A great estate agency website isn’t just about beautiful listings. It’s about helping visitors find the right property as quickly and as easily as possible. That’s why the search experience is at the heart of the Houzez theme.
If users can’t filter effectively, if results load slowly, or if the search bar feels cluttered, they’ll leave. But with the right setup, Houzez can deliver a fast, intuitive, and high-converting property search experience that keeps people browsing and enquiring.
This guide walks you through how to improve the search functionality in Houzez through smarter filters, better layout, performance optimisation and automated property imports.
Why the Search Experience Matters
Most users don’t browse randomly. They come with a purpose. They know their budget, ideal location, number of bedrooms, or property type. A well-configured search bar:
- Helps users find relevant properties quickly
- Reduces frustration and bounce rates
- Encourages deeper browsing and more enquiries
- Improves overall conversion rates
Think of your search bar as the entry point to your property inventory. A clear and streamlined experience directly affects how well your site performs.
Configuring the Search Bar for Better Usability
Houzez gives you complete control over your search bar layout and fields. The key is avoiding clutter while still offering useful filters.
Choose Essential Fields Only
Keep visible fields focused on the basics:
- Location
- Price range
- Bedrooms
- Property type
Optional filters (e.g. features, parking etc) can be hidden behind an “Advanced Search” toggle.
The cleaner the search bar looks, the more likely users are to interact with it.
Position the Search Bar Prominently
The best-performing placements are:
- Directly beneath the hero image
- At the top of search results pages
- In mobile, as a sticky bar or expandable top section
Users expect the search function to be front and centre on a real estate website.
Improving Filter Logic and Search Relevance
Good filters mean better results. Houzez lets you tailor how your search fields appear and behave.
Use Property Taxonomies Correctly
Make sure your taxonomies (such as property types, location and statuses) are all set up cleanly, are easy to understand and aren’t overwhelming with lots of options to choose from.
Consistent taxonomy management means cleaner filters and more accurate search results.
Keep Dropdown Lists Manageable
If you have dozens of locations or property types, consider:
- Grouping them into parent/child categories
- Offering a searchable dropdown (this should be done by default in Houzez)
- Limiting the default list to the most common options
Optimising the Search Results Page Layout
Once a user submits a search the results page needs to support quick and confident browsing.
Choose the Right Layout
Houzez offers list, grid, and half-map layouts.
- Grid view and list view work best for browsing visually.
- Half-map is excellent for markets where location matters most.
Match the layout to your audience.
Highlight Key Property Info
Make sure each card shows:
- Price
- Location
- Bedrooms/Bathrooms
- Property type
- A clear CTA (“View Property”)
Users should be able to compare quickly without clicking into every listing.
Reduce Image Load Times
Large images slow results pages significantly. Use:
- Image compression
- WebP format
- Lazy loading where possible
Using a plugin like Smush can automate the compression and conversion to WebP.
Performance Tips for Faster Search
A slow search experience kills conversions. Here’s how to keep it fast.
Improve Hosting Reliability
Fast hosting speeds up:
- Query processing
- Database requests
- Image loading
Even small hosting upgrades can improve search responsiveness dramatically.
Optimise Your Database
Remove:
- Expired listings
- Duplicate content
- Old revisions
A cleaner database improves query performance. This is especially important for larger agencies.
A plugin like Advanced Database Cleaner can assist with this and automate the optimisation of your database.
Use Caching Strategically
Focus on:
- Page caching
- Object caching (Redis or Memcached)
- CDN delivery for images and assets
Your visitors get faster search results, and your server works less hard.
Looking for the best caching WordPress plugin for your property website? We recommend WP Super Cache.
Keeping Results Fresh with Automated Listings
An intuitive search experience only works if the data behind it is accurate and up to date.
This is where the Houzez Property Feed plugin strengthens the entire system.
By automatically importing and updating your property listings, the plugin ensures:
- Search results always show current availability
- Users don’t waste time on withdrawn or sold properties
- New listings appear automatically in relevant searches
Your property search feature is only as good as the data powering it. Automation keeps everything fresh.
Key Takeaways
A strong search experience in Houzez depends on three things:
- Clear, uncluttered filters that lead users quickly to what they want
- A clean and intuitive results page that loads fast
- Accurate, up-to-date listings supplied by a reliable import system
With the Houzez theme’s flexible search tools, combined with automated data from the Houzez Property Feed plugin, you can deliver a fast, intuitive, and trustworthy search experience that keeps visitors browsing and enquiring.