So what IS the best real estate website platform out there in 2019 anyways?
Why, out of all the companies out there offering to sell you a real estate website, should you decide to make Cevado your first choice, over WordPress, Wix, Weebly and the rest?
Here’s a little 2019 Real Estate Website Platform overview to review.
Websites have come a looooooong ways in the last decade or so. Back in the good ol’ days, websites were created/edited in code that only “webmasters” could manipulate. But since the introduction of what’s called a “CMS” or Content Management System, websites are now typically created via CMS.
Nowadays, there are lots of CMS platforms out there; we are going to take a quick look at the most common ones, in order of our least – to – most favorites.
Here goes!
#5 Weebly
Weebly is basically for a high schooler making their first website – it’s VERY simple but incredibly limited. Most painfully for your business, it’s extremely limited in its ability to do SEO (search engine optimization) – in fact, just to do the basics, you must have some software coding experience (see above “webmasters”). This is a terrible choice for a professional website.
#4 Wix
FREE! ….. Well, you get what you pay for. Wix is free, sure, but there are many hidden fees and very poor support: no phones, email or chat only, and long turnaround times. If you have the patience of Job, are tech-savvy, and have lots of time on your hands with nothing better to do, Wix is a reasonable choice. However, we find most of our clients would rather be out selling homes then stuck behind a desk frittering away their days building a cantankerous website.
#3 Real Geeks
This company has some good things going for them, but not their back-end interface or their support and customer service. The CMS is limited and often you can’t do what you would like to be able to make happen, no matter how hard you try. Also, they tend to lock you into annual contracts that you can’t get out of, even if you want to quit the service altogether.
#2 WordPress
Probably the best known CMS, has a lot going for it. It’s got literally thousands of developers working to create themes, plugins (additional small pieces of software) and widgets to make your website look and function better. However, all that flexibility comes with a massive cost. One, it’s incredibly hard to build a WordPress website now unless you are a professional, and two, the amazing proliferation of plugins has created almost infinite ways for hackers to attack your website. You will need to have support from your professional web developer as well, because each theme and plugin was likely developed by a totally different person, who may or may not have any kind of email support, and most certainly will not offer phone support.
Now, don’t get us wrong. WordPress is great and we use it for many of our custom, super high end custom clients who are willing to pay top-dollar for distinctive, award-winning designs. But with the proliferation of hacking, the need for frequent software code updates, and expensive maintenance, it’s not a turnkey solution for most.
#1 Cevado’s Rocket CMS
Cevado is one of the oldest players in the real estate tech industry. Founded in 2008, Cevado created digital tools and cutting-edge websites for real estate agents across the nation. Content with providing reliable service to happy clients, the company opted out of competing with scrappy new players and technologies until . a new owner, Jenn Tate, stepped in in 2016. She immediately started the work of creating a brand-new platform for both the IDX and the CMS. Both are now launching in tandem (and we couldn’t be more pleased!).
Designed mobile-first, the sites are elegant and forward-facing in any size device or phone. Created under the supervision of in-house SEO experts, the entire platform is easy to optimize and edit for high-ranking search engine results. Cevado’s support team works out of our corporate HQ in Washington State. You’ll love their cutting-edge designs – also created in-house by an award-winning design team – and dedication to fast, responsive service.Plus so many additional features (listed below) that make Cevado’s Rocket CMS and IDX the clear choice for your future real estate website plans in the coming year.
- Drag and drop content editor
- Delightful and elegant themes, created in-house, that are only available on the Rocket platform.
- Unlimited pages and images
- Unlimited community pages
- Lender pages
- Mortgage calculator
- Lead capture in the IDX.
- Secure from constant cyber attacks
- SEO – structured and organized from the ground up to allow for truly excellent results
- Load balancing and a CDN to ensure your content loads quickly, no matter where you are across the nation.
- HTML5
- SSL certification included
Don’t just take our word for it! You can see our new top-two, best-selling websites on our new Rocket platform!. Click the gear button in the upper right hand corner to view different header options and a variety of colors sets that we offer to match your brand and preferences.
This is also where you can view our new featured listings slider!
100 Series – Best for individual Agents
200 Series – Best for brokerages
We have launched our brand new map-based IDX coming to your MLS soon! Get your hands on this new technology here https://bit.ly/2JxKStC
We’d love your feedback and if this is something you want to put in your tool box on let us know!
