1. MLS Search Capabilities

According to Realtor Magazine, the #1 and #2 most important things consumers want are lots of property photos and descriptions and searchable listings. If your site is just an online brochure, you will not likely be visited again.

2. Search Engine Optimized Content

Optimize Your Site for All Communities in Your Market, not just the Big One. Instead of trying to throw the widest net possible over a large metropolitan area (like "Denver Real Estate"), you should instead be looking for your little chunk of heaven within the huge metroplex you live in.

3. A Blog

Blogging has many benefits such as adding new, fresh content regularly to your website which keeps you looking fresh to search engines. Blogging also can help you become known as the local real estate expert. See Realtor Magazine's May 2006 feature: http://www.realtor.org/rmomag.NSF/pages/feature1amay06.

4. Custom design and Personal Branding

Do you look like every other agent in your office, or do you stand out. If your website looks just like everyone elses in your office, why should they work with you over them?

5. No flash or sound

If you make home buyers go through a production number every time they come to your site, they simply won't come back. Quick content will impress them, not whiz bang Flash and Sound intros.

6. Map

If you must use Flash, use it smartly with an easy to use clickable color Map of your local marketing area that users can instantly go to the Community listings they seek. There are many map options available now and studies have shown that giving this visual tool for them to search with is a winner.

7. An easy way to request info

Make sure you make it easy to ask for Special Reports on a wide variety of subjects, Relocation information, How Much Is My Home Worth, Listing info for homes. Something will appeal to someone at sometime.

8. A way for leads to be automatically entered into your primary contact database

Depending on what systems you are using, it is not inconceivable that you could have two, three, four or more different online systems running with their own database contact system. This is an administrative nightmare. Make sure all of your contacts are run through just one.

9. Automatic Lead Follow up Plan

It all comes back to Systems. Make sure your website has automatic follow up plans set up to contact the leads regularly. This should include a mixture of emails, scheduled phone calls and mailings. If you follow the things here, you will have an abundance of leads and you dont want all those leads slipping through the cracks!