A buyer or renter who comes to a property website has a short list of questions: is there anything in my area, in my budget, of the right type? If the site makes them scroll through every listing to find out, they leave. If it lets them filter quickly and then shows each property clearly, they stay and enquire.
This article explains how to build a listings section that works, and what to show for each property.
Filters that match how people search
Start with the filters buyers use most: the area or locality, the budget range, the property type (flat, villa, plot, shop or office) and the number of bedrooms. Add a filter for buy, rent or lease if you handle more than one. Keep the list short. Ten filters on a phone are harder to use than four.
Test the filters with a few real searches before you publish them. If a filter returns nothing useful, remove it or rename it.
A page for each property
Each listing should have its own page, with the price or rent, the carpet area, the floor, the possession status and the amenities that are actually there. Include photos of the property itself, and a clear note if the photos are of a similar unit. Add the locality, with a map link if the property is open for visits.
Keep the details consistent. If the same flat appears in two places with different sizes, buyers stop trusting the site.
RERA details where they apply
If a listing is part of a project registered under RERA, show the registration number and where to check it, in the form the rules require. Agents need to be registered with the state authority where that applies. The rules vary between states, so confirm the requirements for your area before you publish.
Don't show a registration number for a project that isn't registered, and don't imply that a property is registered when it isn't.
Enquiries that name the property
Every enquiry button should ask the buyer which property they're interested in, so the enquiry arrives with its context. Ask for a phone number, the buyer's budget range if they're happy to share it, and the best time to call.
Offer a site visit request on each listing where visits are possible, and say that a visit is confirmed only after you reply.
Keep the listings current
Mark sold and rented properties clearly, and remove listings that are no longer available. A listing that's been sold for weeks but still appears on the site damages your reputation with buyers and with the owners who trust you to market their property.
Quick checklist
- Choose four to six filters: area, budget, property type, bedrooms and buy or rent.
- Test each filter with real searches before publishing.
- Give each property its price, carpet area, floor and possession status.
- Show RERA registration details where the project is registered.
- Ask which property the buyer is enquiring about on every form.
- Mark sold or rented properties at once.
What to do next
The real estate agent websites page shows how the listings, filters and enquiry sections usually fit together. The layout behind this is covered on the business websites page, which suits any real estate agency building its first site. Set up the filters and one complete listing page first, then add the rest of your properties to the same template.