Oliver Properties

Oliver Properties

Oliver Properties, located in Richmond, Virginia, is a real estate investment, development, and asset management firm specializing in multi-family and commercial properties.

Justin Oliver, President and CEO, initially met Evelyn in a year-long leadership program in 2016, and they immediately became friends. When Justin wanted to redo his website, he asked Evelyn and a new WordPress site was launched in 2018. Since then, we’ve had the privilege of working with Justin and value him as a loyal client.

In 2020, we redesigned The Oliver Properties’ primary logo, originally designed before the internet was ubiquitous. The typography was delicate and lovely but didn’t meet the demands of online readability and usability. The new logo was adaptable to online usage and for readable signage in front of Oliver Properties developments.

We were thrilled when Justin contacted us for a website overhaul in 2024, seeking to update and add new brand messaging, visuals, and modern design. Oliver Properties has over 40 years of history and industry experience. With the new website, we highlighted their expertise, comprehensive services, tenant relations, tech integrations, and local networks.

CONTENT WRITING

We hired Michelle Mercurio, brand writer extraordinaire and a well-connected Richmonder, to work with Justin on the brand story and web content. Michelle did a fantastic job clarifying their brand foundations, experience, positioning, key messages, audience, and opportunities.

Using our web writing template and site map to help structure the pages and writing, Michelle developed and organized old site content as part of their long-held story, reworked it, and added fresh new content, including taglines, headings with keywords, body copy, calls-to-action, page titles, and descriptions.

The storytelling on the new website is compelling, relevant and warm. The copy is effortless to scan, simplifies their renting services, showcases their portfolio of properties, highlights neighborhoods and communities they serve, and positions them as the Richmond real estate experts they are.

CUSTOM PHOTOGRAPHY & VIDEOGRAPHY

Oliver Properties had photos from their previous website; some were incorporated into the new site. Architectural renderings are included for projects currently under development.

In addition, they had new drone photography of some of their building exteriors, new long-exposure light photography, and staged an interior unit for new photos from a remodel. Adding up-to-date photos was crucial because a lot changes in 6 years, and it is vital to represent the properties accurately.

We encouraged them to take new photographs of the building's interiors and exteriors, headshots and team shots, and pictures of their offices. Photo work is scheduled to be completed once the seasons change to spring, and we look forward to adding striking new imagery to the site.

Also, our graphic designer, Vanessa, who lives in RVA, drove to the varied Richmond neighborhoods to take recent photos of key landmarks and well-known spots. Vanessa’s candid shots include people in action to give site visitors a better sense of Richmond’s unique personality.

Each neighborhood is distinctive, from the historic cobblestone streets and colorful row houses of Church Hill to the stately, tree-lined boulevards of The Fan, the modern riverfront high-rises of Shockoe Bottom, and the artsy murals and industrial-chic vibe of Scott’s Addition.

These new images helped showcase the city's character and gave the website a current and authentic feel on the home and neighborhood pages.

We edited a timelapse video of a property being developed over a two-year period that is now home to the Oliver Properties main office. We also created a new dynamic home page video of still images using moving animation effects to create a smooth, sleek look and feel, to engage visitors when they land on the site. This video gives the website a professional and polished impression.

WEB DESIGN AND BUILD

The website design stands out for its well-designed site pages, which are easy to navigate and have structured sections and layouts that help users find relevant information quickly, reducing confusion and enhancing the overall browsing experience.

The logical site hierarchy effortlessly guides visitors to the properties, neighborhoods, about, news or contact pages to learn more about the company’s service with minimal effort.

The resident’s page (in the custom secondary navigation for easy access) links each building to its resident portal.

User experience is a key focus of the website. The site loads quickly and has a responsive design that looks and functions well on all devices and screen sizes.

We created a custom Google Map of the Richmond neighborhoods they serve, including their property building addresses and office location—users can filter their interactive map search and quickly locate the properties.

Thoughtful placement of calls-to-action improves engagement and conversion rates. The contact page has practical and helpful info and a short contact form to support increased submissions.

The user interface is modern and aesthetically pleasing, balancing functionality with visual appeal. A clean, professional color palette, subtle soft gradients, custom icons, and use of their key logo icon produce a light, inviting, and trustworthy feeling.

A geometric sans-serif font and ample white space improve readability and emphasize the written content without overwhelming visitors. Interactive elements like subtle hover effects add a polished touch and the combination of these design elements helps users have a good experience, reinforcing the credibility and professionalism of Oliver Properties.