Websites for real estate: listings, search, and property details

Why this matters

Estate agents live on enquiries. Your website needs to load fast, show properties clearly, and help people find you when they search locally.

Most estate agent sites fail on speed, local SEO, or both. Fix these and you win more enquiries.

For more on real estate websites, see web design for real estate & property.

1) Property listings that load fast

Property pages are image-heavy. If they load slowly, people bounce before they see the property.

What to include

• Optimised images: Compress property photos properly. Use modern formats (AVIF, WebP) where supported.
• Lazy loading: Load images as people scroll, not all at once.
• Image galleries: Accessible galleries that work on mobile and desktop.
• Fast page structure: Property details should load quickly, even on mobile networks.

For more on image performance, see image and video performance: what to do before you upload anything.

What to avoid

• Huge, unoptimised property photos that take forever to load.
• Loading all images at once instead of lazy loading.
• Heavy scripts or widgets on property pages.

2) Local SEO that works

People search for estate agents by location. If you do not appear for local searches, you miss enquiries.

What to include

• Location in titles and descriptions: Include your service areas in page titles and meta descriptions [1]Source 1 .
• Service area pages: Pages for each major area you serve (e.g. "Estate agents Leeds", "Property for sale Sheffield").
• Local structured data: Use LocalBusiness structured data to tell search engines about your business [3]Source 3 .
• Google Business Profile: Complete and accurate Google Business Profile listing.
• Consistent NAP: Name, address, and phone number exactly the same everywhere.

For more on local SEO, see local SEO for small businesses and local SEO: beyond Google My Business.

What to avoid

• Generic titles that do not mention location.
• Inconsistent business information across your site and directories.
• Missing or incomplete Google Business Profile.

3) Clear enquiry routes

People need to be able to contact you easily. If enquiry forms are hard to find or do not work, you lose enquiries.

What to include

• Contact details visible: Phone number and email clearly visible on every page.
• Enquiry forms: Simple forms for property enquiries, valuations, and general contact.
• Click-to-call: Phone numbers that work as links on mobile.
• Clear CTAs: "Book a valuation", "Arrange a viewing", "Get in touch" - make it obvious what to do next.

What to avoid

• Contact details buried behind multiple clicks.
• Complex forms that ask for too much information upfront.
• Forms that do not work on mobile.

4) Property search and filtering

If you list multiple properties, people need to be able to find what they are looking for.

What to include

• Simple search: Search by location, price range, property type, bedrooms.
• Clear filters: Filters that work on mobile and desktop.
• Property detail pages: Clear pages for each property with photos, details, location, and enquiry options.
• Accessible listings: Property listings that work with screen readers and keyboard navigation.

What to avoid

• Complex search that requires too many clicks.
• Filters that do not work on mobile.
• Property pages that are hard to navigate or read.

5) Mobile-first design

Most property searches happen on mobile. Your site must work perfectly on phones [2]Source 2 .

What to include

• Responsive design: Site that adapts to different screen sizes.
• Fast mobile pages: Pages that load quickly on mobile networks.
• Touch-friendly: Buttons and links that are easy to tap.
• Readable text: Text that is readable without zooming.

For more on responsive design, see responsive design: why all devices matter equally.

6) Keep listings up to date

Outdated property listings damage trust and waste people's time.

What to include

• Remove sold/let properties: Remove or mark properties as sold/let promptly.
• Update prices: Keep prices current and accurate.
• Regular reviews: Review and update listings regularly.

What to avoid

• Leaving sold properties on the site for months.
• Outdated prices or property details.

7) Trust signals

People need to trust you before they contact you about their property.

What to include

• Reviews and testimonials: Display reviews from past clients.
• Accreditations: Professional memberships, awards, qualifications.
• Team information: Photos and brief bios of your team.
• Case studies: Examples of successful sales or lettings.

For more on trust signals, see case studies and testimonials: how to use them effectively.

Summary

Real estate websites need: fast property listings (optimised images, lazy loading), strong local SEO (location in titles, service area pages, structured data), clear enquiry routes (visible contact details, simple forms), property search and filtering (simple search, clear filters, accessible listings), responsive design (works well on desktop, tablet, and mobile, fast, touch-friendly), up-to-date listings (remove sold properties, update prices), and trust signals (reviews, accreditations, team information).

For more on real estate websites, see web design for real estate & property. For help with local SEO, see SEO services. For help with website performance, see performance services. You can also get in touch to discuss your real estate website needs.