Greetings all,

What is your idea as the most valuable tool
regarding the Internet and real estate? Is it a website? Is it qualified leads? Is
it free reports? etc. etc. etc.

In my experience, the quality and content of the website determines whether visitors will contact you. Then it is the quality of the agents response (usually email) that determines whether serious prospects will want to work with you. I don't believe in "free reports" - just put the content on your site. Offering "Free Relo Packages" just pads the pockets of the courier companies - not the agents. An agent can go nuts (thinking these are real prospects)trying to follow up on all the unmotivated people these "Free" offerings attract. You have to build the relationship first and foremost - by contact and content, then offer the Relo Package.



[This message has been edited by WM (edited 12-15-2001).]

I believe that the quality of the website is secondary to the exposure to qualified buyers on the Internet. A site that can target geographically is your best bet. I recommend Virtualrelocation.com. Not only can you buy positioning cheap, you can link to their calculators and local pages to help jazz up your website.

Of course, you could just rely on the major search engines to notice your web page, but I wouldn't recommend it.

Thanks Doug, for telling it like it is about Free Reports. I really feel that these are a waste of time. Most buyers and sellers don't need the info contained in these reports because if they are educated (and most of them are) they can do the research on the net or elsewhere.
I myself don't use these reports and I do believe that we should post as much info as possible. In the long run it saves us money and time.



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Roger 'A' Arsenault
http://www.CalgarysRealtor.com
CIR Realtors
Canada's Largest Independent Real Estate
Company

You can provide all the free information & content you want. However, your website must become interactive, otherwise people will come, take, leave and you'll never create a pipeline of prospects.

If you offer some free services online in addition to your content, you can become interactive. For instance we use 3 services to generate prospects,
1) A MLS homes by email service that sends the prospect an email daily, even if there are no new properties.
2) A free weekly home buyer newsletter.
3) A free online CMA whereby we email a ballpark analysis within 24 hours.

By responding in a personal way, we have been able to generate many new clients.

It's good to see all of these future agents online now. I feel so alone at the office.

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Denver Metro Real Estate

Colorado,

What program are you using to repond every day, etc.

Thanks,

Jim

I think a good web site is the most important tool but along with a good web site I think you have to have a top web master that knows what they are doing to get you placed in the search engines. We at Results-Net are one of the lucky ones to have Doug.

From a brokers perspective, I would say the most valuable internet tool is one that you use often, and which produces results. Fancy
sites that post colorful listings look nice, but if they don't generate result, they're
basically useless. The websites, engines,
forums, and other virtual hand tools I use on a daily or even weekly basis, and which allow my business to thrive are the things I consider valuable.

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Jim

If this were true then you would be directing thousands of users to a poorly designed website. How does that make sense? Once those same users reached your site they would leave anyway because it was either too confusing to navigate through or gave the impression that that realtor was not a top-quality agent. In this system you've just wasted your money.

As the owner of an internet agency that specializes in working with real estate agencies I can tell you your website MUST represent you in a high-quality way and even tie into your agencies brand and identity. Marketing is the second necessary ingredient because you MUST have both to succeed.

With thousands of websites going up every day, it is more important than ever for a business to determine how its website will receive the level of exposure necessary for it to be a success. Due to the fact that eSolutionBuilder has competed in some of the most competitive markets in the world, the team has become experts at instituting strategies of sound site promotion. Website promotion involves far more than simple submission to the search engines. It requires a comprehensive plan of attack that is laid out in advance of the site going on-line. eSolutionBuilder is confidant any site can receive greater results with the kind of site promotion support offered by our professional staff.

Brian Apt
eSolutionBuilder
(714) 791-1665

Looks, useability, and content, is very important. Interactivity is important too, but if the top are not satisfied, nobody's going to be interactive with you. I am a web designer and developer going into the real estate world (licensed next week I hope). I hate going into sites that is unbearable to the eyes. It just doesn't look professional. I hate going to business sites where I have to look for the menu button (if it's a game site or entertainment site, I don't really care). Last, but not least, hate going to a site where it has some really cool description but when you go into it, it has nothing for content. Most of all, I hate it when it is all of the above. Simple is good, but some people are just so lazy, that they just use a template.

Hopefully next week I can decide on which broker I will go with. That way I can start building my site. With the above criteria emphasized in it.

A good web site that changes frequently and keeps up-to-date. The web site should have a variety of information on your topic as well as the area. This will always bring back return vistors. Also add a little splash so vistors will say WOW!

The biggest challenge we face is keeping our site fast as well as attractive. We also find that Flash, animations, frames and heavy graphics slow, bog and even crash our visitors computers.

One thing we learned, when we did a test for a month, is that even high end users, government employees, and government consultants as well as AOL employees and Web executives, a broad group that we sell too --- have SLOW connection speeds as a rule.

Yes, we found some high speed connections but the Bell Curve of connection speed showed that MOST of our visitors were accessing our site from thier location at very slow phone line speeds!!!!!

We test on a phone line frequently and try to have our entire page up in under 20 seconds no matter what and something for them to read in a couple of seconds. We don't do well enough but we try constantly to improve.

Jody

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My personal Real Estate Site - with lots of essays and articles for you wherever you are. And, I sell in the Nation's Summer Capital; Rehoboth Beach Delaware:
http://www.JodyHudson.com

I agree that a up to date website is the most effective tool.. You can provide many images of each home listing and all necessary information 24 hours a day.. Most people still buy homes the old fashion way.. They Look in the paper, mls books and drive through neighborhoods.. Hey Location is everything!! But when they pull up your website with 10 images of each home, and detailed information & map, it quickly seperates potential buys from non-buys.. A website is a great way to educate your clients about the homes they are interested in- Saving you alot of time in the long run.
I have found that Flash can be used sucessfully with slow connections. It all depends on your web developer. I have a site from http://www.ProRealtyWebsite.com and have been very impressed with their service.... I can update listings, run a newsletter, and manage my content all from the web.. as well as have a little Flash to spice it up.. and it loads fast as well..

Thanks..

The most valuable asset on the site is having reciprical exchanges and posts on major realty sites. If people can't find you site, what is the purpose of having it. It should be posted on major realty search sites like americasdoorstep.com or agentsonline.com. I wasn't gettting much action from the search engines because I was so low on the totem pole.