Guides
Creating Service Areas
How to set up neighborhood pages for your areas of expertise
Creating Service Areas
Service areas let you create dedicated pages for the neighborhoods you specialize in. Each area gets its own page with a curated selection of listings.
Why Create Service Areas?
Service areas help you:
- Showcase expertise — Demonstrate your knowledge of specific neighborhoods
- Improve SEO — Rank for "homes in [neighborhood]" searches
- Organize listings — Group properties by location for easier browsing
- Tell a story — Add descriptions and images that sell the lifestyle
Creating Your First Service Area
Step 1: Go to Service Areas
- From your dashboard, click Service Areas in the left navigation
- Click Add Service Area
Step 2: Name Your Area
Enter the basic information:
| Field | What to Enter | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Name | Neighborhood name | "Coconut Grove" |
| Slug | URL-friendly version (auto-generated) | "coconut-grove" |
| Tagline | Short description (optional) | "Miami's Bohemian Village" |
Step 3: Set Up Filters
Filters determine which listings appear in this service area.
Filter by City:
- Select the city name (e.g., "Miami Beach")
- Listings in that city will be included
Filter by Subdivision:
- Enter subdivision names that match your MLS data
- Example: "Coconut Grove", "Brickell"
Filter by ZIP Code:
- Enter postal codes to include
- Useful for areas that span multiple subdivisions
Combining Filters:
- Multiple filters work together with "AND" logic
- Example: City "Miami" + Subdivision "Brickell" = only Brickell listings
Step 4: Add an Image
Upload a hero image for the area page:
- Click Upload Image
- Select a photo that represents the neighborhood
- Good choices: scenic views, landmarks, lifestyle imagery
Step 5: Write a Description (Optional but Recommended)
Add descriptive text for SEO and visitor engagement:
- Describe what makes the neighborhood special
- Mention notable features (waterfront, schools, dining, etc.)
- Include relevant keywords naturally
- 2-3 paragraphs is ideal
Step 6: Set Display Order
If you have multiple areas, set the display order:
- Lower numbers appear first
- Use increments of 10 (10, 20, 30) so you can insert areas later
Step 7: Save
Click Save to create your service area. It will immediately appear on your site at /areas/[slug].
Managing Existing Service Areas
Editing an Area
- Go to Service Areas
- Click on the area you want to edit
- Make your changes
- Click Save
Reordering Areas
- Go to Service Areas
- Drag areas up or down to reorder
- The homepage and areas index will reflect the new order
Deleting an Area
- Go to Service Areas
- Click the area to open it
- Click Delete at the bottom
- Confirm deletion
Note: Deleting an area doesn't delete any listings—it just removes the area page.
Area Page Features
Each service area page includes:
Hero Section
- Large image (your uploaded photo or gradient fallback)
- Area name and tagline
Stats
- Number of active listings
- Starting price ("From $X")
Description
- Your written description (if provided)
Listing Grid
- All listings matching your filters
- Pagination for large result sets
Contact CTA
- Call-to-action to contact you about properties in this area
Tips for Effective Service Areas
Choose Areas Strategically
- Focus on neighborhoods where you have listings
- Consider areas where you want to grow business
- Don't create too many sparse areas
Write Compelling Descriptions
Do:
- Highlight unique characteristics
- Mention amenities and lifestyle
- Include specific location details
- Keep it scannable with short paragraphs
Don't:
- Copy-paste MLS descriptions
- Use excessive keywords unnaturally
- Write walls of text
Use Quality Images
- High resolution (at least 1200px wide)
- Landscape orientation works best
- Showcase the area's appeal (views, architecture, lifestyle)
- Avoid photos with people's faces (privacy)
Keep Filters Accurate
- Test your filters by checking the listing count
- Too few listings? Broaden your filters
- Irrelevant listings appearing? Tighten filters
- Review periodically as new listings come in
Troubleshooting
"No listings found" on area page
- Check your filter settings
- Verify you have active listings that match
- Make sure city/subdivision names match MLS data exactly
Wrong listings appearing
- Review your filter combination
- Filters use "AND" logic—all must match
- Check for typos in subdivision names
Area not showing on homepage
- Verify area is saved
- Check display order (lower numbers first)
- Ensure "Show Service Areas" is enabled in homepage settings
Listing count seems wrong
- Counts update periodically, not instantly
- Only active listings are counted
- Filters may be more/less restrictive than expected