I couldn’t believe my eyes.
The number was staggering.
You will doubt what you are about to see – but it is a cold hard fact.
Today – 24,180,000 (that’s right – 24 million) people are researching their next home purchase on the Internet. Sit down; wipe your glasses if you must – because you just got a wake-up call.
Right now, only 43% of realtors have websites. This means that 24 million homebuyers are gathering information from roughly 200,000 realtor websites. I smell an opportunity and so should you. On one hand you have 24 million homebuyers (US) and on the other hand just 200 thousand realtors people are chasing them.
I have news for you – these 200,000 realtors are going to make some serious commissions in the next 3 years. Here’s why. Internet homebuyers spend more money on their home and close the deal quicker. If there was such a thing as a dream lead – this was it.
In my book, I explain how to prosper in this new digital marketplace. I’m used to dealing with the rapid changes that the Internet has caused in the Real Estate marketplace. But I have to admit – I got caught flat-footed on this one. Today 24 million people are looking to purchase a home – amazing.
Today is Saturday, Here’s is what I will be telling the Realtors that I coach on Monday.
1. Build A Website – I don’t care if it is a great one – I can help with that – but get your hat in the ring now. Money is literally laying in the streets.
2. Include your Website in every piece of sales literature you have. According to a recent NAR study 67% of homebuyers believe that the Internet saves them time in their home search. Providing your email address is a excellent way to show that you are web savvy.
3. Learn to love Email and the World Wide Web – Technology savvy realtors make $22,600 more than their non-internet savvy colleagues.
4. Learn how to attract Internet Homebuyers to your website. Visiting www.RealtorInternetTips.com is a great start. I would also visit www.Realtor.Org to get the information you need to educate yourself on adding the Web to your marketing mix.
Top Real Estate professionals predict that by 2005 – 97% of commissions will be earned by just 3% of realtors. If you want to know how this will happen – just take a long hard look at your computer. Right now – millions of dollars are being made by just having a www address.
Right now, you should start to tingle – just a bit. Let me explain what that “tingle” is all about. If you know how to pick the right web address for your site, if you know how to pick keywords that get you top search engine listings, if you know how to build a website that appeals to buyers and sellers, then that tingle my friend – is excitement. If you have any doubt in your website’s ability to bring you red-hot leads – that tingle is one of anxiety. If you tingle is anxiety – go back to the list I laid out and put a plan in action. The opportunity is too great to ignore.
Stan Smith is the Author of Master Realtor Internet Secrets Revealed! a comprehensive guide that teaches real estate professionals how to build and market lead-generating Real Estate web sites. Click here for more information on this ground-breaking online success guide – written exclusively for real estate professionals. Check it out at http://www.RealtorInternetTips.com
