Real estate website design in Japan – turn listing views into inquiries

Real estate website design starts with the portal question

Portals such as SUUMO, LIFULL HOME'S and athome bring in huge numbers of people looking for property. They also charge listing fees, and inside a portal your listing sits next to the same properties from other agencies, so it is hard to stand out.

Your own website is where people go to check who you are and whether they can trust you. Splitting the roles like this makes it clear what to build:

• Portals: the place buyers and tenants find a property
• Your website: your strengths, the people behind the agency, local knowledge, and the place to take inquiries and viewing requests
• Google Business Profile: your listing on the map for "real estate + area" searches, with reviews and opening hours

Pick the line of business you most want to grow – rentals, sales, valuations for sellers or property management – and make the website lead with why clients choose you for it.

What a real estate site that gets inquiries looks like

Agency sites that generate inquiries tend to share a few traits. Compare them with your current site:

• Listings are current, and sold or rented properties come down quickly
• Photos, floor plans, the map and the contact button all work well on a phone
• Every listing has its own "ask about this property" or "book a viewing" button
• Visitors can choose how to reach you: phone, form or LINE
• Agent photos, a short intro and directions to the office make the first visit feel easy
• There is local information about the area and prices that only you can offer

Freshness matters most. A visitor who asks about a property that is already gone loses trust in the agency, so decide who updates the listings and how often before the build starts.

Pages and features a real estate site needs

The right structure depends on what you handle. A typical set looks like this – you can start with your main line of business and add the rest later.

• Listings and search: filter by area, price, layout and walking time from the station
• Listing detail: photos, floor plan, neighborhood, features and a contact button per property
• Valuation request: a short form for sellers plus a clear explanation of the process
• Area pages: daily life, schools, shopping and price trends by station or district
• About and agents: a message from the owner, agent profiles, your real estate license number and access
• Guides: how buying, selling and renting work, typical costs and an FAQ

If you manage listings in a property management system, we check first whether it can feed the website automatically. If not, a CMS such as WordPress with a simple listing form keeps updates easy for your staff. If you also build new homes, see websites for home builders.

How to show up in search next to the big portals

Broad searches like "station name + rental" are usually dominated by portals. Smaller agencies do better with specific local searches, searches for their own name and searches from people who want to sell.

• Area and property type pages: original guides for the combinations you know best, such as family rentals near a given station or land sales in a given city
• Seller guides: articles on moving house, selling an inherited home and similar questions that lead to a consultation
• MEO: an accurate Google Business Profile with address, hours and photos, and replies to reviews
• Technical basics: a title and description for every page, fast loading, structured data and GA4 inquiry tracking

Listing pages come and go, so area pages and guides are what earn lasting visibility. For ads, social media and other ways to attract clients after launch, see real estate marketing. Rankings are decided by search engines, so no one can honestly promise a specific position.

Advertising rules to check before launch

In Japan an agency website counts as advertising under the Real Estate Brokerage Act and the industry's fair competition code for real estate representations. Check these points before going live:

• Company name, address and real estate license number are shown
• Each listing states your role in the deal: seller, agent or broker
• Sold or non-existent properties are never left online as bait
• No superlatives such as "best" or "cheapest" without proof
• Walking times, floor areas and prices follow the code's standards

The standards are revised from time to time, so confirm details with your industry association or the latest materials from the fair trade council. Adding fields for the transaction type and an update date to the listing form helps prevent gaps in daily posting.

How UNANOBO builds real estate websites: a free demo with your listings

Before you commit, UNANOBO builds a free demo using your logo, colors and real listings. You click from the listings page to a property and through to the inquiry form on your computer and phone, and decide whether to go ahead once you are happy with how it works.

The process is free demo, feedback, launch, growth. The founder handles every project personally, from the first demo to SEO, MEO and Google Ads after launch, so you keep one contact throughout. Everything runs by message, in Japanese or English. If you also offer renovations, see websites for renovation companies.