Real Estate Lawyers -- Pay Attention!

Two from Michele Miller in the same day! Michele links to this white paper authored by Real Living, a growing nationwide real estate company. The paper is a must-read for any real estate lawyer. Here are some excerpts:

Historically, consumers relied on real estate professionals for almost all information concerning the buying and selling of a home - a transaction model which positioned real estate professionals primarily as information disseminators. According to Real Living, women now rely on the Internet to gather information upfront, often before contacting a real estate agent. However, women who are short on time and long on needs place a high value on the agent to guide them through the home buying process once they have used the Internet to educate themselves and narrow down their home search criteria. This shift in behavior now positions real estate professionals as negotiators, time-savers and efficiency experts - demanding that brokers and agents find new, innovative ways to serve consumer needs for convenience and control.

Real Living advises that brokers and agents of the future must fully integrate technology into their normal course of business in order to maintain a competitive edge with today's increasingly connected consumer. Key suggestions outlined in the white paper include:* Offer anywhere, anytime access to robust listing information (such as property details, virtual tours and mapping) to drive efficiency, convenience and control for consumers

* Deliver online customer communication, comparables and transaction forms to add value to the agent-consumer relationship.

* Leverage the Web as a real-time-marketing medium to provide home buyers with immediate access to all homes available for sale on the market.

* Target female decision makers through integrated, robust Internet marketing strategies supplemented by traditional advertising mediums such as print, radio and television.

* Meet consumer needs for efficiency and convenience by serving as a source for one-stop-shopping referrals for related services such as mortgage, title, relocation and home warranty services.

These tips are not only for real estate agents. This is sound advice for lawyers too.