More than 90 percent of home buyers use the Internet in their search for a new residence. The best real estate websites give them all the information they need to find an agent, explore options, make a purchase, and more. Whether you’re a real estate agent setting up a personal website, a property manager handling a large volume of listings, or filling another role in the real estate world, there’s a WordPress theme to suit it. Here’s a look at seven of the best free and premium WordPress themes designed for all aspects of the real estate industry.
What Features Should a Real Estate Website Have?
The core WordPress code provides a framework to create niche sites of all kinds with various combinations of themes and plugins, and real estate is one of those niches. WordPress real estate themes add special industry related features to the set of general functions a website needs, such as a blog, about page, contact page, and so forth. Specialized sites cater to the needs of different aspects of the real estate niche, too, with options for real estate agents and agencies, home and commercial property listing sites, and various property types such as vacation and short term rentals.
Regardless of which aspect of real estate a website represents, a successful real estate site needs a set of essential features that are unique to the industry. These include plenty of options for images and video, ranging from galleries and slideshows of property interiors and exteriors, to fully realized video walkthroughs and 360 degree views of property rooms and exteriors. Sites dedicated to property listings also need integration with Google Maps and other mapping apps, as well as information about a property’s surrounding neighborhoods, amenities, and factors contributing to the property’s market value.
Real estate sites that host property listings also need ecommerce-style product and buyer/seller listing features, along with tools such as mortgage calculators, rental and purchase price information, and contact information for sellers and agents. Sites for agents and real estate agencies also need elegant and appealing “about,” pages and blogs for providing valuable information that promotes brand authority.
Successful sites should also include easy-to-use blogging tools for keeping fresh content flowing and providing visitors with useful information about topics related to the real estate market. Additionally, because more shoppers use mobile devices to make purchases of all kinds, including real estate, successful real estate sites need to be mobile responsive.
WordPress Themes Designed for Real Estate
Many multipurpose WordPress themes include features that can be adapted to fit the needs of a real estate site, such as image galleries, sliders, and ecommerce product pages. But a dedicated WordPress real estate theme has a full set of specialized features designed with the market in mind. WordPress real estate themes are available from the WordPress theme directory, as well as from a variety of third party theme developers and marketplaces from around the world.
Most WordPress real estate themes are premium themes costing an average of less than $100 USD, while some are also available in a free version with fewer features than the pro or premium version. In any case, users can expect a dedicated WordPress real estate theme to come equipped with a variety of essential real estate related tools for showcasing properties, connecting buyers with sellers and agents, and more. These seven mostly premium WordPress themes are among the most feature-rich real estate themes available for agents, agencies, and brokers.
Real Homes
Topping the list of full featured WordPress real estate themes, Real Homes is a premium theme that includes both list and grid layouts for showcasing property listings, plus a property comparison tool and floor plan displays. Real Homes also comes with Google Map integration for locating properties, as well as an option for searching similar properties and sub-properties.
Real Spaces
Real Spaces is a premium WordPress theme designed for agents working with home buyers. Real Spaces features list and grid property showcases, multiple gallery layouts, and options for users to create saved searches and favorite properties. This fully functional real estate theme comes with additional gallery plugins and a variety of custom widgets for added functionality.
DreamVilla
DreamVilla comes with 5 different ways to showcase properties, plus options for free and paid property listing submissions. This premium WordPress real estate theme also features multiple floor plans, a mortgage calculator on the site, and detailed neighborhood and “nearby places” information.
Houzez
With 10 demos dedicated specifically to real estate and 360-degree virtual tours, Houzez is a premium theme designed with home buyers in mind. Houzez comes with 17 custom visual composer modules and options for arranging listings according to roles such as renter, owner, and manager. This real estate theme also includes mapping and map pin management tools.
Realty Space
Realty Space is a full-featured premium real estate theme that features 5 homepage variations, and multiple options for displaying free and paid property listings. Designed for ease of use, Realty Space comes with a drag and drop page builder and custom visual composer sections for designing pages for specific needs.
HomeQuest
HomeQuest features an array of visual tools for showcasing properties, including sliders, optional galleries, and mapping. This premium WordPress real estate theme includes a built in listing management system, a variety of page templates, and numerous shortcodes and custom widgets for added functionality.
Real Estate Agent
Designed specifically for agents and agent teams to showcase their expertise, Real Estate Agent is a WordPress real estate theme that is available as a free version with basic website features, and a Pro version with full functionality that includes property listings, galleries, sliders, and other key features.
Real estate websites made with WordPress can take many forms, depending on their function and targeted audience. General multipurpose WordPress themes can create workable and visually striking websites for real estate related purposes, but dedicated real estate themes combine all key features site runners need for success in this highly competitive market. Whether you’re an agent promoting your expertise, an agency offering commercial or residential listings, or a broker managing vacation properties, the best WordPress real estate themes have the features you’re looking for.
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