Press Contact:
Robin Lutchansky
Neale-May & Partner
650-328-5555 ext 122
Mobile 408-788-7839
robin@nealemay.com
Agents See Internet Marketing As Critical Driver For Real Estate Sales,
According To Survey By AgentConnect & RealtyNow
Real Estate Professionals Say Internet Referrals Play Increasing Role
Walnut Creek, CA, July 28, 2003 –
AgentConnect.com and RealtyNow.com, providers of distinct marketing solutions
for real estate agents, and corporate parent Next Phase Media, the world’s
premier online referral source, today announced the findings of a national
survey demonstrating the degree to which real estate agents and brokers have
become increasingly sophisticated and avid Internet marketers. In fact,
according to the survey, an Internet web presence has become the most important
method for generating real estate sales leads, after hanging a “For Sale” sign
on the front lawn.
Survey respondents, however, say they rely on the Internet for far more than a
web site to promote their real estate services and sales inventory. More than 36
percent of respondents are already using an online referral network to increase
sales opportunities, and 50 percent of those who do not, say they are
considering joining a referral network. In fact, agents and brokers cited
Internet lead generation services as one of the top four most popular marketing
techniques.
The complete survey results are available at the web sites of AgentConnect.com
and RealtyNow.com. The survey was fielded this summer. Questionnaires were sent
to over 10,000 registered agents and brokers. A total of 200 agents and brokers
from every region of the United States answered the survey.
“Real estate professionals are quickly becoming sophisticated Internet marketers
who understand the importance of a multi-faceted approach to the Internet to
reach buyers and sellers,” said Payam Zamani, founder and CEO of Next Phase
Media, parent company of AgentConnect.com and RealtyNow.com. “In fact, more than
two-thirds of the agents we surveyed are either using or considering an online
referral network to capture qualified leads.”
Only 7 percent of respondents say the Internet hasn’t affected today’s real
estate business. Meanwhile, 72 percent agree that an Internet campaign is
critical to remaining at the top of the market in today’s business environment.
What method do you find
most successful in creating viable sales leads?
(Rank in order with 1 being most
successful.)
| Topic |
1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
5 |
| Signage on current listings |
50% |
28% |
11% |
7% |
4% |
| Internet web presence |
29% |
32% |
17% |
13% |
9% |
| Holding numerous open houses |
21% |
15% |
17% |
23% |
24% |
| Direct mail to neighborhoods |
20% |
30% |
15% |
19% |
15% |
| Regional classified advertising |
18% |
21% |
29% |
14% |
18% |
| Internet lead generation service |
16% |
26% |
20% |
10% |
28% |
| Taking floor time on weekdays |
16% |
16% |
22% |
15% |
31% |
| Cold calling on the phone or door-to-door |
14% |
6% |
13% |
23% |
45% |
| Articles published in local newspaper |
9% |
18% |
25% |
20% |
28% |
Generating client leads is clearly a major business and marketing concern for
the industry. Increasing client leads and home sales were virtually tied as the
top marketing objectives of respondents. Business concerns cited most often in
the survey were 1) state of the economy, 2) supply of area homes, 3) level of
professionalism among competitors and 4) lack of qualified new client leads.
Agents and brokers say that because of the economy, buyers and sellers are more
particular than ever and there are more real estate agents competing for
business. However, despite concerns about the economy, some 65 percent of
respondents expect the real estate market in their area to be “very strong” or
“strong” over the next 6 months.
Tips for Consumers
The new survey study by AgentConnect.com and RealtyNow.com
offers sound advice to consumers about choosing a real estate
agent, buying a home and staging a house for sale. Among the
study findings:
-
Knowledge of the local area, personality and
compatibility, and energy and dedication are the top three
characteristics, respectively, cited as criteria for choosing an
agent (see chart below).
-
Spring is by far the best time of year to sell a
home.
-
The kitchen, by far, is the most critical room
influencing the sale of a house, followed by the master bedroom
and then the family room.
-
In descending order of importance, the top five
improvements sellers should make before selling a house are:
remove clutter, paint the interior, paint the exterior,
deodorize the house and make general repairs.
-
Beige, followed closely by white, is the best
color to paint a house going up for sale.
-
For sellers, the biggest hurdle to a successful
transaction is coming to terms with the true market value of
their home.
-
For buyers, the biggest hurdles to success are
(1) finding and concentrating their efforts with a single agent
who they trust and (2) being realistic about price.
About Next Phase Media
Next Phase Media, Inc. (www.nextphasemedia.com) is the world’s premier online referral source, connecting consumers with the
products and qualified professional services they seek in the automotive,
residential real estate and home improvement industries. The privately held
company is headquartered in Walnut Creek, California. Current brands include
iMotors.com, OpenAuto.com, AgentConnect.com, iCastle.com, and CarClub.com. All
are among the best known and most visited in their industries.
About AgentConnect.com
AgentConnect.com is
the essential online real estate service connecting residential
home buyers and sellers with licensed, pre-qualified real estate
professionals nationwide. For real estate professionals,
AgentConnect.com provides a truly cost-effective and measurable
approach to get targeted leads, without the inconvenience,
expense and unpredictability of traditional advertising.
AgentConnect clients only pay for qualified leads, ensuring that
agents receive a greater return on investment and improved
accountability. Recently, AgentConnect was honored as the most
visited online home buying service on the Internet by capturing
almost 15 percent of the web’s total real estate traffic, making
it the leader in the online real estate marketplace.
About RealtyNow.com
RealtyNow.com is a
simple, fast, and clean streamlined process generating real
estate revenue through maximum efficiency and ease of use.
Member leads are based on criteria such as location of customer,
type of property to buy or sell, desired price, square footage,
number of bedrooms, number of bathrooms, target transaction
date, and target payments. Preferences can be based on
geographic areas by city, county, or zip code. Members only pay
for those leads that they accept in the selected coverage areas.
There are no membership fees and the service can be canceled at
any time.
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