Templated Real Estate Websites: Quick to install, but worth the hassle?
When building a new site, a template can definitely be appealing. It may, however, cause problems down the line.
At Real Coder, we are in the business of building custom websites, and as such, don’t use pre-purchased/third-party templates.
We do, however, understand that at times these templated options may be appealing, financially at least, for some businesses - especially those who are startups or relatively new.
In this article, we’ll weigh up the pros and cons of custom vs templated websites, so you can make an informed decision when it comes time to create or update your online presence.
Set up time/initial site build
The design, set up, and initial build time is one of the most contrasting elements when comparing the two options.
A custom website build with a design phase will require a few important steps, including a design workshop, mockups and round/s of feedback. This can take anywhere upward of 2 weeks to complete, and will extend depending on the pace of feedback, revisions, and approvals.
If you’ve browsed templates available to you and made your decision, it’s as simple as purchasing and downloading a copy of your new theme file, spinning up a new site, and installing the theme.
Depending on how the theme is built and the complexities of the editor it comes with, you’ll likely need to spend hours to days refining the settings as well as the look and feel of your new site.
Customising to your brand
This is where you’ll start to see some stark differences.
A custom design and build by a skilled web developer will mean there’s a great deal of flexibility and refinement available, to really make the site match your brand and how you want to be represented online.
For templated websites, this can vary greatly. While you’ll never get the complete control offered by a custom build, some themes offer a range of settings and options to customise it as you please. There are some templates, however, that are very limited and extremely locked down, meaning your website could look very similar to other businesses out there with no options to create a unique look and feel.
Keep in mind that the days of shop fronts and foot traffic are fading fast. For many real estate agencies, this is already completely gone. Your website represents your new shop front - albeit a digital version.
Performance & Plugins
Depending on your developer, a custom website may come with very few or a handful of plugins. This is completely normal.
At Real Coder, we strive to use as few plugins as we possibly can, to reduce the burden on your server and keep performance as fast as possible.
Many templated websites will come loaded with plugins. While you will be able to uninstall some, there is the chance of the website breaking.
Google and other search engines place critical importance on performance, including initial load times and the time it takes for all content on the page to be accessible. If your site is bloated with unnecessary code and plugins, you may be viewed unfavourably by those who control how your site appears in search rankings.
Features/inclusions
A custom build is exactly that. It’s going to have a list of features that are must have, some optional extras, and then some additional items that are specific to your industry.
With templated websites, you’ll want to be sure that the features you need are possible with the theme, and if not, that you’ll be able to install plugins that are compatible with your set up.
If you manage to find a good template that does it all, it will be a matter of customising the settings until you’re happy with the result.
For the custom build option, you’ll just be waiting for the build of the site. Once it’s launched, there may be some updates and maintenance required, however for the most part, you should have a website that operates exactly as you need for the foreseeable future. These features will obviously come with their own price tag.
Working with Real Estate Property Feeds and other Integrations
This is where things can get tricky. Some Real Estate CRMs have templated website options, however you’re essentially renting a website from them long term.
For a theme you’ve bought online, it may be difficult to set up and integrate your property feed, or any other data requiring an API connection to your CRM (or other real estate tools).
Custom real estate websites will include the property feed functionality, which will be set up based on your CRM and the data feed they provide. This feed will plug into your property pages and auto generate/update as required.
Point of Difference
In the digital age, there are a few platforms that a consumer will review to gauge whether you’re a trustworthy brand - and whether they will trust you with one of the biggest decisions in the immediate future; selling or managing their property.
While this may sound dramatic, an educated seller or landlord will know the difference a good real estate agent or agency can make.
If they have the track record, database, marketing campaigns and go-to-market plan, the difference could be significant. We’re talking tens of thousands of dollars.
So when it comes to making the list of agents worth interviewing and then signing on with, they’re going to see how you stand out from the competition.
They will look at your website. They will look at your social media.
If they see generic layouts and content, you’re just another number.
If you stand out and make the user sit up and think, ‘wow, that was impressive’, or ‘this agent really knows how to promote a property’, you’re halfway there.
A custom website allows you to do this.
Future Expansion
The shape of your business may be settled, but it’s going to undoubtedly change over time. New teams will form, staff will join and change, and the way you market properties will shift with emerging trends.
As the physical side of your business changes, there may be some additional requirements or features to be built on your website.
A templated website may be limited in what you can do in the future, whereas a custom build will allow you to continually grow and evolve.
If you feel comfortable that the technology may slow or stand still for a few years, you can feel safe with your template.
If you know that you’ll need new features, a custom website may be a safer bet as a long term investment.
This leads to our final point; building an asset for your business.
Creating an Asset for your Business
Many agency owners will have an end goal for their career, which usually involves selling their agency at some point.
There are many factors that weigh in to the eventual value; rent roll size, income streams, and the size of the property management team. The sales side of the business may be generating excellent revenue, however, it is tied to the people. This means it’s unlikely to hold much value when it comes time for the big transaction.
One thing that’s becoming more apparent is that your digital footprint holds real value.
Imagine you’re a potential buyer, and you’re comparing two similar sized agencies. One has a stock standard website that doesn’t really rank outside of its brand name, and doesn’t generate meaningful opportunities or leads for the team. Put that up against an agency who have a modern, highly functional website that ranks for hundreds of keywords, is referenced by AI tools, and produces leads for the sales and property management team. It’s a business that can produce organic results to complement the advertising that’s happening day-to-day.
I know which one I would be choosing as a business investment.
Summary: Deciding Between a Template and a Custom Build
At Real Coder, we’d love to see you go down the custom real estate agency website path, and welcome the opportunity to work with you.
In reality, we know that this isn’t for everyone.
We know budgets needs to be considered, and there’s so much to look after in a real estate agency - it might just be easier to go with a templated site.
If you do decide on a template, it’s important to understand the previously mentioned items. There will be some things a template can do well, and other features that may be unavailable to you, and that’s okay!
Keep your expectations in check, and know that a template may be what you need in the now. It may help you to get things up and running. But eventually, a custom design and build may make the most sense.
There will likely come a point where you want to have a design that isn’t like other people, and you have some creative ideas you’d like to put in front of your marketplace. Features will become a requirement and the development of said functionality could just be a better fit in a custom environment.
When you’re ready to look at this option for your agency, we’d love to chat.