Come join us!Come check out the new blog from NAR's Information Central! "Power Tools on Technology" is no longer being updated, but you'll find plenty of interest in the InfoCentral Blog. The InfoCentral Blog keeps you up-to-date on new and useful information resources for the real estate industry -- websites, research reports, eBooks, news articles, services and databases from NAR's Information Central, and more. Surf on over to http://narblog1.realtors.org/mvtype/infocentral/. Mashups, Myspace and digital videoRecently added to NAR's Virtual Library eBooks Collection: del.icio.us Mashups, MySpace For Dummies®, Videoblogging, Digital Video Essentials, Digital Video For Dummies®, Videoblogging For Dummies®. Check out eBooks.realtor.org for these and other titles. NAR members can borrow up to 3 eBooks, digital audios, and/or videos for FREE. New to NAR's digital library? Just follow the Quick Start Guide...and have your NRDS number ready! The "smoking gun" driving NAR membership numbersThe membership of the National Association of REALTORS® has grown steadily over the years, although it has taken some hits every so often in the face of economic recessions. But for the most part, NAR membership has grown in defiance of economic and housing market conditions. The "smoking gun" behind the boom in REALTORS®, at least according to PoliticalCalculations.com, is technology. "Our working theory is that technological innovation, first in the form of the computerized MLS and later through improved access to information through computerized database and Internet technologies, lowered the barriers and costs of entry to larger numbers of real estate agents, above and beyond what would be expected if only the health of the U.S. housing market and economy is taken into consideration," says PoliticalCalculations' April 9 entry. Continue reading "The "smoking gun" driving NAR membership numbers" » It came from SeattleAmazon, Microsoft, and a number of other Internet powerhouses make Seattle their home. Might the next big thing in online homebuying emerge from the West Coast city, too? Already garnering praise from homebuyers in Washington State and California, Seattle-based Redfin is taking its successful business model national, with new offices opening soon in Boston, Chicago, and Washington, DC. Redfin lets buyers do their own shopping with tools to help them research and find the home they'd like to buy, then offers the services of a real estate agent to assist in making a formal offer, negotiating the deal, lining up inspections and coordinating the closing. The company rewards Web-savvy buyers for their work with a rebate. By letting buyers find the property they want and letting agents handle the transaction details, Redfin hopes to bring changes to the real estate industry. The company is barely a year old, and already "[o]ur numbers have gone from zero percent market share to about 2 percent [in the Seattle area]," CEO Glenn Kelman told the Seattle Times. "That's insignificant, but time is on our side." Five key lessons from tech-savvy real estate prosBoth consumers and real estate professionals are flocking to the Web, employing new technologies to find, buy, sell, and market property. BtoB, a magazine for the marketing industry, believes direct marketers can learn some things from the real estate business and its use of videos, RSS, blogs, and other Web features. "Make an emotional connection," "Build relationships," and "Dare to dream" are among the five top tips explored in BtoB's article. One central theme tying the five tips together is learning to adapt to new technologies. "“One day someone will be driving through a neighborhood and they’ll see a sign with a podcast URL. A few minutes later they could be sitting in front of the property, watching a video tour on their cell phone. We want to be ready for that … and make sure we’re adapting to accommodate it,” said one real estate executive. 
|
About This Blog
Power Tools on Technology, from NAR's Information Central, provides information on research studies, websites, books, news, tips, and other resources on technology's use and impacts on the real estate industry.
To stay up-to-date on new resources on technology and real estate, check back frequently or subscribe to the blog via the links at right.
More >
NAR disclaims responsibility for any of the content or opinions expressed on this blog, including, but not limited to content or opinions regarding any products or service mentioned on the blog. NAR disclaims liability for any damages or losses, direct or indirect, that may result from use of or reliance on information contained in the blog. This blog contains links to other Web sites operated by third parties. These links are provided as a convenience to access the information contained therein. NAR has not reviewed all of the information on other sites and disclaims any responsibility for the content of any other sites or the products or services that may be offered on or through those sites. Inclusion of a link to another site does not indicated any endorsement or approval of the site or its content. NAR reserves the right to edit, remove, or deny access to individuals or content that it determines to be unacceptable, including, but not limited to, any abusive, profane, rude, defamatory, or anonymous comments. In the LibraryProquest Password
Links marked with a red Q are provided by ProQuest for NAR members only and may require a password.
Featured Field GuidesSubscribe To This Blog |
|
|
|
