Why Do Real Estate Agents Need Websites?
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There is no question that the advent of the internet as an
ecommerce hosting tool has transformed the real estate industry.
The internet is a particularly well qualified platform for real
estate presentation. Today's large real estate websites will
sort available properties by area and then present them with a
combination of written information, photos and often video
segments. Nationwide firms such as Coldwell Banker operate sites
that act as national listing services.
A home buyer can now do his initial research seated in front of
a computer terminal. The traditional approach of contacting an
agent and having the agent arrange for home viewings that may or
may not suit the client is no longer the first step. Today, the
home buyer can select a range of houses suitable for viewing on
the internet and then have a real estate agent arrange the home
visits.
This new reality means that the agent is no longer the client's
first contact. For that reason, it is critical that active
agents establish an internet presence. If a customer is clicking
through homes and finds one of interest, it is important that
the listing agent be "clickable" on the same page. Otherwise,
the customer may call his friend, the realtor down the street
and ask him to step in.
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The predominant website host for non-commercial real property is
Realtor.com, the site operated by the National Association of
Realtors. Realtor.com carries over two million five hundred
thousand listings and for many of them, the listing agent has an
ad and a web address right along side. Their use of the web is
an excellent example of ecommerce hosting: it is a
well-formatted marketing and product presentation tool.
A realtor should have a personal website that is the next stop
for the potential customer. An innovative realtor will often set
up his page so that it provides additional pictures and
information about the property. Contact information in the form
of phone numbers and an email template are essential: the key is
to make it easy for the customer who has found an interesting
property to connect with the listing agent.
Nothing will accomplish this more effectively than an
attractive, informative website that personalizes the realtor
and connects him or her to the property in question. When
choosing a hosting company, the realtor should select one that
understands the technology behind "virtual tours" and will
provide the bandwidth to include them in the website.
Videos of the various rooms in the home are an
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enormous
enhancement of the property presentation. Real estate website
hosting can be something of a specialty, so choosing one with
the most advanced technology that allows a potential home buyer
the chance to 'view' the home online will go a long way in
supplementing the sales presentation.
It is important, also, that the realtor's site provide views and
information over and above that provided on any national real
estate internet listings. The realtor's personal site should be
in-depth, personable, and offer the client as many options as
possible.
Here, too, the realtor can work with his personal website host
to design a site that will lead the potential customer to other
listings in the area similar to the one that has been selected.
These properties may be listings from other brokers; the idea is
to maximize use of internet technology to bring that potential
customer into the realtor's fold, regardless of whose listing
the customer ultimately chooses to purchase.
About the author:
Madison Lockwood is a customer relations associate for Apollo
Hosting. Apollo Hosting provides website hosting,
ecommerce hosting, vps hosting, and web design services to a
wide range of customers.
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