Your real estate website is one of the most powerful branding tools at your disposal.

With Millennials and Gen Z making up the majority of first-time buyers, you can rest assured your future customers will see you online long before they meet you in person. The competition is heating up, but you can make a winning first impression by including the right elements on your website.

Don't forget these 10 "must-have" features:

1. A Bio 

When it's time to look for a real estate agent, not just anybody will do. At the same time, most people report they go with the first agent they interview, and most don't even conduct other interviews at all. In that environment, it's crucial to have a biography that showcases your unique selling proposition.

When someone reads your bio, they should understand not only what you do, but why you do it, who you do it for, and how you do it differently. Online real estate bios are most effective when they also include video. Just ensure the basics are written somewhere as well because not everyone will watch.

2. Testimonials/Customer Reviews

Testimonials are the most powerful form of social proof there is. Social proof is what helps a prospective customer know that others "just like them" have had success using your services. Placed head to head, a real estate agent with testimonials is much more likely to close an agreement than one without.

Your testimonials can be interspersed throughout your website. You might use quotes in the footers of your pages, for example, and embed video testimonials on your bio page. Remember to follow up with satisfied customers within a few days of their closing day for the highest odds of getting a good testimonial.

3. Home Valuation 

It isn't always a seller's market, but that doesn't mean potential sellers aren't out there, finding out whatever they can about their homes. While it used to take quite a bit of legwork to estimate a home's value, your approach can be seamless with today's AI-driven tools.

DeltaNET® customers can integrate an AVM (automated valuation model) directly into their website. This allows a seller anywhere in your service area to get immediate, accurate information about their home value. At the same time, you'll capture the information you need to follow up and potentially bring in a new customer.

4. Neighborhood Guides

When someone buys a home, they're not just selecting a piece of property. They're also making an important and far-reaching decision about the kind of community they want to join. When they see neighborhood guides on your website, they'll know that you are a true local expert.

Automated reports you can create in DeltaNET, provide detailed market insights down to the neighborhood level. This provides you with rock-solid financial information that can add a fresh dimension to the usual highlights of a neighborhood report, such as schools, employers, and shopping options.

5. Property Listings

Naturally, no real estate website would be complete without property listings. 

Since the earliest days of the MLS, real estate agents have been at the forefront when it comes to using digital technology. But it's no longer enough to rely on the MLS alone — your listings should be integrated into your website.

Integrated with the technology in your CRM, you can capture as much information as possible from each visitor. Even if they don't sign up for anything, you'll still be able to see exactly how everyone reaches your listings and which features cause them to spend the most time browsing.

6. Interactive Map

With a wealth of different options to choose from, it's never been easier to empower your website with an interactive map. Using the right interactive map technology, you can give your visitors an experience that's truly the next best thing to being there — allowing them to walk the neighborhood virtually from anywhere.

Most interactive maps will also provide local details such as business websites and operating hours. But just as exciting is the way they encourage website users to engage with your content. Your map is a terrific way to inspire people to read your blog or neighborhood guides covering the same area.

7. Market Watch Sign Up

Market Watch is one of the many automated reports available through DeltaNET's AI-driven tools. The Market Watch report will energize and motivate your website visitors with the latest information on the most consequential local housing trends — factors that influence buyers and sellers alike.

Gone are the days when you had to painstakingly write and design a similar report that would be out of date in about 30 days. With a CRM such as DeltaNET, you can instantly generate the report on demand using verified public data. It compiles the facts your leads need and can be used to entice them to join your email list.

8. Mortgage Calculator

Buyers and sellers alike need to know about mortgages since most sellers aren't planning to go back to being renters. A mortgage calculator gives everyone a starting point they can establish their financing plans around. And it's very easy to set one up.

All of the factors that go into any given mortgage are known in advance, and the answers come down to simple math. There are many mortgage calculators out there, so most leads won't be willing to join your mailing list to use yours, but it is still worthwhile to make it available to them directly through our website so they don't have to visit someone else's.

Even better, you can tie your mortgage calculator and your active listings together so that, after working out their financing strategy, they can immediately look at homes that will fit. The more footwork a buyer does earlier in the process, the easier it is to choose a home that will work comfortably within their budget.

9. A Blog

A blog is one of the most valuable parts of a real estate website. Every blog post increases your odds of being seen in search results relevant to your business. In the world of relationship-building, each blog demonstrates your advice and knowledge.

When you have a real estate blog, it's crucial to update it with new content regularly. Luckily, you don't have to write like Hemingway to create a worthwhile blog. Delta Media Group has a team of skilled writers to curate and publish your blog posts for you.

10. Buyer and Seller Guides

Buyers and sellers have distinct needs. Cater to those that match your ideal customer profile.

Buyers vary greatly in their approach to the market based on their life stage and net worth. First-time buyers generally center their considerations around financing and may need help with the down payment. Later in life, their questions and concerns revolve around specific goals, such as downsizing to retire.

Sellers often face the challenge of marketing their own homes while also looking for another home to buy. Difficulty can arise in many forms, and you may be able to write several different seller guides to match the needs you're most familiar with. Whichever approach you choose, be sure you're trading your guides in exchange for email signup.

Your website is a reflection of your unique value. So give it (and yourself) the best chance to succeed by packing it with the features your customers love.