7 Real Estate Website Design Secrets You Need

Let’s be real: your real estate website might be secretly chasing away the very renters you want. In an era where over 70% of renters start their apartment hunt online, your website is often the first “tour” of your property. A bland, outdated site (or one hiding key info) is like a leasing agent who won’t make eye contact. The good news? A few strategic design moves can turn your site into a renter magnet. Below, we dive into seven web design tips (with a dash of controversy) to help multifamily communities, single-property owners, and brokerages get more renters in the door.

1. First Impressions Matter (Ditch the Outdated Template)

When a prospective renter lands on your site, they form an impression in seconds. If your design screams “Hello from 2010!” with clunky navigation or cheesy stock photos, you’re likely losing them. Think of your website as your 24/7 leasing agent: it should greet visitors with a clean, modern look and easy access to key info. Use bold imagery of your actual property, a compelling headline, and an uncluttered layout. For example, nix the long intros about your company’s history on the homepage; instead, show what life at your property feels like right away. As one property manager put it, too many sites just “sell four walls” with sterile facts and photos, when there needs to be warmth and friendliness to the website that represents their new home. In short, design for humans, not just for show.

• Pro Tip: Ask a friend (or better, a Gen Z renter) to critique your homepage. If they don’t get why your property is special within 5 seconds, time to refresh that design.

2. Show the Goods: Virtual Tours & Quality Visuals

Today’s renters are visual creatures. If you want more lease applications, wow them with photos and virtual tours that let them feel the space. High-resolution images of actual units and amenities are a must. Please, no grainy cell-phone pics or irrelevant stock imagery. Consider adding a 360° virtual tour or video walkthrough right on your homepage. Not only do virtual tours look cool, but they can boost engagement (one study found virtual tours boost clicks by 40% on property websites). Let prospects explore a model unit at their own pace, zoom in on finishes, and even check out floor plan options interactively.

If your property is still under construction, use realistic renderings or a video fly-through to build excitement. The goal is to let renters mentally move in. Pair visuals with clear descriptions e.g. highlight that sunlit living room or the rooftop deck view. Showing the goods upfront builds trust. By the time they finish the tour (virtual or in-person), they should already be picturing their furniture in the space.

• Controversial Take: Ditch the auto-play background music or splash intro videos that don’t show the property. Renters aren’t here for a dramatic film, they just want to see the apartment. Get to the good stuff fast.

3. Stop Hiding the Price (Be Transparent)

Nothing frustrates apartment-hunters more than a website that plays hide-and-seek with pricing. If your site says “Call for rent” or buries fees in fine print, it’s time to rethink. 82% of renters say transparency about pricing and fees is crucial when choosing an apartment. When multifamily websites are unclear about the full cost (rent, pet fees, parking, utilities) many potential renters simply bail out and move on. In a competitive market, being upfront with pricing earns trust.

List your available units with clear rent figures. If you offer “2 months free” or other specials, display them boldly (and honestly). Include an estimate of total move-in costs, so there are no surprises. Price transparency not only attracts higher-quality leads, it also weeds out folks who can’t afford your units, saving everyone time. Stand out by being the honest property on the block; your reputation will thank you.

• Real Talk: Some old-school landlords believe forcing prospects to call for prices will “hook” them. In reality, digital-native renters will just skip you. Transparent pricing = more clicks from listing sites and more qualified inquiries, period.

4. Treat Your Website Like a 24/7 Leasing Agent

Your website can (and should) do more than a static brochure. It should actively guide a visitor from interest to action, almost like a good leasing agent would. That means clear calls-to-action and interactive features at every turn. Can a visitor schedule an in-person or virtual tour right from your site? They should! Offering an online scheduling tool or at least a well-highlighted “Book a Tour” form is proven to convert more leads, especially now that virtual leasing is becoming the norm. Also, show real-time rental availability and prices if possible (integrate with your property management software) so renters aren’t left guessing.

Example: A modern apartment website (Modera Midtown) immediately invites engagement – note the prominent “Schedule your tour” banner, quick links to browse floor plans, and even a chat/FAQ widget. It’s designed to act like a round-the-clock leasing agent guiding the renter.

Don’t bury the contact info or application link; make them pop. Use contrast-colored “Apply Now” or “Check Availability” buttons on every page. And consider adding a chatbot or FAQ widget for those late-night visitors with questions. If a prospect can get an answer or book a tour at 11pm, you’ve essentially leased an apartment in your sleep. Convenience is king. A user-friendly, responsive chat or guided Q&A can keep prospects engaged on your site rather than bouncing to a competitor. Remember, the primary goal of your site is to convert clicks into leases, so design every element to nudge toward that goal.

• Quick win: Replace a generic “Contact Us” form with specific options: “Schedule Tour,” “Request Info,” or “Join Waiting List.” By making actions clear and easy, you’re proactively collecting leads instead of hoping an email shows up.

5. Mobile or Bust

If your real estate website isn’t smooth and sexy on a smartphone, you’re missing out on a huge chunk of renters. Mobile traffic often dominates. In fact, around 75% of your visitors may be seeing your site for the first time on a phone. And here’s a wake-up call: 48% of people believe a company just “doesn’t care” if its site works poorly on mobile. Ouch. At minimum, your site needs responsive design (layouts that adapt to different screen sizes) and quick load times on cellular data.

Test your website on various devices (iPhone, Android, tablets) and see if everything is still easy to read and navigate. Are buttons large enough to tap without zooming? Does your image gallery swipe nicely? Mobile users should be able to scroll listings, view photos, and tap that “Call” or “Apply” button without pinch-zoom gymnastics. Speed is part of this equation too. Over half of visitors will abandon a mobile site if it takes more than 3 seconds to load. Compress those images, eliminate bulky scripts, and get your load times down. A faster, mobile-friendly site not only pleases renters but also scores points with Google’s SEO. In short, design for mobile first, and your desktop site will likely be great by default.

• Hot tip: Google your property on a phone. If you have to squint or wait forever for content, so do your prospects and many won’t bother. Aim for a seamless “thumb-friendly” experience that respects your audience’s time (and thumbs).

6. Sell the Lifestyle, Not Just the Floor Plan

Renters aren’t just renting a unit, they’re buying into a lifestyle and a neighborhood. Yet so many apartment websites stick to the basics: square footage, appliance lists, maybe a bland list of amenities. That info is important, but it’s not differentiating. To really hook a renter, paint a picture of life in your community. Feature the “community environment” and surrounding neighborhood prominently, since those rank right up there with price and location in renters’ decision criteria. Is there a vibrant café down the block, a dog park around the corner, or monthly food truck nights in your courtyard? Put that front and center.

Use your site to highlight nearby restaurants, commuter options (walk to the train! easy highway access!), and local events. Some top-notch property sites even have a Neighborhood Guide or blog with articles about the area, establishing themselves as the go-to resource for newcomers. This not only boosts your SEO (hello, local keywords!) but also helps prospects imagine their new life there. Include testimonials or resident quotes about the community vibe (“I love the weekend farmers market next door!”). Show photos of residents enjoying common spaces or attending a building event (with their permission). All of this adds warmth and personality to what might otherwise be a sterile catalog of floor plans. Remember, you’re not just leasing four walls; you’re offering a home and a community. Your website content should shout that from the digital rooftops.

• Make it personal: Write your amenities and neighborhood descriptions like you’re talking to a friend. Instead of “Fitness center on-site,” try “Hit our 24/7 gym for a stress-busting workout, then walk 2 minutes to Main Street for your smoothie fix.” It’s more engaging and memorable.

7. Capture Leads with Clever Hooks

Here’s a hard truth: many visitors browse your site and leave without a trace, and you’ll never know if they could have been a great tenant. That’s why savvy design includes lead capture hooks – ways to get a visitor to hand over their info (so you can follow up and seal the deal). A simple “Sign up for updates” form in the footer isn’t enough. Think creative and offer them something worth their email or phone number. For example, a single-property website for a new development might offer a VIP waitlist for early access to tours or special move-in incentives. (We did exactly that for a 72-unit lease-up and generated over 270 qualified renter leads in 90 days – all before the building even opened!).

You can also implement interactive tools or quizzes: “Find your perfect floor plan” – where users input their preferences and then must enter email to see results. Or a limited-time offer: “Get a $50 Amazon card if you schedule a tour this week. Enter your email to claim yours.” It might sound gimmicky, but if done tastefully, it works. The key is to provide value in exchange for contact info. That could be as simple as a downloadable neighborhood guide, a moving checklist, or access to a virtual tour beyond the generic photos. Once you have their email, you can nurture the lead via follow-ups. As one expert noted, it’s not enough that someone maybe calls you; you want to proactively collect their info so you can turn a casual site visitor into a signed lease.