Monday, May 19, 2014

Finding A Tech Savvy Realtor

The modern day housing market has changed with home buyers typically having the upper hand. Years back, home shoppers had to call an agent to check out local listings and schedule a tour of homes.






Now with technological advances and the Internet, almost anyone can search for new or older resale homes, apartments, condominiums, and townhouses in the privacy of their own home via their home PC, smartphone or laptop.






If you want to sell your home, it certainly makes sense to hire a realtor that knows how to effectively market your home to today's buyer. A recent survey of home buyers conducted by The Real Estate Book discovered that fifty percent of them considered mobile tools to be an essential part of their home search. And of those, 98% percent thought their mobile device was a valuable tool with 78% of them viewing photos and videos of homes on their device. What is interesting for you to know is that 68% sought out a listing agent based on their mobile search.

Given that more half the buyers employ technology to do their shopping, it is imperative that you hire a reputable, market and tech-savvy agent that will have a much better chance of selling your home quickly and for the price you want. What makes a realtor tech-savvy? Here are a few tried and true factors to look for when selecting a technologically skilled agent.

Check For Their Website - Home shoppers are going to click on one of the first websites they see, so if a potential agent is not showing up when you do a search, chances are home buyers will not find them either. Poorly constructed websites will be passed over by buyers making you lose out on many potential leads. If the agent's website offers you to 'shop' at your own personal ease and enjoyment, know that buyers will be probably feel the same way as you do and stick around.

Social Media Setup - Simple interaction in the social sphere shows that your realtor knows how important online communication is to modern day buyers. After all, a good agent can utilize tools like Facebook, Pinterest, Twitter, or YouTube to highlight your home and further communicate their thoughts and ideas with a wider audience.

Solid Home Search Option - The most important tool for any truly tech-savvy realtor to have is a fantastic home search option. Remember, almost 100% of the market is turning to online searches to find a new home. So if you're agent doesn't have an easy-to-use search, you will be missing out on an unbelievable amount of traffic.

Presentation And View-Ability Factors - How does the prospective agent's use of technology properly market properties similar to yours? Are images presented in a tasteful, user-friendly way and/or do they offer professional-looking video tours of homes? For higher-end properties, are aerial video and professional photography used? Poor quality or grainy images, difficult navigational tools, long-loading applications will deter buyers from coming back to your realtor's website.

Make sure all tools available on the listing agent's website are mobile app friendly as well. Ask if their website will has been converted to HTML 5, which ensures all images, videos, and other information can be easily viewed on tablets, smartphones, PCs or any other device without installing special software. In other words, buyers will be able to see the same easy-to-navigate site on any device quickly and easily.

There are other small benefits, such as your realtor being able to update you via email or text message, so you can stay updated even if you aren't able to be involved in a full-fledged conversation. Finding a realtor that knows how to use the Internet, social media websites, and mobile applications can be easy if you think like a buyer. By "Mock" shopping online using web tools and thinking like a potential buyer looking for a house like yours, you can find a tech savvy agent to market your home.

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Orignal From: Finding A Tech Savvy Realtor

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