Behind the Scenes: How We Built a $1M+ Property-Selling Website in Just 5 Days
The REAL Strategy Behind a Successful Website Launch
Let's cut through the BS about "strategy" for a second. Everyone and their cousin claims to offer "strategic" web design, but what does that actually mean in practice?
Today, I'm pulling back the curtain on a recent project that turned a brand-new, female-owned construction company into a credible player in the luxury home market—with just one completed project under their belt and a single-page website.
Spoiler alert: the $1M+ beach house sold within weeks of the site launch, with the buyer specifically mentioning how professional the website looked during their first meeting. First impressions? They matter.
Meet the Client: Paloma Construction
When Paloma Construction approached me, they had one completed luxury beachfront home on Galveston Island, TX. As a female entrepreneur in the male-dominated construction industry, the founder faced an uphill battle establishing credibility with high-net-worth clients looking for vacation homes.
Her challenges were real:
Being taken seriously as a woman in construction
Competing against established builders with extensive portfolios
Convincing luxury buyers to trust a newer company
Converting website visitors into serious property inquiries
Here's how we transformed these challenges into a website that actually sold a million-dollar property—without an extensive rebrand, custom illustrations, or a multi-page website.
Strategy #1: Brand Roundout, Not Total Rebrand
Here's something most designers won't tell you: you don't always need a complete rebrand.
Paloma already had a logo she liked—a dove symbol that reflected the company's name (paloma means "dove" in Spanish). Instead of scrapping everything and charging for a full rebrand, we did what I call a "brand roundout"—establishing colors, vibe, voice, fonts, and imagery that elevated what already existed.
The Real Behind-the-Scenes Process:
Started with her original blue and pink color palette (which wasn't quite hitting the luxury mark)
Client expressed wanting something more sophisticated and coastal
Developed a pastel palette inspired by Galveston's natural environment—seafoam greens to sandy neutrals
Created logo variations (vertical, horizontal, brandmark, badge) using these refined colors
Watched her fall in love with the results (cue the happy dance!)
Insider Secret: I used Canva illustrations as part of the brand elements. Gasp! Yes, it's okay to use resources like this—as long as you integrate them thoughtfully with the rest of the branding to make them unique. Not everything needs to be 100% custom, despite what some designers might tell you.
Strategy #2: The Power of the Strategic Single Page
Another industry secret: you don't always need a multi-page website to make an impact.
For Paloma Construction, we created a single-page website that packed so much punch it felt like a complete experience. This approach works brilliantly for:
New businesses without extensive portfolios
Clients launching quickly with limited resources
Focused campaigns with clear calls-to-action
Why the One-Page Approach Worked:
Clear User Journey: Visitors followed a logical flow of information, each section building on the previous one
Focused Messaging: Without multiple pages to maintain, we concentrated on perfecting one compelling story
Mobile Optimization: A streamlined experience on the devices most prospects use
Quick Launch: Got the site live and generating leads faster than a traditional multi-page build
We strategically structured the page to guide visitors toward two specific actions: contacting Paloma or viewing the property listing. Every element—from the hero section to testimonial placement—served this purpose.
Our Exact 5-Day Timeline
Here's what really blows clients' minds: we completed this entire project in just 5 days. Yes, really.
Here's the exact process:
Pre-Project Prep:
Client completes comprehensive questionnaire
Client uploads any existing content (I fill in the blanks for what's missing)
Day 1: Design Day
I hunker down and build the entire site framework
Set up branding elements and content structure
No client interaction (this is my deep work day)
Day 2: First Review
AM: Client reviews initial design and provides feedback
PM: I implement design edits based on feedback
Day 3: Second Review
AM: Client reviews updated design and offers additional feedback
PM: I refine the design further
Day 4: Final Review
AM: Client reviews near-final version and provides any last tweaks
PM: I polish everything to perfection
Day 5: Launch Day
Final checks and testing
Website goes live
Celebration dance (optional but recommended)
This proven process keeps us focused, accountable, and prevents the endless revision cycles that plague most web projects.
Strategy #3: Authentic Messaging Over Marketing Fluff
You know what luxury clients hate? Being marketed to with obvious "luxury" buzzwords.
Instead of plastering "luxury" all over the site, we focused on what really matters to high-end clients:
Craftsmanship and attention to detail — showing, not telling
Resilience and durability — important for coastal properties
Family-centered design — speaking to the emotional core of a vacation home
We created messaging that positioned Paloma as a trustworthy partner rather than just another construction company, emphasizing the care and thoughtfulness behind their work.
Strategy #4: Business Consulting Baked Into Design
This is where my approach differs from most designers: I don't just build pretty websites—I help structure the business itself when needed.
For Paloma, this meant:
Refining how her services were presented
Creating a follow-up system for inquiries
Structuring the property listing in a way that qualified potential buyers
Many of my 1-page website clients need support structuring their service offerings—it's hard when you're the business owner and don't have a team to bounce ideas off. That's why business consulting is built into my 1-page website projects. You can feel free to bounce ideas off me (without the additional pricetag, because it's already included).
The Results: A Million-Dollar Success Story
The proof is in the pudding, as they say. Within weeks of launching the site:
The featured million-dollar+ beach house sold
The buyer specifically mentioned the professional website during their first meeting
Paloma Construction established credibility in the competitive Galveston market
The foundation was laid for scaling up as the portfolio grows
Lessons For Your Service Business (Even If You're Not Building Beach Houses)
The strategies we used for Paloma work across service industries:
1. Start Where You Are
Don't have a full portfolio? A complete brand package? All the "perfect" elements? Start anyway, with strategic focus. Paloma launched with ONE completed project and still succeeded.
2. One Focused Page > Five Mediocre Pages
A strategic single-page website that converts is infinitely more valuable than a sprawling site that confuses visitors. Focus on quality over quantity.
3. Brand Roundouts Can Be Game-Changers
You don't always need to start from scratch. Sometimes enhancing and refining what you already have makes more sense financially and strategically.
4. Let Strategy Drive Design (Not Vice Versa)
Every design choice should serve a business goal. For Paloma, that meant creating a user flow that led to property inquiries. What's the primary action you want visitors to take on your site?
5. First Impressions Create Real Business Results
The Paloma site proves that professional presentation directly influences buying decisions. Your website isn't just digital decoration—it's actively working for or against your business goals.
The Website Questionnaire That Started It All
All of this strategic insight came from my comprehensive website questionnaire that clients complete before our project kicks off. This covers:
Target audience details
Competitor analysis
Brand voice and personality
Emotional response goals (how they want people to feel)
Primary business objectives for the website
This foundation allows me to create websites that look great AND drive business results.
Ready For Your Own Strategic Website?
Whether you're just starting out like Paloma was or you're an established business ready for a refresh, I've got options:
1-Page Website — Perfect for new businesses or focused campaigns, with business consulting built in and a 5-day turnaround
Full-Build Website — For established businesses ready for a comprehensive online presence
Either way, you're getting strategy and design that converts, not just pretty pictures.
Want More Eye Candy?
Obsessed with how this project turned out? (Same, not gonna lie.) Now that you've peeked behind the strategy curtain, check out the full visual feast in the Portfolio here: Paloma Construction: Squarespace Website for Vacation Home Builder on Galveston Island, TX.
Trust me, the before-and-after will make you want to immediately burn down your current website. (Kidding! ...mostly.)
