Real Estate Websites and IDX, Why Realtors Need Them, By Richard Uzelac

Hi Everyone, Richard Uzelac here. Hope all are enjoying a very good real estate market in May 2019! I was talking with a couple of real estate agent clients the other day at Coffee Bean, and websites and IDX came up. As “Richard Uzelac, Mr. Real Estate Agent Websites and IDX,” I had to weigh in. The comment was, “Richard, are Agent sites really needed anymore?   What with all the listings up on Zillow, Realtor.com, Trulia, etc, why have your own site?” The Answer is: Yes, they are needed, and the ‘Why?” Let me explain with, (Drum Roll):

Richard Uzelac’s Top Three Reasons all Agents Need a Strong Agent Website and IDX

Real Estate Agent Websites and IDX Let People Learn About You, From You!

There may be a lot of information out there about real estate, and there are listings everywhere, but there are precious few places where people can learn more about you and your markets of expertice than from YOU. You control your own site and can add all the information on it you want to introduce yourself as a real estate expert in your market. With a good URL, like “YourName.com” then you can be found easily when someone searches for your name. Your website can fill in all the gaps about your personally and professionally. It can also highlight your listings for your Sellers and for Buyers to see you have expertice where you offer your services.

Listing Alerts That Bring Buyers Back to Your Site

It is common for me to STILL see agents using their Association’s or MLS’s Listing Alerts when they already have that functionality in their own quality IDX!  Why would you ever want buyers or seller viewing your listings on some third part portal when you can build an enhance your brand with branded listing alerts from your own private website. These alerts, when clicked in emails, send these prospects to your own site, not to another portal. You have them in your branded world and enhance your relationships.

You Can Establish and Enhance Your Personal Branding

By the way, do you know why real estate companies want you to use their website and IDX systems? To BRAND themselves, not you. If something is for free or very cheap, there is a reason! Don’t fall for it, get your own site that keeps you an independant contractor and free to make your own moves in your business. Invest in our own business. Have the ability to customize and grow your own brand online. You are in control with your own website, not so with a site from your current Broker. What happens to the leads and the website is you decide to move to another Broker or Company? THey are both gone. YOu are not allowed to keep the site or even the leads if you use your company’s provided email addrss, such as YourName@YourBrokersCompanyName.com. An email address like this doesn’t go with you if you leave. Richard Uzelac is the CEO of RealtyTech Inc in Thousand Oaks California. Richard Uzelac is available for Seminars and as a Speaker. Contact Richard Uzelac at 805.414.7888. Richard Uzelac is the former Senior Director of Realtor.com, HomeBuilder.com and ApartmentsandRentals.com for what wasa then Move.com. Richard is a former award winning agent in both New Jersey and California and is the Founder of RealtyTech.com.