Building the perfect real estate website with Squarespace
Creating a real estate website that converts visitors into clients doesn't have to be complicated or expensive. While many agents get caught up in complex platforms and costly MLS integrations, Squarespace offers an elegant solution that puts professional design and powerful features within reach.
In this guide, we'll explore how to build a real estate website that works as hard as you do, focusing on the features that actually drive results. Whether you're creating your first website or looking to streamline your existing online presence, you'll discover how to create a professional real estate website without the usual headaches of web development.
Squarespace.com
Why Squarespace makes sense for real estate
Squarespace combines beautiful design with practical functionality – exactly what you need in a real estate website. Its intuitive interface means you can make updates between showings, while its professional templates ensure your site looks polished and trustworthy to potential clients.
However, Squarespace's native features alone aren't enough for a full-featured real estate website. The platform's basic gallery and collection features fall short when it comes to managing property listings effectively. This is where specialized real estate solutions come in to transform Squarespace into a proper real estate platform.
Choosing your template: where to start
Starting with the right template can save you hours of setup time and frustration. Squarespace's current template collection includes a few options that can be adapted for real estate websites. Their Cailles template comes closest to a real estate-specific design, offering spaces for featured listings and contact options for buyers and sellers. Other templates like Radian and Suffolk provide clean, modern designs but are more suited to showcasing individual properties than managing multiple listings. The fundamental challenge with all of Squarespace's native templates is their lack of proper property listing management features.
Cailles is a free Squarespace template
Premium third-party templates
For those seeking more specialized designs, several premium third-party templates are available from established Squarespace designers. Options like GoLive's Steel template offer real estate-specific layouts and features right out of the box. While these premium templates provide polished designs for real estate professionals, they would still benefit from additional tools for proper listing management. Websites By Elise maintains an excellent guide to premium real estate templates for those interested in exploring these options.
Regardless of which template you choose, the key to creating an effective real estate website lies in how you handle property listings. SquareHero's Real Estate Listings plugin can enhance any template with robust listing management through Google Sheets integration, while alternatives like the Common Ninja widget offer their own approaches to this essential functionality.
The Steel template by GoLive
Essential features every real estate website needs
When you're just starting out, it's easy to get overwhelmed by all the features you could include on your website. Let's focus on what really matters for attracting and converting potential clients.
Property listings management
This is the heart of your website, and it's where many new agents struggle – managing listings efficiently while keeping them looking professional. Squarespace's built-in gallery blocks can work for a handful of properties, but as your portfolio grows, you'll want something more powerful.
Two solutions are commonly used for Squarespace property listings. SquareHero's Real Estate Listings plugin integrates natively with Squarespace, managing listings through Google Sheets and creating individual pages for each property – perfect for agents who want a professional listing system with dedicated property URLs. The Common Ninja Real Estate Widget offers a simpler approach with its widget-based interface, though listings are limited to the widget display area rather than having their own pages.
Real Estate Listings plugin by SquareHero
Virtual tours and high-quality images
Today's buyers expect to tour homes from their couch before scheduling an in-person visit. This isn't just a luxury anymore – it's a necessity. Squarespace's native image galleries and video integration make it easy to create immersive property experiences that capture attention and keep potential buyers engaged. The key is creating a consistent, professional presentation for each property while making updates painless.
Lead capture forms
Strategic lead capture can make or break your success online. Rather than plastering your site with generic contact forms, think about creating property-specific inquiry forms. This not only makes it easier to track where your leads are coming from but also helps you respond more effectively to potential clients. Consider offering neighborhood market reports or home valuation guides in exchange for contact information – this provides value to your visitors while building your client database.
Search and filter options
While you don't need complex MLS integration when you're starting out, you do need to help visitors find relevant properties quickly. Simple but effective filters for price range, property type, and location can make a huge difference in user experience. Both Common Ninja and SquareHero offer these essential filtering capabilities, letting you create a professional search experience without the complexity of more expensive solutions.
Real Estate Listings widget by Common Ninja
Essential pages for success
Your website doesn't need to be complicated, but it does need to be complete. Start with a compelling homepage that immediately shows visitors they're in the right place. Include recent listings and a clear way to contact you – remember, many of your potential clients will be visiting your site outside of business hours.
Create an about page that tells your story and helps build trust with potential clients. Even if you're new to real estate, focus on what makes you unique: perhaps you have deep knowledge of the local area, or maybe you're bringing fresh perspectives from a previous career. This is your chance to connect with potential clients before they even reach out.
Set up a dedicated listings page that makes it easy for visitors to browse properties. Even if you're just starting and don't have many listings of your own, you can include recently sold properties or featured listings from your brokerage (with permission, of course).
Growing your site over time
One of the best things about starting with Squarespace is how easily your website can grow with your business. You might start with basic listing pages and contact forms, but as your needs evolve, you can add more sophisticated features like neighborhood guides, market reports, or even integration with more advanced real estate tools.
The key is to start simple and focus on what matters most: presenting your listings professionally and making it easy for potential clients to contact you. You can always add more features as your business grows.
Next steps to launch your site
Your journey can start in one of two ways:
Starting with a native Squarespace template? Sign up for a trial, select a template like Cailles, and begin customizing. You'll want to enhance it with proper listing management – SquareHero's Real Estate Listings plugin combines native Squarespace management with the power of Google Sheets integration, while alternatives like Common Ninja offer a 3rd-party hosted widget .
Prefer a premium real estate template? Explore some of the specialized options mentioned above, which come pre-configured for real estate. Once purchased, they'll set up your chosen template in Squarespace for you. You'll still want to consider how you'll manage listings - even premium templates benefit from dedicated listing management tools.
Most importantly, don't let perfect be the enemy of good. Focus on the essentials first: professional design, easy-to-update listings, and clear contact information. Your future clients are waiting to find you online.
Quick links:
Guide to premium real estate templates
