| Technology and the real estate agent |
 Speaking on stage at a recent breakfast event, one of the top real estate agents in Perth admitted she "did not know how to turn on a computer". It got the loudest applause in the room!
Does the real estate agent of the 21st century need to be computer and technology literate? Does technology get in the way, or is it a critical factor in your business?
Latest information shows:
consumers are now expecting their real estate agents to be 'IT savvy'
they might choose who to list with as a result
techonology (such as email, SMS) can help you keep in touch with more clients at a fraction of the cost of letters and phone calls
meetings and phone calls are still important, and are certainly the 'richest' medium of communication
Recent research suggests there are still agents & reps who are afraid of and unfamiliar with technology and this is already hurting their business. "It's as if an agent picked you up to see a home in a stagecoach and said, 'I'm very automobile illiterate.'" (Davison, 2005)
Real estate agents who use technology find that they have gained an edge. The Internet is a key marketing tool, and yet so many fall behind on it and feel they have no 'connect' with internet traffic (web users are invisible). Yet it is relatively simple to stay ahead.
Your database is your golden goose - if you have no system to harvest the value from this, then you are letting business slip through your fingers. Even better if your database also talks to your web site and then your clients.
Real estate agents are not an endangered species if they provide a real service to consumers. What is endangered is any group of business people who do not pay attention to the changing shifts of the consumer.
Source > "Informed consumers force real estate agents to boost tech skills" (Sept 16th 2005, www.freep.com) |
| REIWA feed almost (!) ready for all ILS subscribers |
 Apologies for the delay in turning on the XML feed to REIWA.com, but it is best to get the feed perfected before we have hundreds of property information flowing to and fro every day.
Our best estimate is that we are a week away from turning on feeds for any aussiehome.com client that is already an REIWA ILS subscriber, but does not yet have properties on REIWA.com. After that, we will be looking at turning it on for those of you who already have properties on REIWA.com, so that we do not double count.
We will be faxing all ILS suscribers with consent forms to send property information to reiwa.com, when ready. Just fax back and then enjoy single data entry! |
| Digital SLR photography |
 We recently purchased a digital SLR camera, so as to improve the quality of our own in-house photography services.
Remember, that all Perth-based clients can order photography (and floor plans) by emailing toni@aussiehome.com or ringing Toni on 9389 5833. She will then make contact with you to set up a time. |
| Restoring SOLD properties ruins the site for everyone |
 As mentioned before, we receive complaints every now and again from people who say some agents are restoring old SOLD properties to the site, as if they were live properties (or recently sold ones).
This practice can flood the website with old stock, which (if everyone did it) would quickly ruin the site as a fast to load, easy to navigate portal with up to date listings. Traffic would then most likely fall.
Last week, we added an extra opt-out search option that excludes all SOLD properties from displaying on aussiehome.com (they will still display on your own site, if hosted with us). If web users want to see sold properties, they can simply untick the "exclude SOLDs" box. |
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Congratulations to Julia Barratt-Hill, Property Manager at Swan River Real Estate, who entered the 80,000th property on aussiehome.com:
The last 10,000 properties have been entered in record time, as the 70,000th was a Porter Matthews Metro property entered when they joined us in June this year.
(The 40,000th was entered in Feb 2004, so we have doubled in the 20 months since then, and it had taken over 4 years to get the 1st 40,000 on.)
Roll on 90,000! |
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To celebrate the purchase of our lovely new SLR digital camera (see opposite) we are offering a cut price package - a floor plan and photography of a property of your choice for just $75 (usual price $220)
The catch? You have to be the 5th person to email us with the correct name of the horse that came LAST in the Melbourne Cup 2005!
EMAIL your answer here |
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The 5 most visited properties for sale on aussiehome.com in October were:
1. 36 Marapana Rd, City Beach (Schwenke Young)
2. 4 Adori Pl, City Beach (Chris Dee RE)
3. House ID 67927, Cottesloe (Renouf)
4. 13 Gordon St, Nedlands (Paxton Hoad West)
5. 82 Second Ave, Claremont (Abel McGrath)
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Results of last month's online poll: Due to large government budget surpluses...
75% agreed that property stamp duty should be cut
25% did not know
no one said stamp duty should rise! |
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