FINDING THE RIGHT WEB DESIGN COMPANY: ASK! ASK! ASK!

Running your business is work enough. Finding the right web designer shouldn't have to add to the pressure; quite the opposite. There are many good web design companies out there. How do you find the one that's right for you?

1. Ask to see recent examples of their work.
2. What industry experience do they have in Real Estate?
3. Ask for references and contact them. Previous or current clients should be able to provide you with a lot of information about service, quality, costs etc.
4. Ask about how much involvement you'll have during the design phase. It's your site, right?
5. Ask for quote that includes everything. Be sure to ask if it includes helping you set up things like your email addresses, domain names and hosting.
6. Ask if they warranty their work.
7. Ask about ownership. Will you own all the code and content or are you leasing or owning it jointly?
8. Ask for written deliverables and time frames.
9. Ask to speak to the people doing the work, not just the sales people.
10. Ask about what may happen in the event (heaven forbid) that they go out of business. Will you be left high and dry?
11. Custom or template? Do you want a "cookie cutter" solution or a custom site? Find out which you're buying.
12. Are there ongoing, renewal or recurring fees?
13. Can you get IDX integrated?
14. Can you add options or must you buy a "one size fits all" package?