actionable tips and advice for agents at every stage in their career
- Tools and software that can take your real estate business to the next level
- Insights into what the best real estate agents/brokers are doing to stay on top
With so many real estate websites targeted at homebuyers and investors, it can be hard to know which to turn to as an agent. While every real estate agent has their own arsenal of resources they rely on, I thought I’d try to add to that with these 20 real estate websites for agents that fall into 3 categories:
- Real Estate Blogs for Agents
- Online Tools and Software for Agents
- Websites of Successful Real Estate Agents
10 Real Estate Blogs for Agents
When your prospects or clients turn to you, they expect to be working with an agent who knows their stuff. While you accumulate a lot of this knowledge from experience and maybe even mentors, it’s good to have a few online resources you can read every day to keep up with the real estate industry.
When it comes to real estate agent blogs, NAR’s blogs cover a wide array of topics from the latest news updates to technological advancements in real estate to market trends, forecasts, and predictions. This site leads you to a directory of all of the blogs. However, if that’s a bit overwhelming, here are two you should check out:
The reason this NAR’s blog is on our list for the top real estate websites for agents is that it gives you the opportunity to get in on the ground floor of the latest stories from Realtor magazine. The goal of this website is to allow real estate agents to provide their insights and observations on the latest happenings in the market. Stay updated on the latest policies and get great tips from experts on how to grow your business. Most importantly, take advantage of the comment sections and interact with other agents and the editors of the magazine.
Keep Learning: 12 Best Books for Real Estate Agents
As mentioned, real estate websites for agents need to provide stats and data that are useful for every agent. This blog for agents does just that. With reports on housing affordability, price trends, and monthly home sales, any agent can get a quick look into key trends of the US housing market.
An honorable mention from NAR’s blogs: The Global View. From what’s happening in the real estate world to insights on foreign investors in the US, this real estate agents blog is a good resource for an expansive world view of real estate.
While I’ve only come across this blog recently, I found it deserves a top spot on this list of real estate websites for agents. The real estate section specifically is what I think agents will get a lot of use from. Read about market updates and receive tips on marketing, lead generation, and even lead scoring from professional agents and brokers to help you advance your real estate career. You can also learn a lot about appraisal from this blog to help your clients in their journey of selling/buying investment properties or homes.
This website has a growing stock of blogs for agents focused on how to generate leads and lead qualification. What’s most useful about Mashvisor’s knowledge center is the blogs on US markets. Get insights into the latest market trends as well as real estate analytics from our tools including average cash on cash return and rental income. Find out what the best neighborhoods in the most popular real estate markets are. This is especially useful for real estate investment agents who need to guide their clients to the areas with the highest ROI.
Whether you check out the News section or Housing Wire’s real estate blog, REwired, you’ll see why this site is one of the best real estate websites for agents. Help your clients by building your knowledge on mortgages and interest rates and having the whole picture on the US economy which is key to the success of real estate transactions.
If you’ve been a real estate agent for a while now, then you’re probably not surprised to see Inman on the list for the best real estate websites for agents. Inman has become a leading resource for agents, providing news on big broker moves as well as insights into the latest buyer trends. You can also find the latest news on proptech companies- something that is key for an agent who wants to keep up with the competition!
Since 1983, Keller Williams Realty has been growing to include thousands of associates covering the scope of over 800 real estate markets. With their growing expertise, this blog covers everything from lead generation to tips for your active listings to real estate marketing ideas. Short and straight to the point, you might find just what you need to boost your real estate business here.
This website’s section for realtors is very useful for both the beginner real estate agent and even an experienced one. You can learn how to build your personal real estate website and even how to put on the best listing presentation. If you’re looking for in-depth reads full of useful and applicable insights, this is the best website for you.
Looking for reviews of some of the best real estate tools for agents? Or maybe you want more personal tips on what to wear when meeting clients? The range of topics this blog covers is expansive, ensuring every agent can find something useful from these posts.
Real estate marketing can be tricky to navigate for the modern agent. Learn practical tips about using social media, content marketing, email marketing, and even building and polishing your real estate website from Jason Fox’s blog.
Looking for the best marketing tips? Read: Real Estate Marketing Tips for Agents: Old-Fashioned to Online
This is a website I’ve returned to time and time again for the latest residential real estate news. Learn about what’s happening in all of the major US housing markets and national real estate projects and keep up with homebuyer and millennial real estate client trends. It’s a great place to continually grow your knowledge on a variety of different topics with quick, useful reads.
5 Online Tools and Software for Agents
Knowledge is only one aspect that makes for a successful real estate agent. When running your business, you want to use the best tools to ensure everything is done efficiently as well as ensuring your clients get the best experience that keeps them coming back. Here are the 5 best real estate websites for agents that offer unique tools and software.
We mentioned that some of the real estate blogs above can help you build your own website and work on branding. Well, the work that goes into building your website can’t be glossed over. It can take up a lot of precious time that an agent can better spend generating and qualifying leads and building relationships with clients to ensure real estate referrals. That’s where Placester comes in. They provide personalized IDX websites specifically for real estate professionals. And they’re mobile friendly, which is a must-have in your marketing strategy!
Mashvisor’s tools fall under a different array of useful things a real estate agent would need:
Free Marketing for Agents: Building a website can be overwhelming especially when it comes to SEO and making sure prospects actually find your website. Plus, it can be costly to set up a really efficient, well-working website, especially if you pay for someone else to do it.
A free option that is effective is claiming your agent profile on Mashvisor. With this profile, you fill out key info and even have the opportunity to upload your own blog posts for your content marketing strategy.
Learn more about the power of these free agent profiles here.
Online Lead Generation: While some agents may be hesitant to buy real estate leads, there is the obvious benefit of having a constant stream of prospects. From there, you can focus on working to convert leads to clients rather than chasing after leads.
With Mashvisor, not only do we find leads for you, but we find qualified leads. Because we work with investors interested in buying property, we can connect you with them consistently.
If you want to learn more about our Leads Generation Program, schedule a demo now.
CRM Tools: Real estate agents have to keep clients happy. The more clients you get, the harder it can become to manage communication and meetings with them. That’s why CRM tools are key. Mashvisor’s tool, the agent dashboard, can give you just that: a way to keep track of and communicate effectively with clients.
Our CRM tools go a step further than just maintaining a professional relationship. When you upload all your listings and any prospects/ clients to your agent dashboard, our Property Finder will match your active listings and listings on the platform to the client based on different types of data gathered by the system and algorithms. Showing your clients the perfect property for them is the best way to keep them happy and coming back to work with you.
To get access to our agent dashboard, schedule a demo.
Market Analysis and Reports: On top of everything Mashvisor offers, agents also get access to the investment property calculator and downloadable market/neighborhood reports to share with their clients. This allows you to always have up-to-date data on neighborhood and property performance, helping you become an expert in your market.
Everything is being optimized and automated by technology. If a competitor in your market is using tools like DocuSign to enhance the client experience, that could be a very small reason you’re losing clients to him/her.
DocuSign is an electronic signature service. It cuts down the time needed for handling paperwork during real estate transactions. Because every document is stored in the Cloud, documents are safe, organized, and can be accessed anywhere, anytime.
Digital real estate marketing has to include multiple social media platforms these days in order to be effective in generating leads. It can get overwhelming and hectic to manage all your pages which is why bigger brokers and agencies have an entire job position dedicated to this. However, all you need to get started is a social media organizational tool.
You have two great options: Buffer and Hootsuite. Either of these tools will make sure you’re able to promote your real estate business, listen/respond to prospects or clients, and share content without losing any precious time.
It’s recommended that for smaller-scale digital marketing, you go with Buffer and for managing social media for a larger real estate team, you choose Hootsuite.
Whether you’re working with homebuyers or real estate investors, every property buyer wants to see nice, professional photos. BoxBrownie works quickly to help you make sure that when a listing goes up, the photos are attractive. Whether you just want to retouch a photo or go as far as adding/removing furniture, this real estate website for agents can help you achieve your vision of the property.
Related: These Are the Tools Successful Real Estate Agents Are Using in 2018
5 Websites of Successful Real Estate Agents
The final category for the best real estate websites for agents are sites of successful agents and brokers. A smart agent knows to take cues from watching top professionals perform their services. One of the best ways to gain these kinds of insights without working side by side with these agents is their own websites.
This real estate broker website is one to admire for sure. Besides looking bright and welcoming, it’s easy to navigate. The major aspect of this real estate website is the blog. Market reports, guides, and tips and tricks for property buyer and sellers establish this broker as an expert in the US market.
Something that is important to remember when it comes to real estate websites for agents is that simplicity can be powerful. With this website, the newest real estate listings are right on the front page making it easy for any prospect to find and navigate through. Just like Corcoran, this website also has a blog to share content, knowledge, and exhibit experience with prospects and clients.
When property buyers land on Bray’s website, they’re greeted with a personal message. This real estate agent website’s message recognizes how hard the buying process can be and lets its visitors feel a sense a relief upon arrival- that this agent can help. Making a personal connection as a real estate agent is key and something as simple as a website message can encourage this.
The reason this makes the list of the best real estate websites for agents? This brokerage offers unique services beyond those of a typical agent and displays it proudly on the website. On top of that, the site has a blog and a newsletter to share with clients. Even though interior design may not be your thing like these brokers, you have to find something that sets you apart from the competition– and make sure your site reflects it well. Making money as a real estate agent relies on this.
A lot of homebuyers and real estate investors put emphasis on your past wins with clients, as they should. And this real estate agent website understands how important this is by displaying testimonials front and center. It’s one thing to just say you’re on your client’s side, but when prospects can read about what you did for others, it’s more comforting and encourages them to trust you with their real estate transactions as others have.
Keep in mind that for your site to be among the best real estate websites for agents, it should focus on SEO, be mobile friendly, quick to load, visually appealing, and easy to use. The reason these 5 made the list is because they have something a little extra to offer.
There are plenty of other great real estate websites for agents that aren’t on this list (Zillow, Trulia, etc.). So what real estate websites have made a difference in your property business? Which of the sites on this list will you be checking out?
