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The Internet and Showings

When I put a new property on the market now it is quite different from when I put a property on the market in the past. Now the thinking is to put the property on as many different sites as possible because buyers are clicking from site to site and you want to pick them up as they click. In the past buyer's would come out to see property's because it was the only way to see it.

Now property's are on the internet with 15 pictures, virtual tours, community and school information, all from the comfort of their home or office. There is a new site now where you can take a video of the property wtih a voice over, you can show the neighborhood, the neighbors houses, you can show the most intimate details of every inch of a property. In some ways since it is the agent doing the video things will be picked up that a buyer might miss.

Property's come on the market and some seller's want to know where the buyers are, the showings, they measure the marketing by the number of showings. That is the old way. Now it is clicks and views and not showings. Buyers click and look, they email for further information and if all of the pieces fit their needs they may venture out to take a look, but most likely they will drive by first.

If you put a property on the market and look out your living room window and start to see cars driving by and slowing down to look, those are the buyers doing it the new way.

Posted by Miriam Bernstein,Westchester County Real Estate on 04/30/2008 05:13 AM

Comments (6)

market, buying, selling

This post has been included in New York Information Westchester County, NY Information

6 Comments on The Internet and Showings

To find out where the home is showing up google the address after a month. Then email your client to do it.

04/30/2008 05:19 AM

by Russ Ravary - Michigan Homes for sale - Michigan Real estate & Mortgage info (Remerica Hometown One)

Miriam, first of all - I'd like to compliment you on your catchy phrase - Clicks to Bricks! Excellent way to put that in today's market, which is what most consumers are doing! Great informational post - Carla

04/30/2008 05:20 AM

by Carla Harbert - RE/MAX Pros (Full Time REALTOR in Ohio)

You're right. Active buyers want lots of information at their fingertips. In years past, our website listings did not reveal the property address in order to allow the home seller to give drive by directions to interested buyers. While this was good for the seller to monitor his advertising response, it was not ideal for the buyer as it would require an additional step to find what they wanted - drive by opportunity. We explained this to our sellers as we moved to a transparent system where the address was always visible, allowing for easy mapping and additional syndication exposure and they agreed that the positive outweighed the negative.

Can you go overboard with additional information? I think so. Remember, the more cutting edge the technology, including flash, video, etc., the greater the possibility that those with slower internet connections will be able to view comfortably.

We also educate sellers regarding the misuse of "clicks" and "views". In many FSBO websites, counters can skew these results quickly. In some cases, every click on an image in a virtual slide show tour counts as a page view. Ouch. We have chosen NOT to include counters for that reason. Consumers (and a lot of real estate agents) don't know the difference between a hit, a page view and a unique visitor.

The "new way" of showing real estate points to less personal (human) contact with a real estate agent and positions the buyer in the driver's seat. After all the new technology, it often comes down to the old fashioned sign on the lawn that causes an interested buyer to "choose" an agent.

04/30/2008 06:18 AM

by Liz Provo, Massachusetts 4 Sale By Owner

I have to explain to some sellers how it all works today. They do want to know why there are not showings everyday. I think it is great to be able to see so much about a home so that you can decide if it is for you. It makes the buyers so excited- like they've gotten to sneak a peek into the home.

04/30/2008 06:53 AM

by Rob Muller - ABR, ASP, RCC, CNHS, LREA Cherokee County Real Estate (ReMax Town & Country)

Great post Miriam. Buyers have changed a lot, they know more and have more information at their finger tips and hunger for even more information before they do a drive by. And, as agents it encourages us to step up to the bar and provide them with even more information in more places.

04/30/2008 06:58 AM

by June Piper-Brandon, CRIS, ePro, Broker (Advance Realty Anne Arundel Inc.)

Nice post and so true. Thanks a bunch. I was feeling lonely doing all this internet stuff for listings

04/30/2008 07:01 AM

by Charlie Ragonesi Big Canoe homes, Jasper ,Ball Ground,Benttree,Dahlonega (All Mountain Realty)

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