The internet has changed the way Realtors do business and has changed the way buyers shop for homes.  Additionally, technology is changing our day routines and work habits.  Buyers have limited time to look at homes for sale so the spend most of their time conducting online research sifting through listings before calling a Realtor. Buyers also have busy lives, so when it comes time to look at homes, they want to go out and look at homes on their schedule, not the seller's.

As an active agent showing buyers homes, I generate a showing list based on my clients needs.  Usually there are 8-9 homes on the list (in these current market conditions) and the list is sorted starting with

1. Vacant listings, 
2. Listings to call, leave a message and go direct,
3. Call and make special arrangements (put away pets etc.)
4. Appointment needed,
5. Homes that are only available at certain times or days.

Nine times out of ten times my clients will sort the list the same way if I give them the stack of paper; they want to know which houses are the easiest to see.  The reasoning behind this is that the homes on our list already fit their criteria and second that they can see as many homes possible as their time is valuable.

Usually the homes (listings) that fit the first 3 scenarios above, all have lock boxes.  If you fall into the 4^th or 5^th scenario and wonder why you are not getting many showings, wonder no more.  I've shown thousands of homes in my career and EASE of showing rules the day.  If your house is priced with the competition in mind and you are not getting decent showing traffic; ask yourself which of the 5 choices you have given your prospective buyers and their Realtor.

A blog post will follow soon "Lockboxes Part II" and I will go into depth on the power of the Supra iBox vs the old style combo box.