Simple and effective Estate Agent website tips from the Connect Conference

Troy Stanley, the Resource Techniques correspondent in New York reports on common Estate Agent web site tips from the Real Estate Connect Conference in New York:

[Click to read more from Troy Stanley]

Web site design for Estate Agents - Colour Theory

Web designers at Resource Techniques explaining some basics on Colour Theory. Colour theory is a diverse and complicated subject, only through studying colour can people know why exactly some colours go together and why some colours look hideous.

Colour Wheel

Firstly let's look at the Colour Wheel. As many Estate Agents will remember from their school days, the colour wheel was original designed by Isaac Newton and has continually been developed and scrutinised.

In colour theory, there are 3 primary colours and 3 possible sets of primary colours. One possibility is Red, Blue, Yellow, another is Red, Blue, Green and the last possible set is Cyan, Magenta, and Yellow. Traditionally Cyan, Magenta and Yellow (and Black) are used in printing whereas Red, Blue and Green are used my most electronic devices such as TV and film. Even your computer monitor uses the primary colours of Red, Green and Blue.

If you were to mix one of the three primary colours with another primary colour in the same colour wheel, you would get a secondary colour and then mixing a primary and secondary colour would then create a tertiary colour. Using this system your computer monitor is able to create the whole spectrum of colours.

Colour meanings

Each culture has applied different meanings to various colours. Below are the colours and their meanings or possible emotive response in the western world:

• Red - Passion, love or anger. Red is used to stand out from the crowd which means that it is great at drawing attention. The Colin Bibra website uses red to draw the user's attention to property search, which is exactly what the web designers and Estate Agents want!
• Orange - Happiness, Hope, Vitality. Orange is an unusual colour to use in website design but works perfectly in the Robert Williams website animation.
• Green - Nature and the environment. Green is mean to be peaceful and associated with the world outside. The Penyards website and the Belgarum website uses green fantastically.
• Blue - Calm, trust and water. Blue is great for creating a calm and professional feel to the website. Dart and Partners and West Coast Properties are a great example of this.
• Grey - Grey is a neutral colour that is used to highlight or make other colours stand out. Julian Reid website is a fantastic example of this, the green plants and blue logo and property really catch the eye.
• Purple - Creativity, Royalty and Wealth. Purple is an unusual colour for an Estate Agent website design but the indication of wealth and luxury means that it is perfect for Hirch Way & Ambler website and the Paul Twyneham & Co website.
• Black - Elegance and sophistication. Black is used well in the Rendells website and the Mayfair website.
• White - Purity, Cleanliness, virtue. White is a great colour to outline and make other colours standout such as in the Chinneckshaw website and the Anne James website.

Troy Stanley, CTO of Resource Techniques comments on colour for Estate Agent website design, 'These are only a few of the basics of colour. Our web design team for Estate Agents has a better eye, knowledge and experience than anyone I've met.

New website design for Halls Estate Agents in Ottery St Mary, Devon

New website design, hallsestateagents.com has been unveiled today.

Halls Estate Agents (est.1997) in Ottery St Mary, Devon is an independent family business run by Nick Hall. They offer property searchers a range of properties for sale and to let in Ottery St Mary and the surrounding areas.

Troy Stanley, Technical Director at Resource Techniques, regards Halls estate agent website design to be one of best, having clear colour scheme and branding throughout.

New website design for Edwards Estate Agent in Ferndown, Bournemouth

New website design, Edwardestates.co.uk has been released today.

Edwards Estate Agents was created through a desire to offer the highest level of customer service and proactive marketing to the estate agency business. Their individual approach and first class service, combined with our extensive property experience and knowledge of the area, will ensure that their clients receive the service they deserve.

Grant Brooks (Director of Edward Estates) stated in his testimonial 'how impressed I am with the final result and also the service. The feedback that we have received has been excellent.'

This new website design has a whole range of new properties in the Ferndown area. Troy Stanley, Technical Director at Resource Techniques stated, 'This website design is a personal favourite of mine!'

New website design for Red House Estate Agents in Portland

New website design, redhouseproperty.co.uk has been released today.

Red House Estate Agents in Portland offer property for sale and let in and around Portland, including property in Weymouth, Chickerell and Wyke Regis as well as property management for existing property portfolios. Red House Lettings Agents ensure that landlords in the Portland and Weymouth area are well catered for with an experienced property management and lettings team dealing with setting up new tenancies and ongoing management.

Red House Holidays also offer holiday lettings in Portland, Weymouth and along the Dorset Coast, dealing with holiday cottages and apartments across South Dorset.

Troy Stanley, Technical Director at Resource Techniques, loves the lighthouse and moving sky animation within the website design.

New website design for Richard Copus Estates in Devon

New website design, richardcopusestates.co.uk has been released today.

Richard Copus Estates is the only estate agency in Devon dealing exclusively with older properties and barn conversions in Devon.

Over 75% of the properties are listed buildings, ranging from terraced townhouses, thatched country cottages and converted barns with or without land. Since all the homes are period properties or barns, there is no need to wade through hundreds of unsuitable houses to find your dream home.

This new website design has listed properties that are available to buy in the county of Devon. Troy Stanley, Technical Director at Resource Techniques, considers richardcopusestates.co.uk to be one of the best designs in the Resource Techniques portfolio.

Cob-webs for estate agents

Estate Agent websites cannot be left to its own devices. It needs care and attention that only a specialist can take care of.

Do you feel that your website design is getting a bit old? Fill in our free web review form. The web review covers various aspects, such as web design, so that Estate Agents can improve their website for the New Year.

So what can Estate Agents do themselves to make sure that your website is kept up to date and free of cob-webs?

• Write a blog/News feature - Not only does this help your Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) by showing search engines that you have fresh content, but it will also generate interest from buyers and sellers. Local and national market related news shows that you not only have your finger on the pulse but you are also an expert in your field.
• Rotate your featured properties
• Communicate with every customer - even if it is just an email saying 'I'll be in contact within 24 hours' shows that you can be directly contactable from your Estate Agent website. The quicker customers are contacted the more impressed they'll be.
• Acknowledge any criticisms - The old adage, keep your friends close but your enemies closer, can help Estate Agents see their website in a different light. Any number of complaints about your website can shed new light on something you look at on a daily basis. Remember that not everyone is right though!
• Use social networks - An increasing number of people in the UK are using Facebook. Estate Agents can use this to their advantage by showing that their business has a face and is not just a brand.

New web design for Moor2Coast.co.uk

Resource Techniques are delighted to announce the unveiling of a new website: Moor2Coast.

Moor2Coast Estate & Letting Agents in Yelverton, Plymouth covering properties in Tavistock, Devon & Cornwall, throughout the South West and the UK.

Moor2Coast are a professional, dynamic and independent company that can offer you a unique and tailor-made service. Offering services for market appraisals, conveyancing, financial services, lettings and property management as well as investment opportunities in overseas properties.

This fantastic new website has a whole host of new properties that are available to buy or rent in and around the Plymouth area. Troy Stanley, Technical Director at Resource Techniques stated, 'The imagery used on the website is simply stunning. The web design team has worked closley with the Moor2Coast estate agent to create a professional website.

Building your shop window to the world

They could arrive at any time.
They could be anywhere.
They are silent critics.
They decide first contact.
They are your online customers.

Click to read more.

Google search - how would you change it this Christmas?

Estate agents, imagine the power if Google suddenly appointed you as head of their search function for the Christmas period. Would you change anything or would you finally get that alteration that you've been dreaming of ever since you first pressed that search button?

Matt Cutts is well known in Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) circles as being the head of Google's web spam team. From his many videos, he can be seen as a very likable person and when he speaks, the internet listens.

On the 24th of November Google posted up a video of Matt Cutts talking about 'which search feature would you add to Google' on Google's Webmaster channel on YouTube.

His answer was something that may not be noticeable to estate agents. As Matt is the head of Google's web spam team, he stated that he regularly emails links to other people. These links include extra text in the URL from parameters which he considers is not relevant to him.

Estate agents, how would you change Google? Would you change the search function or the design of Google? Let us know via our Facebook or Twitter page.

Web design for estate agents - top 5 ways estate agents need to design their website

Web design for estate agents is the same as any other website, isn't it? Not really. Obviously the basic code and structure used to create any website is in place, but there are fundamental aspects that make estate agent website design stand out from any other type of website.

So the big design question is; what does make an estate agent's website different to other websites? Our years of design experience and knowledge have provided the top 5 ways that estate agents need to design their website.

* Absence of an Online checkout - Houses are not bought online and therefore people do not shop online for houses in the same way that they shop for a DVD or online groceries. Contact details must have a high visibility in grained on to the design of every page.
* Listing property - Estate agents need to ensure that their website is an online brochure that they can be proud of so that their online portfolio will generate enough interest for customers to contact the agent for a viewing. This includes the full range of necessary functionality.
* Online branding - Statistics say that within 3 seconds of accessing your website, property searchers have made their mind up about your business, all from the design. Including the agent's level of service, how professional they are and the types of properties in the portfolio.
* Property search placement - another recent statistic has shown that 95% of users go straight to property search once they have accessed the website. A good property search button is exactly what users are looking for.
* News feature and property search - Google loves up-to-date, relevant and changing content. If Google notices that your homepage is frequently changing, they will visit more often to scan your website which will help your placement within Google's search results page.

Estate agents must insist on a specialist when it comes to their website as only specialists are able to cater for such a niche market. Many of the web designers do not have the knowledge or experience to give estate agents a web design that their business deserves.

Resource Techniques has the skills, knowledge and experience to deliver the web design, Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) and functionality at an affordable price. Give us a call 0208 457 4777 for a free consultation alternatively estate agents can request a free web review.

Social network 'Foursquare' now in the UK!

Created in March of this year, Foursquare describe themselves as, '50% friend-finder, 30% social city guide, 20% nightlife game'. It is a social network that allows users to share experiences, hints and places to go whilst having a game that allows users to 'check in' using the GPS on their mobile phone.

Back in August, Resource Techniques talked about a new social network that lets you explore your city and now they have expanded the website onto the UK shores. The cities that they cover are:

* Birmingham
* Bristol
* Brighton
* Edinburgh
* Manchester
* London

Although it is still a relatively new social network, Foursquare is tipped to be the next big social network using social networking, GPS and local knowledge.

Troy Stanley, CTO of Resource Techniques comments, 'Foursquare is a fantastic idea! The social network will be kick started by people that love to eat out or go to bars and clubs. Estate agents, watch this space.'

Many social networks have come and gone, will Foursquare stand the test of time? Let us know via Twitter or Facebook.

Web design jobs to be taken by Google!

Web designers have become slightly nervous over Google's swelling templates for Google Sites. They are very professional, clean and just slightly pretty which can easily be created by users using a simple step-by-step guide. Just have a gander at the screenshots below:





Although very pretty, these websites do not cater for the needs of an estate agent that is serious about their estate agent website. Firstly let's take the design. The designs above may be bright and colourful, but they may not necessarily be the right image for your brand. Matching your website design to your branding is very important as new customers that find you online will instantly judge your company on design of its website.

Have a look at the image below, or for greater detail, visit the Julian Reid website. The website is clean and gives off an image of professionalism with a hint of the types of properties that they cater for.



Secondly these templates do not support the types of functionality that every estate agent should demand to have on their website. Estate agents need the whole range of features that are all bedded into their website design. One clear favourite is enhanced Google maps. The image below shows all the properties from a search on Google Maps alongside various local amenities such as schools, doctors, dentists, transport, restaurants etc.



The next feature has become more than a prerequisite. High resolution pictures are easily accessible these days but the way estate agent websites display them can make it difficult for the user.

One way is to display all the high res photos in a pop-up. This directs the user's attention away from the website while modern pop-up blockers can confuse and block users from viewing the photographs.

Another way is to embed photos directly onto the website, which can make the photos grainy and small. Due to website size restrictions, this can impair the ability for users to fully view available photographs otherwise users will find themselves scrolling endlessly down the page.

Instead Resource Techniques uses the latest viewer technology that is used by large companies such as the BBC and Sony. When users click on a picture, they are presented with a 'viewer' with a high resolution photograph that overlaps the website. From here they can flick between photographs without being directed away from the website. All the user has to do is click away from the viewer or the 'x close' button and they return back to the property that they were originally inspecting.



The viewer can cater for more than just photographs. Estate agents are able to display floorplans, EPCs, HIPS, and print-friendly property particulars that are completely editable by the estate agent.



Resource Techniques is a web design company specialising in property websites for estate agents. Our services include web design, Search Engine Optimisation, software for estate agents and social networking consultations. For more information, call Resource Techniques on 0208 457 4777, visit our Twitter profile, Facebook Fan page or our contact us page.

Visit this page and fill in the form for a free web review.

Social networking seizes word of the year - Unfriend

Social networking is everywhere. It has been talked about in movies (and is now a movie starring Jesse Eisenberg and Justin Timberlake!), it has been quoted in soaps, it is always in the news, and now the Oxford American Dictionary has placed it as word of the year:

Unfriend

"To remove someone as a 'friend' on a social networking site such as Facebook."

Many veterans of Facebook will be fluent in 'unfriending' whereas people who are new to Facebook will find it an alien concept. For those estate agents who are unsure, this phenomenon tends to occur on Facebook when a person has lost contact or no longer speaks to another person. Again this usually happens to people who have a major situational change such as moving to a different area, changing jobs or splitting from a partner.

Troy Stanley, CTO of Resource Techniques comments, 'In 1998 the Oxford English dictionary included the term 'LOL' which means Laugh Out Loud. This was a sign of language evolving directly from the internet.'

'Eleven years later, the word 'unfriend' has been added to the dictionary, showing exactly how big social networking has become. This should be another sign that estate agents must start embracing social networking and integrating it as part of their online marketing strategy.' - Troy Stanley.

There have been a few other terms added to this year's dictionary. They are:

* Hashtag - a hash (#) sign added to a word or phrase that enables Twitter users to search for tweets that also contain the same hashtag.
* Intexticated - distracted because texting on a mobile while driving a vehicle.
* Netbook - a small, very portable laptop computer with limited memory.
* Paywall - a way of blocking access to a part of a website which is only available to paying subscribers.
* Sexting - the sending of sexually explicit texts and pictures by mobile.

Are there words here that shouldn't be in the dictionary or have they missed out any? Let us know on our Facebook fan page or our Twitter Profile.

Dying to be remembered

A morbid subject but everyone has at one time or another pondered what happens to you once you die. Whether you go on to an afterlife, are reborn or just fade away into oblivion, one thing is certain. Your Facebook profile will still be there.

The good news out of this gloomy subject is that Facebook have decided to allow your memory to live on within their social network. They have announced that a profile can be turned into a memorial of its decreased owner. Facebook will remove contact information, status updates, change privacy settings and Facebook will no longer suggest the deceased member to other Facebook members - They will of course require confirmation of the deceased which must include verification from an obituary or a news article!

Sources indicate that the move has been prompted because some Facebook members being suggested to add as a friend, 'reconnect', or be reminded by a status updates automatically by Facebook's news feed of a deceased friend - something that can cause a lot of emotional pain.

The negative side of this is that you have no control over your Facebook profile once you have passed on. Not that Facebook has 'evil' plans for your profile, but estate agents may not want their memory to eternally held by a social networking company.

What isn't clear is what will happen to your profile, when sufficient time has passed and all your Facebook friends have passed on too. Will Facebook delete you or do they have a moral responsibility not to?

The positive side of this is that a Facebook tombstone is accessible from any of your friends and from anywhere on the planet. They can leave tributes on how you touched their lives and use your shared photos as happy memories that will never be forgotten.

Estate agents, would you like your Facebook profile to carry on after your ultimate demise, would you prefer for it to be completely erased, or do you simply not care?

Let us know what you think! Contact us on our Facebook fan page or Twitter profile or call us on 0208 457 4777.

Twitter class now enrolling!

Bemused students studying journalism at Griffith University in Brisbane have just been told that Twitter will now be added as part of their compulsory curriculum. The news received mixed reactions, with some students believing it is a waste of time.

Jacqui Ewart, senior lecturer at the university commented, 'Some student's tweets are not as in depth as you might like. But I don't know if getting them to write an essay is any more beneficial.'

Twitter has been playing an increasingly larger role with online news.

Newspapers in the UK have embraced Twitter; such newspapers include bbcbreaking (BBC Breaking News) with 215,200 followers, bbcworld (BBC world news) with 57,202 followers, guardiannews (The Guardian) with 36,615 followers, and financialtimes with 32,362 followers.

Twitter users covered major events such as Iran election and the 2008 Mumbai attacks. Users were awash with information. In fact during the Mumbai attacks, there was an estimated 80 tweets every 5 seconds.

Troy Stanley, CTO of Resource Techniques comments, 'Twitter is the fastest ever growing social network and estate agents need to get in on the action. Tweeting the latest properties, property news and estate agency news can help estate agents drive traffic to their website whilst estate agents create their own self-made pool of information.'

Could this be the start of a migration of journalists from printed to online? Let us know on our Facebook fan page or our Twitter profile.

Estate agents, your keyboard is disgusting.

Take a few moments to have a look at your keyboard.

The best case scenario (unless you have a brand new keyboard!) you’ll find bits of dust or skin. Not very nice and that’s the best case scenario. The worst case scenario you will have bits of food and skin that have been sitting there, months if not years. Not what you want on your fingers.

Great news for estate agents! Now there is a washable keyboard you can fully submerse into water! The washable keyboard uses Seal Shield™ technology to guarantee that your keyboard can even be put in the dishwasher! You can even use the keyboard while wet, but your fingers may get cold...

The cost of the washable keyboard is £40.00, a small amount to pay for the price of hygiene!

Some may consider £40 to be slightly high for keyboards, if this is true for your budget, estate agents can also buy compressed air cleaners. These are cans of compressed air that removes dirt and debris from hard to reach areas, such as keyboards. What is the price of the compressed air cleaner? Around £4 online!

Resource Techniques is a web design company providing I.T. services for estate agents. Our services include websites for estate agents, Search Engine Optimisation (SEO), software for estate agents and web design for estate agents. Troy Stanley, CTO of Resource Techniques is considering buying one of these keyboards.

Troy Stanley comments, ‘The keyboard is a great design! Estate agents should check the website and seriously consider investing in a washable keyboard.’

Resource Techniques announce release of new website for Trenchard Arlidge!

Resource Techniques are delighted to announce the unveiling of a new website: http://www.trenchardarlidge.co.uk

Trenchard Arlidge is the longest established Estate Agent in Cobham and Oxshott. We are a family business and we have been serving the local community for about 75 years. Whether you are buying or selling, letting or renting your home, we pride ourselves on knowing our neighbourhood, knowing our clients and meeting their needs. We offer a service that is both personal and professional to sellers and buyers, landlords and tenants alike.

Technology, legislation, market trends and strategies change, but one thing remains the same - people have individual requirements and this is something we always acknowledge.

Kevin Arlidge (Director) "Many thanks to all of you for getting us this far and whilst I expect a few things will need to be ironed out, I think we are all confident that from the browsers point of view their first impression will be "like, WOW". The new site should give us an edge and I look forward also to saving many man-hours, sorry, person-hours in not having to do direct feeds to half a dozen portals."

This fantastic new website has a whole host of new properties that are available to buy, rent or let, in and around the Cobham and Oxshott area. Troy Stanley, Technical Director at Resource Techniques, personally loves the website and thinks that the development team continually outdo themselves with each new estate agent website.

The four basic elements of web design

Estate agents, there are four basic elements of web design. Each of these fundamentals contributes, in their own way, to the overall user experience. Therefore estate agents must make sure that a single element doesn't let down the entire estate agent website. The four elements are:

* Content - There's no denying that 'Content is King'. Content helps your website in two ways. Firstly it plays a part in Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) and puts you higher in Google. Google have always stated that relevant information that is consistently updated will give higher positions than ones with limited content. Secondly content makes your estate agent website 'sticky' and property searchers will repeatedly return. First class content, including video, featured properties, relevant news, enhanced mapping, Google Street view, high resolution pictures, email alerts, printable PDF property particulars and more, will make your estate agent website 'sticky'.
* Usability - Great usability will never be noticed by the end user, but bad usability is instantly noticeable. Estate agent websites should have a clear 'property search' button on the home page with a user-friendly search function. In general the navigation and interface as a whole should be simple and reliable. Remember that bad usability will simply make the user close the web page and move on to a competitor's website.
* Appearance - The biggest criteria for estate agents is for their website to be visually impressive. This isn't a bad condition, but generally estate agents usually concentrate on this element more than any other. As stated above, each of the four basic elements contribute towards the website as a whole but if one element fails, the whole website will turn away potential leads. On a last note, the appearance of your estate agent website should reflect the branding of your estate agency. An inner-city estate agent should not have homepage imagery which reflects an agricultural community.
* Visibility - There is no point in having a stunning website if no one can see it. 'Online presence' or visibility through SEO and social networking is vital for the success of your website. Once the design aspects of the website are in place, estate agents and web design companies should then work together to guarantee that estate agents have maximum online presence.

Troy Stanley, CTO of Resource Techniques comments, 'Resource Techniques is a web design company specialising in estate agent websites. The four basic elements are integrated into every single project we undertake. Once the design process is finished and estate agents give the go ahead, the website will go live and we will work together to maximising the website's online presence.'

Estate agents can contact us on 0208 457 4777 or through our Twitter and Facebook page. Our team will take you step-by-step on how our industry leading service will benefit your estate agency.

A well designed website is a weapon of mass consumption

Web design is subjective, there's no denying that, but there is a lot of data that backs up the placements of very basic elements. Which is why the design of a website can be lethal; giving estate agents more leads than they know what to do with.

Troy Stanley, CTO of Resource Techniques comments, 'There has to be a balance between creativity and painstaking research that has gone into many usability studies.'

'The clear 'Call-to-Action' that is integrated into every estate agent website design is a prominent property search button. Many web design companies get it wrong by having 'Sales' and 'Letting' as part of their primary navigation.'

'Research has shown that 97-98% of users accessing an agent's website go straight to property search because that is what they are there to do; look for properties. Give people what they want and design a property search button that just calls out to be clicked.'

Troy Stanley continues, 'This data points to a consistency in design but it still gives designers a range of tools to play with to create stunning websites. Whereas the design will help users along the journey towards contacting you, design will increase the 'stickiness' of a website. This 'stickiness' ensures that users repeatedly return again and again."

'Mix that with industry-leading functionality and your website will be a digital weapon in the war of estate agency. Such embedded features include Google Maps, high resolution photos in the latest viewer technology, Google Street View, Email alerts and many more.' - Troy Stanley

No one takes web design more seriously than Resource Techniques. Contact us for visually wonderful websites, futuristic features and dangerous data that all contribute towards a weapon of mass consumption - your customers will not know what hit them!

Call us on 0208 457 4777 to see what is possible.