REALTORS Recent studies by NAR indicated that 89% of home buyers use an agent for their search for a new home and agents are ranked nearly equal with websites as sources of information and general usefulness. THE INTERNET Realtor.com recently reported that 90% of home buyers use the internet to search for a house. Online research provides buyers with virtually unlimited information about a property. They can preview a home, research its history, neighborhood, area schools, shopping, attractions, etc., and even view aerial pictures via apps such as Google Earth without leaving the comfort of their home or ever speaking to a real estate agent. Realty Websites — The real estate industry thrives on the timely dissemination of information, which created the need for real estate websites to become increasingly sophisticated in order to meet their client’s need for “instant” and timely information. No longer is the real estate agent in charge of transactions. The internet has put the customer behind the wheel, and a savvy buyer can manage much of the transaction him/herself. In order to remain competitive, you, or more realistically, your real estate agent, must build and maintain highly interactive, informative, and persuasive website or page dedicated to your home. Gone are the exhausting days of trudging fromcar-to-house-to-another-house, and then back again, dodging the elements in the heat, snow, or rain. A buyer can get all the information he/she needs to decide if they want to view a home in person by spending a couple of hours in front of their computer. Your website should be user-friendly and full of value. It should offer full video tours of a home’s interior, links to Google Earth for aerial photography of the area, detailed floor plans, andmore.
Facebook — The importance of this social media site cannot be overstated in terms of getting your information in front of thousands of people and extending your reach far beyond your wildest imagination. You probably have hundreds of Facebook friends, and, of course, they all have hundreds of friends, too.
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