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Tools & Resources Mentioned in This Video:
Gemini Pro Canvas | Stride CRM | GoFullPage | Lovable | NameCheap
Building a buying website is one of the smartest things I've ever done for my business.
Here's what I learned the hard way: In my first few years as an investor, I spent thousands of hours on the phone with thousands of people, trying to determine whether their properties were worth my effort. I would gather basic details, assess motivation levels, run the numbers, and listen to their life stories.
After my first couple of hundred calls, I realized at least HALF of these people fit into one of these buckets:
- They had no interest in selling at a discount
- Their property wasn't what I was looking for
- The price was too high (even after a discount)
- The numbers just wouldn't work
All those hours? Completely wasted.
It wasn't until I created my first buying website that I started saving untold hours of time. Instead of spending 30 minutes on each call, prospects could fill out a form at their convenience, and I would review the information at my convenience.
Your Three Options (And Which One Makes Sense for You)
Websites used to be cumbersome to set up, but the landscape has changed a lot in just the past few years.
What used to require technical skills, expensive designers, or clunky website builders can now be accomplished in completely new ways, and I'm going to show you exactly how.
When your goal is to collect information from prospects with a detailed submission form, I recommend one of three approaches. Each has its own strengths depending on your budget, technical comfort level, and specific needs.
Let me walk you through each one.
Option 1: Build It With AI Using Gemini Pro (Lowest Cost, Maximum Flexibility)
You can now build a fully functional, professional-looking website by simply describing what you want to an AI assistant.
No coding knowledge required. No expensive developers. No wrestling with confusing website builders.
This approach is called “vibe coding” (some people also call it “AI-assisted development” or “prompt-based coding”), and it's exactly what it sounds like.
You describe the vibe, functionality, and look you're going for, and the AI writes the actual code for you. After it gives you the first iteration, you can keep refining it by asking for changes until it's exactly what you want.
Why Gemini + Stride Is a Powerful Combination
If you're using Stride CRM for your real estate business, this approach makes a ton of sense. Stride lets you create and host unlimited websites at no additional cost (you just need to buy the domain name, which typically costs $10-15 per year).
With the combination of Gemini Pro Canvas (which is free for Google Workspace users, and not very expensive for everyone else) plus Stride, you can build and host a professional buying website for essentially nothing beyond what you're already spending.
Even if you aren't using Stride, you can still use Gemini Pro to create your website. You'd just have to find a place to host your code (which can be done cheaply, if not for free, with most hosting companies).
That's a pretty compelling value proposition!
How the Process Works
You'll open Gemini Pro Canvas, paste in a detailed prompt describing exactly what you want your website to do, and let the AI generate the code. Once you've got your website looking the way you want, you'll copy that code and paste it into Stride (or whatever hosting platform you're using).
The video at the top of this post walks you through the entire process step by step. If you want the prompt I used in the video, you can get it by signing up through this form.
The Gemini Advantage
What makes this approach compelling isn't just the cost savings (though that's significant). It's the flexibility.
Want to change your headline? Ask Gemini. Need a different color scheme? Ask Gemini. Want to add a new section explaining your buying process? You guessed it. Ask Gemini!
You're not locked into templates or limited by your own coding skills. You can create something truly custom that matches your brand perfectly, and you can iterate on it as much as you want without paying a developer or designer by the hour.
The learning curve still exists, but it's gentler than you might think. Most people can create a working website with Gemini in an afternoon, especially if you follow the tutorial and use the prompts I've provided.
Option 2: Build It With Lovable (Easiest, Most Beautiful)
If the idea of pasting code and prompts makes you nervous, or if you simply want the path of least resistance to a gorgeous website, Lovable is probably your best bet.
Think of Lovable as Gemini's more polished, user-friendly cousin. It's also an AI-powered website builder, but with a more intuitive interface and some helpful guardrails that make the whole process even smoother.
The tradeoff? Lovable requires a monthly subscription (starting around $20-50 per month, depending on your needs), whereas Gemini is free if you have Google Workspace.
Even so, for many people, that monthly cost is absolutely worth it for the ease of use and the beautiful, modern templates you get.
How Lovable Differs From Gemini
Both Lovable and Gemini use AI to build websites, but Lovable is specifically designed to make the process as simple as possible. The interface is cleaner, the preview updates in real time as you make changes, and the results tend to look more polished right out of the gate, requiring less prompting and effort to finish your website.
Where Gemini gives you raw code that you need to paste into your hosting platform, Lovable handles the hosting for you (though you can export the code if you want to host it elsewhere). It's a more complete package, which is exactly what you're paying for.
Like Gemini, Lovable is excellent for static websites (sites that don't change much once they're built). If you're creating a buying website with a submission form, this is perfect. The form collects information, sends it to you, and that's that.
Here's a detailed walkthrough showing you exactly how to build your buying website with Lovable:
When Lovable Makes Sense
Choose Lovable if you want your website up and running as quickly as possible, you're willing to pay a monthly fee for convenience and quality, you want something that looks really polished without much tweaking, or you're not comfortable pasting code into hosting platforms.
For many land investors, especially those who are just starting out or who don't want to mess with technical details, this is the sweet spot between cost and ease of use.
Option 3: Build It With Carrot (Best for Dynamic Content)
Now, here's where we need to address a different scenario entirely.
Both Gemini and Lovable excel at creating static websites, which is exactly what you need for a buying website. You build it once, and it stays pretty much the same, except for occasional manual updates.
But what if you need something more dynamic? What if you're planning to run a selling website where you're constantly adding new property listings and removing sold ones? What if you want to maintain a blog with regular posts? What if you need a content management system (CMS) that lets you easily update content without touching any code?
That's where Carrot becomes the strongest contender.
Understanding the Carrot Difference
Carrot was built specifically for real estate investors, and it shows. The platform understands the unique needs of investor websites, whether you're buying or selling properties.
While Carrot can absolutely handle a buying website (and does it well), its real strength lies in managing websites that require frequent updates.
If you're running both a buying operation and a selling operation, Carrot lets you manage everything from one platform with templates designed specifically for real estate investors.
The tradeoff? Carrot is the most expensive option we've discussed. A subscription starts around $99 per month (sometimes more, depending on which plan you choose), compared to free for Gemini or $20-30 for Lovable. You're paying for the convenience of having everything in one place, professional templates specifically designed for real estate, and dedicated support when you need help.
This video shows you exactly how to set up a buying website using Carrot:
When Carrot Makes the Most Sense
Choose Carrot if you need a selling website with constantly changing inventory (not just a buying website), you want to maintain an active blog alongside your lead generation, you need multiple websites under one account, you want templates specifically designed for real estate investors, or you prefer having professional support available when you run into issues.
I should mention that I have a separate, detailed blog post explaining how to set up a selling website with Carrot, since that's really where the platform shines.
RELATED: Carrot Review: Is This the Best Website Creation Service for Real Estate Investors?
For a simple buying website, Carrot might be overkill (though it will certainly work beautifully). But if you're planning to scale your business and need a platform that can grow with you, handling both buying and selling operations plus content marketing, Carrot is worth serious consideration.
Quick Comparison: Which Option Is Right for You?
Let me break this down simply:
Choose Gemini if: You're using Stride CRM (or another platform that lets you host websites), you want the absolute lowest-cost option, you're comfortable following step-by-step instructions with code, and you want maximum flexibility to customize everything.
Choose Lovable if: You want something that looks really polished with minimal effort, you're happy to pay a modest monthly fee for convenience, you want the simplest possible path to a professional website, and you need a buying website (not a selling website with changing inventory).
Choose Carrot if: You need a content management system for dynamic content; you're planning to run both buying and selling operations; you want real estate-specific templates and support; and you're willing to invest more each month for a complete platform.
For most land investors building their first buying website, I'd lean toward either Gemini (if you're already using Stride) or Lovable (if you want maximum ease). Carrot is fantastic, but it's probably more platform than you need unless you plan to do more than just collect buying leads.
Suggested Form Questions for Your Buying Website
Regardless of which platform you choose, the heart of your buying website is the submission form.
This is where prospects provide you with all the information you need to evaluate their property without spending 30 minutes on the phone.
The whole idea behind a buying website is to automate your information-gathering process. To maximize the benefit of this tool, you'll need to create a form that asks all the right questions and provides enough information without overwhelming the visitor.
I spent MANY hours tweaking and refining my submission form to strike this balance, so let me save you that time.
If you're using Stride, you literally copy and paste the form we created for you. It's ready to go.
If you're not using Stride, here are some key questions to consider including in your form.
Contact Info:
- Name (First and Last)
- Phone
- Address
- City, State, Zip
Property Info:
- Address
- City, State, Zip
- Parcel Number
- Estimated Market Value
- Sq Ft of Building
- Size of Lot
- How long have you owned this property?
- Are there any other co-owners of this property?
- Do you have any mortgages on this property?
- Is this property currently listed on the MLS?
- Is there anything else you'd like to tell us?
You get the idea. Think about everything you typically ask your prospects in a phone conversation, and include those questions in your form.
Getting The Most Out Of Your Website
The real benefit of having a website like this (among other things) is that it allows you to get your time back.
With this tool in place, you can reword your direct mail pieces to let prospects know they can go directly to your website instead of calling you.
This way, instead of spending 30 minutes on the phone with each person, you can make THEM do all of the “data-gathering” work for you without consuming one extra second of your precious time.
If you're relying 100% on the phone, and if you're not using something like the Voice AI receptionist from Stride, this initial “fact-finding” phase will be enormously time-consuming, especially when you multiply it by the dozens of people you'll be talking to each month.
RELATED: How to Screen Your Calls Like a Ninja
Believe it or not, I've found that most sellers have no preference on whether they submit this information over the phone or fill out a form online, so why not make it as easy as possible for both of you?
I cannot tell you what a luxury it is to sit at my computer each day and watch emails hit my inbox, knowing that my prospects (the people who want me to buy their property) are doing all the work. All I have to do is glance through the occasional responses that come through my CRM and decide which leads are worth my time and consideration.
Would you be surprised to hear that many people say “No” to my offers? It's certainly no surprise to me! And the beautiful thing is, I don't have to sacrifice 30 to 60 minutes to hear these answers. I can do it at my convenience, and this part of my business no longer controls my time.
Do You Need A Buying Website?
Now, do you NEED a buying website to survive as a real estate investor?
No. You don't absolutely need it.
A website won't solve all your problems.
But if you want to automate this part of your lead generation process AND create a great online presence for your company, it's not a bad idea to put this kind of website to work for your business right away.
It's certainly possible to survive without a buying website, but if your business operates like mine, you'll end up working harder than you need to. In my opinion, this is less a question of “Can I get by without it?” and more a question of, “How much time (and money) will I be wasting if I skip this step?”
Trust me, this is an extremely helpful tool to have at your disposal. Knowing how powerful a good buying website has been for my business, it would be a disservice for me NOT to tell you about it.
