"At 5 am, in this paludal hinterland,
a lone roadside figure bristling with electronic
and photographic gear must present a curious sight."
Indeed! And I know exactly who that lone roadside figure is...a REALTOR® out on the land looking for photographs that best represent his or her new listing.
S/he knows that when prospective clients go to Localism.com to search for properties of interest, the quality-laden photos s/he places there will have an impact on their decision to contact or not contact her.
PHOTO taken at 5:00AM by J.T.Narrin, Photographer for the Firm
EDIT J.T.Narrin, Photographer is MY SON ..a reason to smile
That REALTOR® could be any one of us.... It's happened to me...My client found me by searching online.
She Googled green building , then "real estate for sale" in my home town (Asheville, N.C,), et voila, there I was courtesy of ActiveRain. She read my BLOG. She even paid me the ultimate compliment of subscribing to it, although later she confessed she subscribed not because of my eco-wise ramblings, but because she loved the photos there! She wanted data- how much would a 100AC tract + home cost? Where was the nearest college campus? and so forth.
Her initial email went something like this: "I read your BLOG at AR. You seem to be a knowledgeable REALTOR®. I've been spending lots of time online looking at listings. There's XYZ listing on realtor.com that looks like it would be a perfect ...then she told me the data from her printout.
To which I responded, something like this:"Thanks so much for connecting with me. Sorry to disappoint you, but that property sold about three (3)weeks ago, however If you will tell me what's most important to you in your search for the "right" place, I am here and ready for the challenge!" BTW, here's a vital link to North Carolina's Law of Agency. Please let me know that you have read and understand it."
Sounds simple enough, doesn 't it? But when you give it some thought, this whole process deserves some serious consdieration.
Surveys and Questions.
- Real estate market surveys tell us that 70-80% of real estate clients begin thier search for properties online. That's old news to most of us by now. But I've been thinking about how that trend could change things for all of us.
- Do you think our role changes when we no longer are first in line personally to "turn on the house lights" to reveal the information our audience seeks?
- What affect online research has on our business when we greet the characters in the on-going drama of property sales and acquisition online?
- Do you think it's important to be ready to "hit our marks" on that stage?
Just seems to me that it makes sense to be ready competently to interpret information our clients already have gained, then to take on the role of problem-solver.
A problem-solver knows how to put a finger on, organize, and manage the entire "production"...In the practice of real estate this means making meaningful connections and coordinating the entire real estate transaction process.
Making Authentic Connections Online ...and Off.
In techno-terminology, connectivity and speed are almost synonymous. But I like to think of connectivity in terms of making authentic connections with my colleagues and clients in the good old-fashioned neighborly way,whether that is online or off. To me, there's nothing like personal investment --that personal touch that weaves into a cooperative tapestry.
Which brings me to the subject of community, local wisdom, Localism.com, and how YOU think our articles and photos at Localism.com meet the need for making real connections that I believe to be at the very center of a successful real estate practice.
Let me know what you think!
green-o-lina
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Asheville NC Real Estate Journal for RESOPURCES & REFERRALS -Mountain Homes and Land Legacies- Asheville 1031 Realty© 2014. Designations: NAR GREEN®, EcoBroker®, Eco Certified ®Real Estate Consultant, ePRO®. Unauthorized reproduction of any information including photos and graphics on this site is a violation of existing copyright laws. All rights reserved.
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