Have you ever thought about how real estate agencies used to showcase their interior designs and convey their visual meanings in advertising? These are hundreds and thousands of photographs, and faxes that had to be sent before a certain time for publication in specialized magazines the next day, and so on, in short, it was difficult, cumbersome, slow, and time-consuming. But then the Internet appeared, and real estate agency websites began to flourish thanks to Real Estate UI/UX Design Services.
At the dawn of the Internet, when UX design did not yet exist, the websites of real estate agencies (as well as other professions) made people want to run away. At that time, real estate agency websites were just one big online business map. And since we only knew that, we were happy with it.
How to create a user-oriented web design for real estate?
Users are more demanding than ever, and if your site doesn’t meet their needs, you risk losing potential customers. At the stage of generating an idea, you need to think seriously about user requests. How can they find important content? How can your website create a great user experience? The first thing you can do is examine your competitors’ websites and identify their strengths and weaknesses, putting yourself in the user’s shoes.
Usability versus aesthetics
A “cool and trendy” modern website often fails when it comes to usability testing. By trying to do too much in design with visual effects, you often lose your users because you lose sight of the purpose of your site.
Designers often forget that people come to a real estate website for information, but first of all about an apartment or a house. And, wanting to do too much, they create very beautiful sites, but not so convenient.
So, don’t let your creative inspiration rule the process, you better focus on a minimalistic design with basic functionality because real estate sites are no longer that simple.
Stick to the basic rules
- Consistency
Each element looks the same on every page of the site.
- Intuition
All links, buttons, and forms are in the expected places.
- Simplicity
A website with a minimum number of pages and relevant content.
- Friendliness
A design that requires little effort to understand.
- Structure
All content is presented logically and well organized.
You can apply some design trends in your project, such as video or your own animation, but don’t forget to do it reasonable.
Intuitive navigation
Users visiting the real estate website expect simple user interaction and easy navigation.
Unfortunately, 67% of them are likely to leave the site if they are confused by its navigation, and 94% of the first impressions of the site are related to its structure, navigation and visual appearance. Moreover, 46% of mobile users have difficulty interacting with a web page, and 44% complain that it causes stress.
To check if navigation on your site is convenient, you can use the three-click rule. If you can find the content you need in three clicks, it means that the site map and navigation are user-friendly.
Here are some tips for improving navigation.
- “Sticky” menus
Thanks to this feature, users will always see the menu at the top of each page when scrolling down. This will help them move back and forth quickly and understand where they are.
- Ariadne’s thread
Now well-known, this element helps your customers always determine their current position, continue browsing, or return.
- Call-to-action buttons
They attract attention and serve as landmarks on your real estate website. Make all the buttons on your website visually appealing, keep them consistent, and place them all over the site without overdoing it.
- Be sober about your titles
Use traditional simple headings for sections and menu pages. Your users will understand what is on the “About Us” page or what to expect in the Latest News section.
- Logo
Always use it as a link to the home page. This seems obvious, but even today many websites do not have this feature.
- Useful icons
Always place items that users can search for: address, phone number, menu, and contact form.
Conclusion
In conclusion, creating an effective real estate website hinges on a balance between aesthetic appeal and usability. By prioritizing user-oriented design and adhering to fundamental principles such as consistency, simplicity, and intuitive navigation, real estate websites can enhance user experience and retain potential clients. Utilizing Real Estate UI/UX Design Services ensures that the site not only looks good but also functions efficiently, guiding users seamlessly through their search for properties.
