NY Times: Do-It-Yourself
Websites to Cut Agent Business

by Sharon Hassler, President, Go Get Experts

A friend just sent me an article from the New York Times that predicts two new websites will cut into the real estate agent business, 2 Web Sites Push Further Into Services Real Estate Agents Offer, Feb. 8, 2006. Another death knell. While it’s true more and more consumers do their research online, there are still many people who aren’t comfortable providing credit card information online let alone bidding on a house. Agent business has suffered some minor losses, but it has not gone the way of the dire predictions of 10 years ago. In fact, your stiffest competition may not be “agentless” websites but other agents who are taking advantage of the Internet to increase their business.

As we become accustomed to new products and ways of doing business, we assume everyone is following a parallel path. Since I work on a computer all day, I have to remind myself there are real estate agents who don’t know how to attach a file to their email message, don’t know what a blog is, and don’t believe they can create their own web page with our simple fill-in-the-blanks template. Their daily activities and focus are very different from mine. Likewise, there are many consumers who aren’t computer literate and will continue to require the traditional services of a real estate agent when buying or selling a home. Even Internet savvy consumers realize their home is a major financial investment and most prefer working with an industry professional.

While not the ominous threat agents initially feared, the Internet does deserve your attention. The best bet for a real estate agent today is to acknowledge competition from the Internet just as you would a new office opening down the block with the latest technology. Be proactive. Know your competition. Develop your own web presence—not just to attract new buyers and sellers but for a permanent web address so your repeat and referral customers can always find you. Get comfortable with email: Learn how to attach a file and how to copy and paste a web address so you can reference listings, virtual tours and your own web page. Schedule an hour each week to “play” online by trying different searches in Google, MSN and Yahoo. Enter phrases or complete sentences enclosed in quotes, such as “what is a blog” or “how do I attach a file to email.” Fortunately, anything you want to know about using the Internet, you can find on the Internet!

©Copyright Sharon Hassler. All rights reserved. Sharon Hassler is president of Go Get Experts, LLC, owner and operator of GoGetRealEstate.com and other web page/directory websites. She is author of the downloadable eBook “So You Think You Want A Website: Internet Marketing 101 for Real Estate Agents”. A former loan officer and real estate agent in Southern California, she served as Communications Manager for First American Title-Arizona for 11 years. For more about Sharon, visit GoGetRealEstate.com/Get/Sharon.