According to NewRealty.com, real estate agents are feeling pretty good about Internet commerce.
A recent survey by the real estate information and services site says that agents who already use the Internet expect a 286 percent increase in 1998 gross sales, attributable to direct or indirect Internet advertising.
About 46.5 percent of respondents received some business through the Internet last year, the survey found.
For the agent with some Internet business last year, the average was $711,892, which according to respondents, is expected to increase 159 percent to $1.85 million in ’98.
Agents without any ’97 Internet business also are expecting ’98 to be a good year. Seventy-two percent of this group report they project an average of $548,413 in gross sales will come off the Internet in ’98.
In addition to the survey, many agents offered how the Internet helped them with increased business or exposure, often in unexpected ways.
Tim Gwilt, a broker with AmStar Realty in Clearwater, Fla., recounts how a seller’s attorney found their site via the Web.
“The attorney sent me an e-mail. As a result, we listed three properties for the seller and have sold two so far. The sellers are very pleased,” Gwilt says.
Headquartered in Palo Alto, Calif., NewRealty.com provides real estate agents and title and escrow companies nationwide with online marketing tools. NewRealty.com has been on the Internet since 1995.
FISBO help
For-sale-by-owner Internet registry Abele Owners’ Network has teamed up with Help-U-Sell Properties to put all homes listed by the fee-based real estate franchise online at www.owners.com.
Help-U-Sell’s customers will also have the opportunity to purchase Owners’ Network listing enhancements such as digital photos directly from Help-U-Sell offices around the country.
“In 1976, Don Taylor, our founder, had a vision of providing service to the consumer while empowering them to participate, to the extent they might wish, in the marketing process,” said Robert Wolf, president of Help-U-Sell. “This strategic alliance with Owners.com is a natural extension of that commitment to the consumer by bringing homes to the electronic marketplace.”
Abele Owners’ Network, launched in May 1996, is America’s largest national listing and Internet information service of homes for sale by owner. It provides more than 35,000 listings of homes and vacant lots in all 50 states.
Help-U-Sell offers the consumer a menu of professional services and fees intended to save the consumer thousands of dollars in commissions. Help-U-Sell has more than 180 independently owned and operated offices in the United States and Canada and an additional 44 offices in five sub-franchises throughout North America.
Mortgage filings
Technology services provider EDS signed an agreement with FileNET Corp., whose integrated document management software EDS has been used for a large-scale, paperless mortgage industry effort.
With Mortgage Electronic Registration Systems Inc., EDS is developing an electronic clearinghouse for registering and tracking mortgage ownership and servicing rights.
“Today, the mortgage industry is a morass of paper documents and files that overwhelm the system and–if mismanaged–leave lenders, services and home buyers open to fraud, litigation risk or financial penalties,” said Lee Roberts, FileNET president and chief operating office. “FileNET’s IDM software is an ideal solution for mortgage servicing applications and we are proud to be part of an effort that is revolutionizing an industry.”
EDS is a leader in the global information services industry and reported revenues of $14.4 billion in 1996. FileNET, based in Costa Mesa, Calif., provides Internet and client/server solutions for standards-based work flow, document imaging, electronic document management and report management software.
Seeking assistance
NDS Software Inc. recently announced that Stewart Title of California Inc. entered into a $165,000 annual agreement for marketing on NDS’ HomeSeekers.com Internet site.
The agreement will involve marketing by Stewart on all locations where HomeSeekers.com has California data. A hyperlink will connect HomeSeekers visitors to sites of Stewart’s choosing.
In addition, Stewart also has the right to sponsor “Total Solution Seminars,” an IBM/NDS product introduced at last year’s National Association of Realtors trade show, NDS said.
“This agreement marks a significant expansion of our relationship with Stewart Information Systems,” said NDS President John Giaimo. “We feel that our relationship has been mutually beneficial and look forward to deepening this relationship.”
HomeSeekers provides about 400,000 home listings through MLS licensing agreements. NDS also develops software applications for the real estate and mortgage banking industry.
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Chicago Tribune Homes
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