If you are ready to build your own website from the ground up, I presume you have read my previous blog indicating the reasons I have opted to build my real estate website.  I started building my own website several years ago and would never opt to go back now that I know how much POWER AND FLEXIBILITY my Real Estate Website has now.

The expense you will have in following along with me is the cost of hosting, and the cost of a domain name.  I am going to introduce you to an extremely inexpensive way for hosting, which is adequate for a Real Estate Website.  Trust me, regardless of which direction you go to with your website, you will absolutely need hosting and a domain name, so you might as well take the plunge.

Real Estate website are not as sophisticated as your website host might like you to assume!  We are not collecting money over the net requiring advanced security.  I pay $46.50 for a year of hosting and I get a free domain within that fee, which generally costs around $15-ish.  Hard to beat, and I have switched all of my websites over to My Recommended Hosting Plan at TMD Hosting because of the cost and the fast and helpful customer service.

1. Visit TMDHosting.com.    Not only are they my personal host for ALL of my business websites(including the one you are on now), they are really fast at activating the website so you can begin right away.  Other hosts might take up to 48 hours!  I don’t know about you, but I often have showings pop up and I would rather get stuff like this done when it is on my mind, rather than having to come back to it in a few days.
2. Click on Web Hosting, Click “get started”  
3. Select the Starter Package.  I select the one year option, costing 3.95 per month.  You might to opt for 3 years to have the cost only $2.95 per month.  Prices may change, but that is what they are now. 
4. This shared hosting even offers you a FREE domain.
5. Enter your selected domain (or if you already have a website name, or if you already have a domain name you want to use, just enter it and proceed to purchase. 
6. Please use the link I provide, as I will get credit from TMD Hosting, which is important to me.  It helps me track how many people create a website with me. 

Step 3

Install WordPress

TMD will send you a welcome email that has your cpanel login information. You will use this information to install WordPress using the following steps.  Now this is super easy, but if you happen to screw anything up, just send TMD a trouble ticket, and they will likely just install for you.  =)  They have cleaned up my screw-ups countless times, which is part of the reason I like them so much.

1. Click on your Cpanel link.
2. Use your username and password provided in the email.
3. Scroll down to scripts to instal
4. Click WordPress, then click “install now.”
5. Under software setup under “In directory” remove “wp,” and leave blank.  Under “site settings” you can name your site and site description.   Change your Admin Username to admin, but change your password and enter an admin email address.  Leave everything else default.  Click “install” and enter the email address you want to be notified of the successful install.  You will receive quickly.
6. Go to your-website.com/wp-admin to login with
7. Login with your username & password.

See how easy it was to purchase a domain and hosting package, then to install wordpress?  You have done what most Real Estate Agents never attempt, to build your own Real Estate website!  Good Job!