Real Estate Marketing & Beyond
I recently read an article that listed five crucial reasons for having your own real estate website and found it a bit more entertaining that I first expected it to be. Most of the points being discussed were fairly obvious and nothing you don’t already know. Topics like 84% of buyers are looking online for their next home and how having your own real estate website is vital because it’s constantly working for you were just a couple of the main takeaways. But what really caught my eye, however, was the article’s peculiar introduction.
Rising gas prices drive us crazy - but not that crazy! © duckman76 - Fotolia.com
The very first sentence began by talking about the constant increase of gas prices and how with seemingly no end in sight, many people are now looking for ways to cut back that will absorb some of the added expenses associated with driving. Apparently, expensive gasoline prices are what inspired the author to explain the importance of having your own real estate website and that using the internet to find a home or condo is now more popular than ever for this very same reason.
I first asked myself, “am I reading this right?” It’s the high gas prices that are the driving force behind people shopping online for their next home or condo? Really? I guess all this time I thought it was because of the ease of use, the convenience factor, and the advanced new mobile technology available to consumers that lets you get the information you need whenever and wherever you want.
Having your own real estate website is mandatory in today’s tech savvy world. I obviously can’t argue that. It’s a great way to market your real estate business and communicate to buyers what homes are for sale. But when I’m at home looking for my next apartment online, it’s not because I’m thinking about saving the gas in my tank; it’s because a good real estate website should have everything I want and need to know all right there ready for me to access. And besides, don’t most good Realtors volunteer to drive you to properties you want to see anyway?
Look, I’m all for preserving natural resources and taking steps toward becoming a more eco-friendly nation. But until I see real proof that people are actually considering gas prices when shopping for real estate, I think associating this with how to market yourself might be a pretty strong reach. There are lots of excellent reasons for having a high-ranking real estate website, but I think for now, high gasoline prices may just be a bit further down on the list.
Joe Heath is a graduate of Indiana University and possesses a Graduate Certificate in Real Estate Development from Drexel University. After working in the market research sector and authoring published Market Snapshots for Hanley Wood Market Intelligence, Joe now works as a Web Marketing Specialist and co-owns Real Estate Web Creation with his partner, Ted Guarnero, a 25+ year real estate veteran.
