Did you know that in 2021, 70% of licensed realtors had a website? Even more astonishing, 97% of buyers are now searching online to find their ideal real estate property [^1^]. With the growing popularity of online directories and the current pandemic, creating a real estate directory website has become even more lucrative.
But building a real estate directory is not as easy as it sounds. It usually requires expertise in web programming languages or the hiring of a developer. Luckily, WordPress and Directorist offer a free solution to help you create your own real estate directory.
Create a Real Estate Directory Website for Free
Assuming you already have a WordPress website up and running, there are two things you'll need to proceed:
Requirements
- A directory plugin (Free)
- A directory theme (Free)
For this tutorial, we will be using the Directorist plugin and the OneListing theme [^2^]. Directorist is a highly scalable and versatile plugin with a range of free features including a drag and drop page builder, unlimited custom fields, integrations with popular page builders like Elementor and Gutenberg, and many more [^2^]. The OneListing theme, on the other hand, provides a sophisticated and stylish look for your website [^2^].
Now, let's dive into the steps:
Step 1: Install & Activate Directorist
To install Directorist, navigate to your WP Admin Dashboard, go to Plugins, click on Add New, search for "Directorist," and hit the "Install Now" button [^2^]. Once installed, activate the plugin and configure the setup wizard [^2^].
Step 2: Install a Free Directory Theme
Next, go to Appearance, click on Themes, and then on Add New. Upload the 'onelisting.zip' file and install the OneListing theme [^2^]. Activate the theme to apply the changes [^2^].
Step 3: Create Categories & Tags for Your Website
Creating categories and tags will help keep your directory website organized. Users can select relevant categories and tags when uploading their listings, making it easier for visitors to find what they're looking for [^2^]. In the Directorist menu, you'll find options to add and customize categories and tags [^2^].
Step 4: How to Add New Locations
Adding locations allows users to search for real estate properties based on specific locations. To add locations, go to Directory Listing, click on Locations, enter the necessary details, and hit the Add New Location button [^2^].
Step 5: Listing Submission by Users
Users can now upload listings by going to the "Add Listing" page. They'll need to fill out the required fields and submit their listings [^2^]. The listing page will display all the submitted listings, providing a comprehensive view for visitors [^2^].
Step 6: Adding Advanced Feature: Monetizing Your Directory Website
Directorist offers various ways to monetize your real estate directory website, including charging for listings, featured listings, business claims, private listing viewing, advertising, membership fees, and more [^2^]. You can refer to the article "How to Monetize a Directory Listing Website" for detailed information [^2^].
Step 7: Adding a Free Payment Gateway
In the free version of Directorist, you can receive payments through offline bank transfers. Simply insert your bank account details in the Monetization settings [^2^]. Note that online payment gateways like Stripe, PayPal, and Authorize.net are available in the premium version [^2^].
Bonus Tips
Directorist offers free support for both Elementor and Gutenberg. You can use Elementor's widgets to customize the appearance of your website, and with Gutenberg, you can generate Directorist pages using their blocks [^2^]. The possibilities for customization are vast.
Wrapping Up
With Directorist, you can create a real estate directory website quickly and easily. The free version of the plugin offers a range of features that are often sold as premium in other directory tools [^2^]. If you're interested, you can try out the demo version before fully committing to it.
We hope this tutorial has provided you with everything you need to build your own real estate directory website. If you have any questions or encounter any issues, feel free to reach out to us in the comments section. And if you're already using Directorist, we'd love to hear about your experiences.
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Start creating your real estate directory website today, and let Directorist guide you every step of the way!
[^1^]: Source: National Association of Realtors & gaar [^2^]: Images and content sourced from sanaulac.vn