A property management website is essential for building owners and property managers to better take care of the spaces they lease out. It can help streamline day to day operations and communications by providing an intuitive information hub that empowers prospects and tenants to access everything they need easily. To build it, the easiest way is to use a property management website template.
Not only is it expensive to create property management website design and build it from scratch, but it can also take a great deal of time to get it just right. Therefore, property management website templates are a viable alternative. You can have a fool proof, working site in less than two weeks at a much lower cost and with far less hassle.
While there are a few commercial property management website templates created by commercial real estate marketing software companies, there are few to be found on commonly used sites like WordPress. Naturally, it can be hard to distinguish which template will serve you best. Here’s everything you should consider when comparing templates.
Existing Property Management Website Templates
If you’re looking for something truly custom with more than just the essential functions of a property management platform, it’s best to seek out a development company that can create a hub for you from scratch.
However, most property managers will find that the template selection on WordPress, which is a widely used web hosting software, will provide ample customisation and functionality. There you can find a handful of residential property management templates and a few commercial management website templates that can be adapted to your needs. This solution is easy to use and can be customised to fit your properties branding.
Alternatively, the easiest of all three solutions is to use a property management website template by a commercial real estate marketing software company; these templates are built by industry experts who have identified the needs of your company and the website’s intended audience. This solution is also intuitive to use from the get-go, can be customised to match the intended look and feel you want to achieve and can be pushed to market very quickly.
What Makes a Good Property Management Website Template?
When it comes to selecting a good property management website template, there are a few key points you’ll want to consider. Not only should it be easy to use, but it must also have the capabilities to communicate with tenants effectively.
You should also consider how effortlessly it integrates with other property management tools and tenant engagement applications you might use. Any solution you choose should be efficient, meaning it can be customised and up and running within a week or two.
Opting for a ready-made template will save you time and money over the development of a custom property management website from scratch. The template you choose should offer consistency and clarity on each page of your website. This is important for tenants to digest information at a glance. Visual assets are also a high priority. Choose a template that has the ability to showcase images, videos, or other important visual assets in an eye-catching manner. It is crucial to have a template that works seamlessly on desktop, tablet, and mobile devices; this provides an optimal user experience no matter how your tenants wish to view the website.
Elements to Include on a Property Management Website Template
There are six key elements to include on your property management website, a template that can accommodate these functions is ideal; these basic functionalities will help with day-to-day management and ensure your tenants are always informed.
Property Descriptions
It’s important to include a well written property description to cover where what and why on your website, more specifically, where you are located, what facilities and services you offer and why tenants should choose you. All basic information like available leases, amenities, square footage, and rental terms should take priority on your website. This is also important for creating a strong SEO presence.
Photography and video
Without images, graphics or videos, your property management website won’t be as engaging. It’s important to balance the informative nature of the platform while also utilising enticing imagery that depicts the property in its entirety. Always opt for professionally captured images, as these will best encapsulate the environment. Visuals make a significant difference for potential new tenants but are also useful when conveying information to existing tenants.
Integrated Work Order System
Managing work orders manually can lead to errors and takes up an immense amount of time. When managing a property, an integrated work order system can help organise any demands for repairs, maintenance, and daily tasks in an efficient manner. Not only is it easier for your management team, but it allows tenants greater ease of access.
Tenant Directory
By displaying tenant information, your website helps to solidify a community within the property and is an excellent form of social proof. This is increasingly common for commercial properties that cater to corporate clients. Many corporate clients are more attracted to a property if they find a company they admire is also occupying that space.
Tenant Portal
This information portal is a must-have for tenants to access valuable information and documents. A centralised tool for booking facilities, flagging issues, viewing rental payments, and having 24/7 access to any important digital documentation. A tenant portal can streamline communications and can help automate many managerial tasks.
Contact Information
Your management team’s contact information should be a key feature on your property management website. Whether an email, form contact or telephone, it’s vital that your tenants have an open line of communication with you. Many sites add this information on the footer of their website, so it is accessible on every page.
The Best Property Management Website Template Features
There will be several pros and cons when you consider which property management website template to use; here are five features you should not forgo.
Customisation
Having a website that doesn’t adhere to your existing branding may damage your credibility. Therefore, it’s important that you choose a template that can be customised accordingly. The template should be easy to edit and manage content without having to spend a large amount of time understanding how to use it. The simpler it is to use, the quicker you can add, edit, and update information in the long run.
SEO tools
Your websites searchability should be top of mind. Within your template, you should have the ability to add custom titles and meta descriptions that will help each page of your website rank higher on Google’s key search phrases. Your website template should also be built in a way that adheres to Google’s published best practices.
Responsive, Mobile-Friendly Design
Now more than ever, people use their mobile devices as their primary means of accessing the internet. That’s why any web developer will tell you to design with mobile-first in mind. That being said, you should have a responsive, quick experience across all platforms, no matter if it is a mobile phone, tablet, or desktop computer. In the same vein, website templates should load quickly, even when displaying several images.
Photo Gallery Features
We’ve discussed the importance of using images and visual assets to your advantage above. These are often the first thing people see when visiting your website. Be sure to find a property management website template that has gallery capabilities; this can include a slideshow feature, a carousel, grid layouts, mosaics, or full-screen imagery.
Easy Plugins and Integrations
Your property management website should seamlessly link with all other tools you use to manage your property and tenants. Choose a template that works well with existing property management software and accommodate a variety of plugins that can further enhance the experience of this portal.