Whether you’re a realtor or a developer, it’s important to have an understanding of how you can build the most effective and useful WordPress site for your needs. WordPress is an incredible framework for most website builds, as it’s extremely flexible, functional, and easy to use.
Luckily, there are literally hundreds of plugins for you to choose from that will help to increase the functionality of your real estate website. However, with the sheer number of plugins available it can be overwhelming deciding which plugins will be the best fit for your needs.
To simplify your search we’ve decided to break down a handful of the very best plugins for real estate agents. Let’s dive in!
1. WP-Property
This is an intuitive plugin that can benefit both real estate agents and property managers. You can easily create, edit, and manage the property listings across your website. WP-Property has a very easy to use user interface, so adding properties to your site is a breeze. Some of its features include:
- Supports translation into Italian, Russian, and Portuguese
- Allows for Google Map integration and the use of included shortcodes
- Can allow you to display different types of templates for a wide variety of property-types
- Well optimized for SEO purposes, to increase traffic to your listings
2. IMPress Listings
IMPress Listings is a free open source plugin that allows you to create a more effective listing management system for your website. The plugin was designed by the team Agent Evolution, who specializes in web solutions for agents and brokers. This plugin easily integrates into your existing theme with its pre-made templates. Features include:
- Can create featured listings to show your favorite properties up top
- Fully responsive, so it displays well across any screen
- Very high number of data fields to easily customize your listings
- Can create a default sorting structure for your listings
3. Estatik
Estatik is a relatively new WordPress real estate plugin. It seeks to be a clean and minimalist version of the other real estate plugins that are currently out there. The free version includes all of the features highlighted below, but is also available in two premium packages, including the Pro version, and the Pro version plus an additional theme.
Some of its features include:
- It’s fully responsive, so it’ll look good across multiple screen sizes (perfect for agents on the go)
- It comes with its own custom themes, but can still integrate with most other themes in the marketplace
- You can completely customize every listing
- You can allow other agents to modify the listings from the front end
- It has several other widgets that include advanced search, property slideshows, and location maps
4. Easy Property Listings
Easy Property Listings seeks to be the best plugin for easily adding real estate listings to your website. It works with most themes that are currently available without causing too much fuss. This plugin focuses on a single feature, and does it very well. In addition to the free features highlighted below there are also paid add-ons, which will enhance its functionality even further.
Check out some of its features below:
- Contains a “theme compatibility mode†to help with integration into your existing WordPress theme
- Gives you multiple listing and pricing options for simple listing customization
- Caters to international listings by allowing multiple currencies and locations
- Can make showing and inspection appointments through the calendar function
5. WP-Real Estate
WP-Real Estate is a great all-around plugin that will help to build your real estate website. If you’re looking to add additional functionality to your existing website, or truly unlock the potential of your site from the start, then give this plugin a go. Features include:
- Can easily add and customize property listings
- Has a translation feature to translate your site into multiple languages (perfect for cities where multiple languages are the norm)
- Has an in-depth property search website to easily navigate between properties
6. WPL Real Estate
WPL Real Estate is a great plugin choice for real estate agencies. This plugin is designed to help improve your data management and listing management processes as a realtor. However, it can also be used for several other purposes, such as:
- Adding properties to your listing wizard, and enable other agents to add listings as well
- Easily categorizing your listings based upon property type, number of bedrooms, etc.
- Displaying your listings on Google Maps to better gauge location
- Sharing your listings to Facebook, email, Twitter, and more
As a realtor it’s important to have a plugin that will help you achieve your goals and more easily manage your listings. The plugins featured above will help to improve the overall functionality and usefulness of your site.
Kevin Wood writes about technology and human potential. You can find him at his virtual homes Wooden Writing and Counter Culturist.
If you’re based in the UK, these plugins don’t work that well as the property markets are very different. For a UK solution I recommend Property Hive.