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Why I like our Point2Agent website!

By Cal Carter

Real Estate Agent with Keller Williams Realty Alabama Gulf Coast

December 22, 2006 06:05 AM

I have utilized Point2Agent real estate websites for about 3 years on two different sites, one for Lake Lanier Real Estate and a new one for Gulf Shores Real Estate. Both of those sites started out as the basic free point2agent site and have become very successful. It is easy to use, there are online tutorials, online help, really nice display of listings, listings can be handshaked with other point2agent sites (your listings on their sites with their contact information and their listings showing on your site with your contact information), and your listings can be syndicated to about 7 national real estate related sites where you are the contact with the check of a box. Additionaly, your listings show up on point2agents sister site point2homes with your contact information and there is a back office where you can manage online prospects and an automated Drip E-mail system ready for you to activate. Oh, and don't forget the yahoo maps and google earth links for your listings and the handshake listings displayed on your site. Oh, even more, when you enter your listings for the website, you have instant listing brochures in .pdf format ready to e-mail to clients and agents, downlioad from the website listing for visitors, or print for other agents mailboxes and your flyer boxes. One more - you can provide your sellers a login to their listing and they can see the notes you have typed in as to what you have done marketing wise and a graph of webtraffic to their home showing vists from your site, handshake sites, and syndicated sites.

I have been recommending these sites to friends for quite a while and simply fill in about six pieces of information, click submit, and they are in business. If you want to pass one along to your friend so you can handshake listings, you will have a BIO (By Invitation Only) section in your back office where you can send sites personalized and branded to their franchise in seconds.

I would have a hard time describing all the free features in this package.

I am a user, I have had very good experience with the member forums, the tech support, and the almost constant roll out of new features. In summary, I wouldn't spend a whole lot of money or time reinventing a wheel when there is one right around the corner with custom aluminium rims and wide sticky high performance tires that your neighbor is giving away. Try it and then if you don't like it, then get bids and try to describe to your developer all of these features he is going to need to build in to be comparable (I bet it's gonna be expensive).

You can read more about the free point2agent sites community here - http://www.gulfshoreslife.com/For_Agents_Only/page_1738671.html

If you like what you read you can fill out your name, broker, franchise affiliate, phone number, and e-mail address here and have a fully functional site in the click of a button ready for you to leave as simple or make as complex as you want - http://www.gulfshoreslife.com/ForAgentsRegistration.aspx?in=QVUTBF

Why pay for a custom site that you think is snazzy looking when you can get a free one that actually helps you market listings and find buyer prospects.

Thats my two cents!

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"The Lovely Wife" The One And Only TLW.

President-Tutas Towne Realty, Inc. - Kissimmee, FL

We wish you a merry Christmas! We wish you a merry Christmas! We wish you a merry Christmas And a happy New Year! Glad tidings we bring To you and your kin! Glad tidings for Christmas And a happy New Year!

Broker Bryant and The Lovely Wife (pretend we are singing it works better like that) ROAR!

Dec 24, 2006 07:26 AM

Jaclyn Erwin

Jackson Erwin Realty, Inc. - Charlotte, NC

ABR,SFR, REALTOR®/BROKER, Charlotte NC.

Exactly Cal!

I too have a Point 2 Agent website and I chose it for the reasons you mentioned. I was first introduced to the site while exploring other Realtor websites. I noticed that there were nice websites that other Realtors were using with the Point2Agent logo on them. Curiously, I clicked on the link and Wa-Lah! I entered the P2Agent website world. I could not---and still can not believe that I could get a nice, decent website free of charge! I'm glad that I did. Sadly though, it's surprising how many agents I have shared this with who actually took advantage. Those that did..Loved it! Those that didn't told me they forgot or simply did not have the time. In this business, you have t make time, everyday for your business. Again, learn to work Smarter & not always Harder! Thanks Cal for sharing this here on Active Rain! This site is really addictive.

For those of you who want to see an actual Point 2Agent site, you can explore my site. I'm still learning and always improving my site:

www.jaclynworks4u.com

Dec 28, 2006 03:02 AM

Cal Carter

Keller Williams Realty Alabama Gulf Coast - Gulf Shores, AL

Nice site Jaclyn! I really like the colors and how the banner trim is translucent on the picture.

I too have given many sites to friends via the BIO invitation feature and they simply never take advantage of getting to know their site or the tools that I gave them to put in their toolbox. It is their loss. Most of them turn around and pay outrageous amounts for inferior sites when they already had a great one for free.

While I like to help people out, you can't whack them over the head until they see the light. I don't have time to run them down and find out why they don't utilize their tools, I am too busy trying to get to my site's back office to check out any new bells and whistles point2agent has added.

But once more if anyone wants to have a great free site, all they have to do is fill in these blanks and they will have it in minutes - http://www.gulfshoreslife.com/ForAgentsRegistration.aspx?in=QVUTBF

Keep up the good work Jaclyn, it has paid off for us!

Cal

Dec 28, 2006 04:54 AM

Jaclyn Erwin

Jackson Erwin Realty, Inc. - Charlotte, NC

ABR,SFR, REALTOR®/BROKER, Charlotte NC.

Thanks Cal! I'm still in the beginning phases for my site. As soon as my official logo is developed, I will of course incorporate it onto my site! Thanks for the encouraging words. I will try to take a look at your site as well. I'm sure it's awesome!

Dec 28, 2006 09:18 AM

Jaclyn Erwin

Jackson Erwin Realty, Inc. - Charlotte, NC

ABR,SFR, REALTOR®/BROKER, Charlotte NC.

I checked out your site! Yes, it is quite nice. Very informative too. You have a lot of information, which is great for relocators and some one like myself who has never been to your area. I like the "magic photo too." Very nice, neat & informative. Now, if I could learn how to include a podcast or a talking video into my site...I would really be thrilled! Way to go Cal!

Dec 28, 2006 09:21 AM

Cal Carter

Keller Williams Realty Alabama Gulf Coast - Gulf Shores, AL

Jaclyn,

Your listings can have audio:

Description

This section enables you to provide your potential customers with a detailed description of a listing, including a list of features, a text or audio description of the house, and a list of highlights.

Click here to see an image of the Description tab!

Description Field

This field can be used to give an overall description of the house and its location or neighborhood and can contain up to 2000 characters.

Click inside the field and enter the description of your listing.

Important: If your contact information is entered in this field, the listing will be blocked from participation in Handshake.

Attach Audio Description

This feature allows an agent to enhance a listing with an audio attachment using anything from a verbal description of the listing to a musical interlude. Adding an audio description is as easy as recording your listing presentation and uploading it to your individual listings.

Lets your listings do the talking.
Provides your online buyers with valuable information about your listings.

Requirements for an Audio Description

Must be a .wav or .mp3 file
File size is a maximum 2 MB
Must be saved to your computer

To add an audio description to a listing:

Record your audio file.
Locate the Attach Audio Description field.
Click the Browse button.
Locate the audio file on your computer.
Double-click the audio file to add it to the Attach Audio Description field.

Your audio attachment will only play the first time that a user views your detailed listing. If a user mutes the audio attachment to a specific listing, it will remain muted each time the visitor views that same listing.

If you want audio on your homepage, you might create a fake listing, save it as a dreft, and see if you can somehow add the audio link to your homepage. I don't know if it would work but you could try. Another alternative is to buy some cheap storage space on a server with a ISP and save your audio files there. That is what I did with the video files on this page - http://www.gulfshoreslife.com/Keller_Williams_Culture_Video/page_1744135.html

Hope you can get it worked out!

Cal

Dec 28, 2006 10:18 AM

Cal Carter

Keller Williams Realty Alabama Gulf Coast - Gulf Shores, AL

Point2Agent rolls out new National Listing Service - http://p2a.point2.com/news/pr-010407.asp

Jan 04, 2007 11:54 PM

Jaclyn Erwin

Jackson Erwin Realty, Inc. - Charlotte, NC

ABR,SFR, REALTOR®/BROKER, Charlotte NC.

Thanks Again Cal!

I will try to include audio. Thanks for the additional insight. I thought, however that audi was an advanced feature and not for standard membership. I also noted the new National Listing Service feature which debuted this week. Awesome!

Jan 05, 2007 05:07 AM

Anonymous

Greg Tracy

Template websites do a disservice to the consumer and to our industry.

Every time a buyer searches for homes and goes to a template website, whether it be an Advanced Access or Point2agent website, or any of the myriad other templates- they get a bad impression of real estate agents. This is why the public think agents are so out of touch- most have these horrible templates and they think they have a good website. If you have a template- you don't.

Be better than a template. Create a custom website that you can be proud of, and that offers value and a fun user interface for the consumer and they'll use your site, refer their friends to your site, and you'll build a brand for yourself.

If you really want a great site, contact me and I'll help you. My site is http://blueroof.com

Contact me at greg@blueroof.com

Good luck to you.

Dec 13, 2007 02:01 PM

Cal Carter

Keller Williams Realty Alabama Gulf Coast - Gulf Shores, AL

Hi Greg,

I agree that there are some template sites that are horrible. Some templates all look the same, that is the owners fault. The Point2 sites are fully customizable. Our site has 250+ pages that are custom made by guess who? The template owner!

We have all experienced agents given the hard sell by the website salesmen (we get their solicitations via the office phone system almost daily). Who are they trying to sell - the agents that already have websites and who they happened to find on Google or Yahoo.

What I have found is that unless an agent is willing to spend many hours working on his site, then he ends up with one that is just like the others and is not very helpful.

I would rather have a template I can sculpt to be what I want without having to know .php and sql than have a custom site that is going to cost me everytime I want to improve it.

The blue roof site looks very nice and I am sure it is just what is needed by those that have no vision or desire to create their own site. For those agents that create junky looking sites - more power to them - I know there are homes that I think are tacky that the owners just love - no difference with websites.

I stand by my opinion of Point2 sites offering great value to agents for little to no cost. The syndication and handshakes that are offered do a great service to the selling clients listings.

Cal

Dec 14, 2007 12:05 AM

Jaclyn Erwin

Jackson Erwin Realty, Inc. - Charlotte, NC

ABR,SFR, REALTOR®/BROKER, Charlotte NC.

"Template websites do a disservice to the consumer and to our industry. "

Well,

I LOVE my Point 2 NLS Site! It has proved to be a tremendous boost to my practice. Within my first year of using it, I've increased my business significantly. I can track $47,000 in additional revenue within 10 months thanks to my "Template" site! So, I'm sticking with it! Further, I believe that the purpose of the template format is to make it easier to customize it accordingly to our practice and services. It simply works for me to advertise my services as a leading Real Estate professional within the Charlotte, NC. and surrounding areas.

www.TeamJaclyn.com

Dec 14, 2007 01:24 AM

Cal Carter

Keller Williams Realty Alabama Gulf Coast - Gulf Shores, AL

Glad you're making it work for you Jaclyn! It's been almost a year since our first converstaion on this thread.

Merry Xmas!

Cal

Dec 17, 2007 01:16 PM

Sherry Chastain

Hendersonville, Nashville, Old Hickory, Lebanon Tennessee - Hendersonville, TN

Realtor, Selling Homes, Lake Properties,Luxury Homes,Short Sales

Wow your sites are great. I have looking for a website provider. Had a free point 2 site and never used it. Will have to look at them again. I just let my Xsite expire, too much manual work and not enough available content. With the new budget crunch, lead with revenue and all those crazy keller ideas I think point 2 is the most for your buck.

Jan 29, 2009 04:15 PM