Real estate is one of those niches where "how much should this cost" has a genuinely wide answer range — and most of that range comes down to one technical decision: whether the site needs IDX/MLS integration.
From a dev perspective, here's what actually changes the scope:
No IDX (Starter tier, $800–$2,500): You're working with a premium theme, manual listing entry, and standard lead-capture forms. Straightforward build, 1–2 weeks.
With IDX (Mid-level, $3,000–$7,000): Now you're integrating a third-party IDX service, handling MLS board compliance, building property search/filter UI, and usually adding multi-agent profile logic. Timeline stretches to 3–5 weeks, largely due to MLS approval processes that are outside your control.
Brokerage-level ($8,000–$15,000+): Custom CRM logic, multiple MLS feed handling, saved-search email alerts, and fully custom design work.
Ongoing costs also matter for scoping client expectations early — hosting ($25–$50/mo), IDX subscription ($50–$150/mo), and maintenance. Setting these expectations at quote time avoids awkward conversations later.
Full pricing tables and a real client example: https://amanurrahman.com/blog-post/real-estate-wordpress-website-cost