Buckle UP! This is a 30+ minute SEO audit where I give everything from general seo advice to niche SEO tips in real estate. 

The world of real estate is becoming increasingly competitive, as agents you’re not only competing against everyone in your market, including large teams, but you have the likes of realtor.ca and the big Z capturing major organic market share, so having a solid SEO strategy is crucial to standing out, but quite frankly, it’s not easy. Over the course of this series, I’ve dived into a few top real estate websites that are looking to emerge and dominate in their markets. I’ll be breaking down everything from essential SEO topics that every real estate professional should know, to backlinks, advanced strategies, and more.

These are long sessions, live, and raw, stream them while you’re working to get a feel for the SEO mind sets you can explore, some practices you can implement, and takeaways for your website.  

Introduction: Why Real Estate SEO Matters

The real estate market is saturated with players of all sizes, from large companies with high domain authority to solo agents trying to carve out their niche. With almost all buyers and sellers starting their journey online, it’s essential to position yourself where they can find you—search engines. In this series, I’ve broken down various SEO strategies, from the basics to more advanced techniques, showing you how to navigate this complex landscape.

Real Estate SEO Audit: Boosting Your Visibility in the New Jersey Market

Getting Started with Your SEO Journey

If you’re just getting started with SEO, this video audit will help you understand some key foundational elements, whether you’re using Sierra, Real Geeks, or another platform like WordPress. The first step is understanding your current domain health and identifying where to focus your SEO efforts.

Domain Rating and URL Rating

One of the initial things to focus on is your domain rating (DR) and URL rating (UR). For allnjhomes.com, the DR is relatively low, which is expected for newer sites. The DR represents the strength of the entire domain’s backlink profile, while the UR focuses on individual pages. These metrics are critical because they tell search engines how authoritative your site is. If you’re looking to compete for valuable keywords, focusing on building high-quality backlinks is essential.

The Importance of Backlinks

Building backlinks the right way is crucial, and this is where many real estate sites falter. The key is not just to acquire any backlinks but to focus on relevant, high-authority sources that align with your content. For example, if you’re targeting keywords like “New Jersey luxury homes,” aim to get backlinks from local community pages, news articles, or directories that are relevant to luxury real estate.

Start by identifying keywords you want to rank for and then find content opportunities that naturally allow you to build links back to your pages. Look for local blogs or community resources, such as a local library’s “Things to Do” page, and see if there are opportunities to collaborate or contribute content that links back to your website.

Structuring Your Content: Headers and Tags

One of the surprising discoveries in this audit was the presence of multiple H1 tags on certain competitor sites. While the conventional SEO wisdom suggests using only one H1 tag per page, it’s clear that some high-ranking sites are successfully using multiple H1 tags. Experimenting with this approach could be beneficial, particularly if you’re focusing on ranking for multiple variations of a keyword, like “New Jersey luxury homes” and “Bernardsville mansions.”

Make sure your H2 and H3 tags are optimized for questions and subtopics that people might search for. For instance, on a page targeting “Luxury Homes in New Jersey,” include H2 tags like “What Makes a Home a Luxury Property in New Jersey?” or “Top Communities for Luxury Real Estate in NJ.” This structure not only helps with SEO but also improves user experience by making your content more digestible.

Deep-Diving into Specific Pages

One of the key opportunities identified for allnjhomes.com is fleshing out content on specific community and property-type pages. Pages like “Bernardsville Mansions” are great starting points. These pages should not just list properties but provide valuable information that keeps users engaged. Consider answering questions like, “What are the most sought-after amenities in Bernardsville mansions?” or “How does the local market affect luxury home prices?”

Adding these types of content blocks can also help you build internal links across your site. For example, a page discussing “Luxury Homes in Bernardsville” should link to related pages like “Condos for Sale in Bernardsville” or “Top Neighborhoods in Bernardsville.”

Leveraging Niche Opportunities

One of the best strategies for newer or lower-DR sites is focusing on niche keywords. Instead of trying to compete for broad terms like “New Jersey Real Estate,” it’s more effective to target specific communities, property types, or even unique market segments like “Mansions for Sale in Bernardsville” or “Condos with Boat Slips in NJ.” The more specific you get, the less competition you’ll face, and the quicker you’ll see results.

For example, consider creating a dedicated page for a luxury condominium building in your area. Not only will you face less competition, but you’ll also be able to rank more easily for terms like “[Building Name] Condos for Sale.” These niche pages can then link back to broader category pages, helping you build a strong internal linking structure that Google loves.

The Role of Content and Engagement

Google prioritizes content that keeps users engaged. Make sure your pages aren’t just filled with listings; they should also include relevant articles, tips, and guides. If a user spends more time on your site because they’re reading through helpful content, Google sees this as a positive signal and is more likely to rank your site higher.

Final Thoughts

SEO is a long game, but by focusing on niche keywords, building strong backlinks, and structuring your content effectively, you can start to see real results. Whether you’re targeting luxury real estate or another niche, the strategies outlined here are good initial steps toward creating a more visible site in his Scotts market.

Stay tuned for more detailed audits and strategy sessions in the coming weeks, where we’ll dive deeper into other areas like technical SEO, competitor analysis, and more.

Navigating the world of real estate can be like learning a new language, especially when it comes to the unique slang used by REALTORS® in different regions. From the Great White North to the vast United States, real estate professionals have developed their own lingo to describe everything from types of homes to market conditions. Here’s a playful look at some of the most common REALTOR® slang found across the great prairies in Canada to the swamps of Florida.

Traditional USA Real Estate Slang

1. Fixer-Upper: Properties needing some TLC, ideal for buyers with a vision for renovation.
2. Comps: Short for comparables, these are recently sold properties used to gauge market value.
3. Escrow: A secure holding period for transaction funds until all sale conditions are met.
4. Short Sale: Sales where the proceeds fall short of the mortgage owed, often a pre-foreclosure scenario.
5. Curb Appeal: The initial visual charm of a property as seen from the street, crucial for first impressions.

American Agent to Agent slang

• Looky-Loo: A person who shows interest in viewing homes but has no serious intention to buy – the window shopper of real estate.
• McMansion: A large, modern house that’s often criticized for being ostentatious and lacking architectural integrity.
• Nosey Neighbor: The person who comes to open houses just to see how others live – not a potential buyer, just curious.
• Housezilla: A client who has unrealistic expectations and demands about the property they want to purchase.
• Condo Commando: An overzealous condo association member who enforces rules with military precision.

Common Canadian REALTOR® Slang

• Bungalow: Canadians love their bungalows – single-story homes perfect for easy living and accessibility.
• Closing Day: The thrilling moment when the deal is done, keys are handed over, and you finally get to breathe (and maybe do a little happy dance).
• Offer Presentation: The drama-filled event where all the offers come in. Think of it as a reality TV show, more paperwork and less crying (hopefully).
• Deposit: A chunk of change that says, “I’m serious about this house!” Also known as the “put your money where your mouth is” part of the contract.
• Strata: In B.C., this means condo living with shared spaces. Basically, it’s like having roommates, but you don’t have to share your snacks.

Agent to Agent Canadian slang

• Tire-Kicker: Someone who shows a lot of interest but has no intention of buying – like a kid in a candy store with no allowance.
• Snowbirders: Clients who aim to migrate south for the winter – think of it as a vacation home for Older Canadian geese.
• Maple Flip: When a property is quickly bought and sold for profit, often involving some cosmetic upgrades – the Canadian version of house flipping.
• Hockey Room: A finished basement area, typically decked out for watching games and hosting rowdy celebrations.
• Eh-State: A play on “real estate,” used humorously to refer to the Canadian property market.

Funny REALTOR® Slang

Carpet Canyon

A house with wall-to-wall carpeting in every single room, including the bathrooms. Perfect if you love the 70s and hate hardwood floors.

Drive-by

A quick check of a property from the car. Great for when you don’t want to get out and risk a conversation with the neighbors.

Flipper Flop

A property that was bought to flip but didn’t turn out as profitable as planned. Often involves a lot of DIY gone wrong and regret.

Garage Mahal

An oversized garage that dwarfs the house itself. Ideal for car enthusiasts, or anyone who just loves having extra space to store random junk.

Pottery Barned

A home that’s been staged to perfection with stylish furniture and décor, often making you question your own taste in home furnishings.

Stairway to Heaven

A multi-story home with so many stairs, it feels like a workout every time you go to the kitchen. Great for fitness enthusiasts and mountain goats.

A career in real estate in Texas can be one of those rare but rewarding career paths where you have control over your schedule and your income potential. 

As with most worthwhile things, you must lay some groundwork to earn your real estate license in Texas. 

There’s an educational requirement, a state exam, and the need to find a sponsoring broker. In this article, we show you all the necessary steps for getting your real estate license in Texas, including the costs, time frame, commitments, and how to find a broker.

Educational Requirements

You won’t need a college degree to pursue your dream of becoming a real estate agent in Texas, but there is an educational component as set out by the Texas Real Estate Commission (TREC). 

The requirements include 180 hours of TREC-approved pre-licensing courses, broken into six modules lasting 30 hours each. These are as follows:

1. Principles of Real Estate I
2. Principles of Real Estate II
3. Law of Agency
4. Law of Contracts 
5. Promulgated Contract Forms
6. Real Estate Finance

All the modules are available online and can be accessed anywhere on smartphones, PCs, and laptops, making them a convenient way to start a rewarding career. 

The courses are designed to give you a solid foundation in understanding real estate terminology and your professional obligations when you finally qualify.

Once you complete all six courses, your next step is to pass the pre-license course final exam. While it is a self-paced study, you must complete all requirements within 12 months of submitting your application, which should be plenty of time for most aspiring real estate agents. From here, you will email your course completion certificates to TREC. 

Texas Real Estate License Requirements

Two types of real estate licenses are available, so the requirements can differ depending on which one you are going for. 

For example, a Texa real estate agent can manage real estate transactions, but only while working for a licensed broker. 

In contrast, a broker can manage their own company and hire other agents to work for them. Both licenses require you to complete everything within 12 months of applying. 

These are the requirements for becoming a real estate agent: 

• You must be over 18 years old
• You must pass the final exam
• You must complete all 180 hours of the real estate coursework through an approved provider
• Provide truthful and accurate information 
• Have a broker sponsor activate your license

If your goal is to become a broker and run your own agency, here’s what you need to do:

• Be over 18 years old
• Have four years of experience as an agent within the previous five years
• Complete 270 hours of real estate coursework (divided between 7 courses) through an approved provider 
• Have an additional 630 hours of continuing education courses or a four-year degree in real estate
• Pass the final exam
• Provide truthful information and pass a background check (list any convictions on your application, even minor ones)

Application and Licensing Process

The application and licensing process for obtaining a Texas real estate license involves several steps, as outlined in the documents provided by the Texas Real Estate Commission (TREC), AceableAgent, VanEd, and Champions School of Real Estate.

1. Register with TREC: Registering with the Texas Real Estate Commission (TREC) online is the first step. TREC will email you a username and password to log in to the TREC Online Services.
2. Submit a Texas Real Estate Salesperson application: After setting up your TREC account, you can submit a Texas Real Estate Salesperson application with a one-time fee of $185.
3. Email TREC your course completion certificates: After completing the required pre-licensing courses, you must email your course completion certificates to TREC. Do this as soon as possible because you cannot schedule a licensing exam until your completion certificates are processed and TREC has issued your exam eligibility letter.
4. Prepare for the Texas real estate exam: While waiting for TREC to process your application, you can use this time to prepare for the real estate exam. Exam prep can include practice tests and other study materials.
5. Schedule and pass the Texas Real Estate Licensing exam: Once TREC has processed your application and you receive your exam eligibility letter, you can schedule your Texas Real Estate licensing exam. An organization called Pearson VUE administers the exam. Get a score of 70% or higher, and you pass.
6. Complete a background check and fingerprinting: After receiving your eligibility letter, you must schedule your required fingerprinting and complete a background check.

How Long Does it Take to Get a Texas Real Estate License?

How long it will take before you have a real estate license in your hand and ready to go will depend on a few factors, including:

1. Education Requirements: You will need to complete the 180 hours of approved pre-licensing courses. The time it takes to complete these courses will depend on how much time you devote to your studies. If you treat the course like a full-time job, you will have it done and dusted in around 3 to 4 weeks. Most of us don’t have that much free time, so the average is 4-6 months.
2. Application Processing: After you have successfully passed your tests and submitted your application, TREC will usually take between 15-21 business days to process your application and issue your eligibility letter.
3. Exam Preparation and Completion: While waiting for TREC to process your application, you can prepare for the real estate exam. Once your application is complete and you have received your exam eligibility letter, you can schedule your exam. Your time commitment will vary depending on your study habits, test-taking skills, and current employment commitments.
4. Background Check and Fingerprinting: Having your fingerprints on file is required by law for all Texas real estate agents. The entire process of fingerprinting and background checking is typically completed in 7-10 business days. We highly recommend the electronic fingerprinting process, as it’s much more accurate and faster.
5. Finding a Sponsoring Broker: Once you have a passing grade, you must find a licensed Texas broker to sponsor you to activate your license. The time it takes to find a good broker will depend on how much research you do and the effort you put in. 

From start to finish, you are looking at around 3 to 4 months on average to get your license, with some students taking six months or more. As with everything else, the more effort you put in, the faster you will achieve results. 

Exam Details

You won’t be a fully-fledged real estate agent until you pass the Texa real estate licensing exam.  The exam is administered by PearsonVUE, a testing service company, and is divided into two sections: national and state-specific.

Structure of the Exam

You will have 150 minutes to answer 85 questions for the national section, while the state section has 40 questions and a 90-minute time limit. Both sections are completed in the same session. giving you a total of four hours to complete both.

Scoring and Passing Score

Getting 70% or more of the questions right is a pass. If you do the math, you will need to correctly answer at least 56 out of the 80 questions on the exam.

Exam Preparation

Everyone prepares for exams differently. However, practice tests, like those included with the AceableAgent Texas Real Estate Course, have proved invaluable in helping students achieve success. 

AceableAgent also provides packages that include PrepAgent, a top-tier exam preparation platform designed to help you excel in your exam. When your eligibility letter arrives, you will also receive an exam candidate handbook from TREC and Pearson VUE to help you get ready.

Where to Schedule the Exam

Once TREC approves your application, you can schedule your exam. Pearson VUE administers all real estate licensing exams at various test centers across Texas.

Call Pearson VUE directly or hop online and schedule your exam at least 24 hours before your preferred date. 

While it is possible to schedule your exam up to one calendar day before the time you want to sit it, availability could be an issue. Try to schedule the exam a few days before the date that’s most convenient for you. 

Retaking the Exam

If you fail the exam, you will receive a report detailing the numeric score for the portion that you failed. When you resit, you will only need to retake the failed portion, provided you do so within one year of submitting your application.  

You can fail the exam up to three times, but if it comes to that, you will need to complete another 30 classroom hours for each failed portion. Once these hours are complete, you will get another opportunity to resit the exam. 

Applying for a License Online

It’s possible to apply for a real estate license online. The review process typically takes a few weeks, giving you plenty of opportunity to prepare for the exam. 

How Much Does a Real Estate License Cost?

License costs can vary, but here’s a basic breakdown of what you can expect to pay. 

1. Pre-License Courses: The cost for the 180 hours of courses can range from $500 to $1,000, depending on the school, format (online vs. in-person), and bundled services, if any.
2. State Exam Fee: The Texas real estate licensing exam fee is $42 per attempt.
3. Texas Real Estate License Application Fee: The application fee for a Texas Real Estate Salesperson license is $185 for a two-year license.
4. Fingerprinting and Background Check Fee: Once you receive your eligibility letter you’ll need to go through the background and fingerprinting check, which is $38.25.
5. Recovery Trust Fund: There is also a $10 fee for the Recovery Trust Fund.

In summary, the total cost to get a Texas real estate license can range from approximately $626.25 to $1,276.25, depending on the cost of your pre-licensing courses. 

How to Find a Good Broker

Finding a real estate broker is the final step to achieving your goal. Ideally, you will want a broker you can rely on for employment, mentorship, and support. Use these tips to help you land a great employer.

Brokerag e Size: Consider the size and culture of the brokerage. You may be the type of personality who enjoys the dynamic of a large brokerage with a large state-wide network. Or, you might prefer getting in on the ground floor, enjoying the challenge of helping a young brokerage grow.

Training and Support: You don’t want to stagnate in your career, so look for a brokerage that offers comprehensive new agent training and mentorship programs. 

Help with Lead Generation: As a new agent, your lead generation skills will need polishing. Find a brokerage that uses a proven system to generate leads. You should also find out who gets the leads and how they are assigned. 

Marketing: Choose a brokerage willing to help you with marketing and increasing your exposure. Learn more about how they promote open houses and new listings. Check out their internet and social media presence to get a better handle on how they do things. The number of social media followers and client testimonials can give you a good idea of the brokerage’s quality. 

Check Social Media: Aspiring agents can find plenty of Facebook groups dedicated to providing honest feedback about working at different brokerages around the state. 

Meet In Person: Once you’ve narrowed your choices to two or three good brokerages, schedule a meeting in person, or at the very least a Zoom or phone meeting. Discuss commission splits and benefits, as these can vary significantly between brokerages. 

In short, find a broker that closely aligns with your career goals and can support your growth as a licensed real estate agent in Texas. 

Before You Commit

The costs of getting a Texas real estate license are not insignificant. Before you commit to hundreds of hours worth of study, we highly recommend you take advantage of TREC’s fitness determination process.

For just over $50, they will review your record and identity to determine if you meet the requirements. It’s optional, but it can save you a lot of time and money or give you the confidence that you are chasing an achievable goal.