Agents who rely on only their broker’s site—or none at all—could be missing out.
If you changed brokers tomorrow, would your website go with you, or would you have to start all over? Many agents are content with a page on their brokerage’s website. But without a web presence that you own and control, you may be missing an opportunity to establish an enduring personal brand online.
NAR’s 2024 Member Profile shows that nearly 30% of REALTORS® don’t have a website. Yet a web search is often a potential client’s first step when considering working with an agent. A site that represents you well can make a great early impression. And once you form a business connection, it’s easier to stay in touch if clients know there’s a place online where they can always find you.
NAR members have the option of buying a .realtor domain, which comes with a simple website for about $40 a year, after a free first year. Agents can use the included template to collect customers’ contact information, link to social media accounts, provide testimonials, and add an image gallery, all without knowing how to build a website.
If you are comfortable with web design—or can hire someone who is—there are even more options. But a site doesn’t need all the bells and whistles to be effective. Starting simple is better than not starting at all, if you’d like to have a place on the web you can call your own.