These days, the home search almost always begins online. Before buyers ever step into an open house or reach out to an agent, they’re browsing listings, researching neighborhoods, and checking out local professionals; all from their phones and laptops.
Whether a prospective client is referred by a friend, discovers a property through a portal, or sees your name on a yard sign, chances are they’ll type your name into Google before reaching out. What they find in that moment can either open a door or quietly close one.
Your Digital First Impression
When a potential client searches for you online, what shows up first? For many agents, the results are a scattered mix: a Facebook page, a broker-provided profile, perhaps an older listing on a third-party site. These assets are useful, but they don’t always offer a clear, consistent picture of who you are and what you offer.
In an industry built on trust and personal connection, a strong online presence isn’t about vanity, it’s about visibility, professionalism, and credibility.
Why Owning Your Online Presence Matters
When it comes to building long-term credibility and a consistent brand, nothing replaces having a website that you fully own and control.
With your own website, you create a central hub that reflects you: your style, your values, your expertise, and your market focus. It’s where clients can get a clear, uninterrupted picture of who you are and how you work. Instead of scattering your presence across multiple platforms, a dedicated website ties it all together.
A personal website helps you:
- Attract more qualified clients by showing up in local searches.
- Establish trust and credibility with a professional, polished presence.
- Showcase your unique value, from years of experience to your neighborhood expertise.
- Build your brand for the long-term, where you’re the one in control.
- Showcase your work. From recent listings to testimonials and blog posts, a personal site can serve as an always-on portfolio.
- Easily capture more leads with lead-generation forms that give curious visitors a direct next step.
It’s not just about being online, it’s about owning your place in the digital landscape and making sure your first impression is both strong and memorable.
Your website brings everything together. You can link out to your social media, embed videos, share content, and funnel traffic from email campaigns or ads back to one central place—your name, your brand, your platform.

Three Steps to Strengthen Your Online Brand
- Secure a website ending in .realtor and .realestate. A custom URL like Your Brand.realestate or YourName.realtor builds trust and shows you're serious. These domains are exclusive to NAR members, giving you the trust and credibility needed to stand out from day one.
- Launch a professionally designed, SEO-optimized website. Get.realtor is a digital branding platform for real estate professionals with 30+ customizable website templates built to attract clients and help you rank on Google. Your site comes preloaded with your info, so you can go live in minutes without the heavy lift.
- Build credibility with a professional email address. A branded email like info@YourBrand.realestate instantly boosts your professionalism and brand recognition.
A Smart Move for Your Brand
As the real estate landscape becomes more digital—and more competitive—agents who invest in their online presence are setting themselves up for long-term success. Your personal website isn’t an item to check off your list; it’s a foundational asset that supports everything else you do, from social media to referral conversions.
And if you’re a NAR member, you already have a head start.
get.realtor offers agents a streamlined way to build a professional, branded website with tools tailored to the real estate industry. With features like built-in lead generation, SEO, and flexible website templates, it’s a practical way to take control of your online presence without starting from scratch.
Learn more at get.realtor.