Real Estate Investor Websites: Are They Worth The Effort?

How Do Websites Work for Real Estate Investors, and Which Ones Are the Best?

When it comes to generating leads and making profit, how important are online real estate investor tools?

Although offline communications and relationship building are still vital to real estate investors, it may surprise you that having a clear and intuitive website is also one of the best things a real estate investor can… well, invest in.

In a recent study about commercial real estate software, 44% of realtors reported using e-documents as an impactful tool as part of their working campaigns and 39% of agents and brokers made changes to their marketing strategy by incorporating new tech tools.

A great website not only gives you increased visibility, but also backs you up with authority and credibility. Think about it: when you want to find out about a topic or a new company, where do you go to find out about them and make up your mind on whether to work with them?

Online, of course.

Yes, showing up in person with natural skills goes a long way, but the right approach to Search Engine Optimization (SEO), lead generation, and follow-up tracking, plus conversion optimization, technology can take you even further.

But how?

In this article, we will walk you through the different types of real estate investor websites, and, by way of example, show you five of the best websites for real estate investors online today.

Different Types of Real Estate Investor Websites

In general, there are three main kinds of websites for real estate investors:

• Educational – These websites are a place to learn from other investors who share their wins and mistakes, allowing you to avoid pitfalls and recognize your own opportunities and beat the competition. The downside of these sites is that they are pretty static, with articles to read and then take away with your own conclusions and little interaction available.
• Community – One of the best tools for real estate investors, community platforms are a great place to meet and network with fellow investors, whether they are based in your town, city, state, or country, and showcase insights from other areas around the globe! As far as we’re concerned, that’s one great reason to get online. However, sometimes these sites can become very crowded with many opinions—make sure you check your own internal gauge before making any new decisions.
• Listing – How many times have you wondered where to find opportunities for affordable home prices for greater returns? Listings online give you a portal into other areas you can’t reach as easily with cold calls, door-knocking, and driving-for-dollars. But, while a far-reaching real estate investors list is invaluable, be wary of spreading yourself too thinly and potentially working on someone else’s patch—someone who knows the areas better than you do.

Top Real Estate Investor Websites for 2024

Here’s a rundown of five of what we consider the best real estate investor websites in 2024.

REsimpli

REsimpli is an all-in-one real estate CRM software solution that covers everything a real estate investor needs, from accounting software to an integrated communications system.

This website is suitable for even the most reluctant technology user, as it calls for almost zero customization to set it up, simply making it easier for investors to initiate leads and make great profits at an affordable price.

Set up by real estate investors, this is neat and convenient real estate software for investors so that you can obliterate those CRM woes with one easy-to-use platform.

Some features include a CRM for managing contacts, properties, and campaigns, list stacking functionality that most people have to pay for separately, route tracking for efficiency in driving for dollars campaigns, and accounting software.

It has three plans to choose from, as well as several add-on options for those who need them.

While many people would prefer a 30-day trial, 14 days should be enough for you to see how things go with this CRM tool.

Roofstock

Roofstock is unique in that it is the only marketplace you will find online that allows real estate investors to buy single-family homes and small complexes where the tenants are already in residence.

In just four years, this website has helped investors to generate $2 billion in single-family rental transactions.

That said, this site does allow you to buy or sell any kind of property, not just single-family homes, so it does not limit investors to one kind of property.

One great feature of this site is its property manager match-up service, so you can employ someone trustworthy to maintain the property on your behalf.

Finally, if you are an accredited real estate investor, you also have the opportunity to make money through a more passive approach, but you should know that this required at least $5,000 from you to kick things off.

BiggerPockets

This website gives you access to the whole real estate investor community and as such, it welcomes newcomers and experienced realtors alike. Here, investors can chat, network, and learn from others.

It has a whopping 20 million members to date and also has a wealth of tools to help them with their planning strategies.

There are tips on tons of real estate topics like finding partnerships, how to make a great deal, financing issues, and questions, plus all the wisdom you need to make the best decisions, no matter how new to the game you are.

In terms of pricing, you have the option to pay for your account, with access to a wealth of resources and people.

Plus, you can use lots of great tools to estimate, calculate, and analyze key facts within the current market.

Just watch out for the inevitable negativity and disputes that social media websites can bring!

ActiveRain

This is a hybrid of a professional social network and a real estate investor blog.

At the last count, it had more than 300,000 members, so it is truly one of the largest real estate investor websites.

Visitors have access to over 4 million blog posts on just about every topic relating to real estate and all that it entails, from marketing, sales tactics, and operational tips—as a bonus, you can sign up for training classes and brush up on your skills real-time, with real people.

It acts as a springboard for those who want to blog for self-promotion, leveraging its popularity for those who want to get seen in Google rankings more easily and prominently—an achievement that can take years for the blog-writing realtors who try this on their own website.

A downside here though is that Active Rain is the main attraction here, so even if you blog for your company, your competition is also visible.

Zillow

One of the most established sites for investors, Zillow is a real estate marketplace that allows users to search millions of sales and rentals.

The site is open to renters, buyers, sellers, agents, and mortgage professionals alike, all of whom can share vital information with each other.

The website and its accompanying app do a staggering job of collecting data from over 110 million real estate properties across the US.

There are many resources here, including pricing estimates and trends, the ability to screen tenants, and even collect rent online, and it saves you from having to do your own vital research with stats about everything from home values and future forecasts to sale prices, sales count, and price cuts.

Be aware though that, maybe because of the sheer volume of information available on Zillow, it does not always have the most up-to-date information.

So, once you have found your morsel of knowledge, we recommend backing that up with your own research.

Final Thoughts

There are three main kinds of real estate investor websites: educational, community, and listing.

Some sites act as real estate investor forums, and some are educational hubs or a place to access listings and stats.

All types of websites cover the principle of providing real estate investor education, allowing you to make the best decisions, deals, and the most amount of return on your investment.

Real estate investor websites are more than just a check in a box — they give your business authority, credibility, and visibility.