REAL TRENDS ~ .REALTOR

Phil Lande REAL Trends <tsaxton@realtrends.com> Tuesday, November 04, 2014 10:57 AM plande@atlasrealty.com REAL Trends TechTouch: Should I Buy a .Realtor Domain?

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November 4, 2014 Welcome to the REAL Trends TechTouch, your weekly source for technology and marketing information just for real estate professionals.

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Should I Get a “dot.realtor” Domain?

Answer these questions before you move to a .Realtor domain.

Written by Travis Saxton, REAL Trends technology and marketing manager

Take a look at the New York Times real estate section. Halstead Properties has purchased every other impression on the key banner ad (at the top of the page).

The banner ad is unlike anything you may have seen traditionally. The banner is completely interactive and displays properties based on what the consumer wants to see.

Written by David Friedman, president of Boston Logic If there’s one thing that’s dominating the airwaves this week, it’s the .Realtor top level domain. We put together this list of FAQs to help you decide whether the .Realtor domain is meant for you: Will getting a .realtor domain help my SEO? There’s no evidence that the .Realtor domain will help your SEO. You should certainly not change the domain for your existing site in the hope that this will produce better search engine ranking. In fact, your URL has little impact on your SEO. Google has said so for a long time.

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The user never leaves that native environment unless he or she clicks on the banner.

The company that does the technology for Halstead is Inoventiv.

I hear I can get a free .realtor domain? If it’s free, why not get one?

It’s free for the first year and for the first 500,000 Realtors® who register. After that, you’ll have to pay an annual fee. The annual fee isn’t steep, so it’s not a big risk.

Will a .Realtor domain help my brand?

This depends on several factors. Do you think the word “Realtor” ads value? Do you think the buyers and sellers hold the Realtor brand in high regard? A Realtor is held to higher standards than someone who simply holds a license, but do the customers know that?

Isn’t .realtor more specific than .com?

Technology Tip

Big Data in Real Estate Written by Travis Saxton, REAL Trends technology and marketing manager

A friend recently told me that big data in the hand of a broker that does not know how to use it is like giving gasoline to a person without a car.

The real question is whether or not the consumer will remember that your website is followed by .realtor rather than .com? We’re all used to typing in dot.com. I’ve personally forgotten when a website ends in .net, instead of .com. It’s never easy to change consumer behavior.

That said, there are a lot of new top-level domains available now.

So, in time, the consumer may become used to remembering an entire URL string, rather than simply what appears after the www and before the .com.

That said, you don’t have to be an engineer or programmer to use big data in real estate.

There are plenty of companies that can assist you in taking vast amounts of data and using it to your advantage.

Here are a few companies that are using data in predictive fashions to better our industry: BoomTown, SmartZip, INRIX, RealtyTrac and RealAnalogics.

This list is not exhaustive by any stretch.

Tagible by REAL Trends Video of the Week How to Sell Real Estate Using Video

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Intranet or Document Storage? Dropbox or Google Drive?

How do you handle events and communication?

Written by Cade Madison, REAL Trends technology strategist

Through our Brokerage consulting, we hear, “Do I need any form of document storage (i.e. Dropbox, Google Drive, etc.)” and “How can I house all of my important files and documents for my agents?”

They also want to know whether or not there is a backend system to communicate to agents, share a calendar and collaborate.

The short answer is yes.

There are systems in place that allow you to do all of the above.

If you’re not looking for a fullfledged CRM system, but rather a collaboration and communication center with backend analytics and a keen usage reporting feature, look no further than BackAgent.

A system like BackAgent for the brokerage allows you to highlight important dates, communicate with your offices and offer social posts while working in conjunction with you favorite CRM. For example, using BackAgent as the hub, so-tospeak, then linking out to the other systems that are in place.

The Intranet allows managers and agents to collaborate on brokerage business. The real power comes from the ability for organizations of any size to

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interact with their offices at the hyper-local level.

There are other features built in to handle promotional marketing, transaction management and more.

Give them a look to see how you can elevate communication and participation in your brokerage.

Take a Closer Look

Is Your Business Built to Last?

Innovate and Congratulate REAL Trends would like to congratulate: Redfin on their first real estate technology acquisition of WalkScore NAR on launching the .realtor domain for real estate DotLoop on the deals with both Leading RE and FC Tucker #Trending

Mobile Apps

Things to consider when choosing between a mobile app or a mobile website.

Written by Paul Salley, REAL Trends marketing strategist

The real estate mobile space is a hot and controversial one.

As technology consultants, we are often approached with the mobile app vs. mobile website debate.

While it is most important to have a mobile website, as about half of web traffic comes

Never before have real estate professionals had so much information presented to them about how they should run their business, from planning and processes to tools and technology.

Written by Maggie Hall, Lone Wolf With the REALTORS® Conference and Expo just around the corner, it’s time to take a look at the big picture. We’ve heard these industry buzzwords before—transaction management, consumer-centric brokerages, big data and paperless office.

But, what does this mean to you? In finding the meaning for your brokerage, think about having a solid foundation and the right infrastructure in place to help your business prosper. Think about your office building or your home, built on a solid foundation with beams and walls, it won’t collapse at the first sign of a crack. Your business needs to be built the same way, on a strong foundation with technology, processes and people that support it.

If you’re attending NAR this year, be sure to prepare yourself for the tradeshow floor. Do your research so you can ask the questions you’ll need before someone sells you something you don’t need.

Take a look at your business. Are the people helping you run your brokerage contributing positively to your bottom line or are they hindering efficiency and profitability? The same analysis can be applied to your brokerage operations and technology. Do you have a plan for your business to run effectively? Have you invested in tools to help your business operate efficiently to foster growth? Do you have the technological infrastructure supporting your back office to ensure your data is secure?

There are an overwhelming number of products and services that claim to help your business be the best. Here are a few questions you should ask before signing on the dotted line: 1. Do I really need this product or is this just the next shiny penny in the industry?

2. Does this product fit in with my business’ vision for growth and development?

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from a mobile device, there is still value and merit to offering a brokerage-specific mobile app to consumers.

Those on the search for a new home are turning towards apps more to help in their quest.

Apps that consumers are seeking provide information and data in a way that is easy to interpret and navigate. A great example for inspiration in app development and design is the No. 1 consumerfacing real estate app: Zillow.

There are great solutions out there for brokerages that want to compete in the consumerfacing real estate app space.

One example of a tool that provides an excellent user experience in a custombranded environment is the app for brokers by the young tech company homeNdo.

3. Does this product integrate with my current processes and office systems to ensure improved efficiency?

4. Does this product offer visibility into how it helps my brokerage prosper?

5. Will this product keep my data safe and secure?

When you’re at NAR, take advantage of the education sessions, learning opportunities and networking events. Attend sessions and events that support your business foundation by identifying new opportunities for increased revenue, improved efficiency and ways to implement tactics for future growth in your business. With the proper tools and systems in place, your business will have the foundation and sustainability to weather any storm.

Maggie Hall is the client development manager at Lone Wolf Real Estate Technologies. With a background in public relations, Maggie has worked in the real estate industry for nearly eight years, including roles with the REALTORS® Association of Edmonton and the REB4 Group. For more information on Lone Wolf Real Estate Technologies, visit www.lwolf.com or call 1.866.CRY.WOLF(279.9653).

Have a story to tell? Email us at techtouch@realtrends.com.

This unique company provides user-friendly tools in an apps suite of offerings.

Some of these tools include:

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Intuitive and clean map search Live mortgage calculator that can send actual quotes to a user’s email 15-minute updates notifying the consumer of newly listed homes 360-degree image galleries Augmented reality that allows a user to search and find properties in an augmented 360degree reality.

Native navigation tools Drive-By Detector, which alerts a consumer to properties that match search criteria live as they are driving by

Are you a brokerage, team or technology company that needs technology consulting? Our technology consulting team works with the top companies in each space. Feel free to reach out and learn about how we can help your business! Call 303.741.1000, contact the REAL Trends Technology Consulting Division:

Travis Saxton, manager of technology and marketing Paul Salley, marketing strategist Cade Madison, technology strategist

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them.

See more and try out a live app at homendo.com/apps.

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