Specializing in commercial properties, Cathy Coneway—a broker associate with Stanberry & Associates REALTORS® in Austin, Texas—understands just how important location is when it comes to helping both her clients and their business succeed. From identifying areas with high concentrations of the customers her clients are looking for, to locating sites that cater to specific business types, having access to accurate information is vital to maintaining a competitive edge in today’s market.
And with Realtors Property Resource® (RPR®) by her side, Coneway can easily drill down into demographic, psychographic and spending data information. Providing clients with the information they need to make an informed decision, Coneway points to the program’s commercial applications—and their ability to break down any demographic—as one feature that truly stands out above the rest. “When analyzing an area, I can draw a radius or polygon around it for a more comprehensive study,” says Coneway, a tool she uses for office, retail and industrial corridors. “In addition, when pulling up a report, I use Snagit to quickly capture a screen image and email the image to my client. If they’re interested in the site, we then do a more in-depth analysis.”
Having first learned about RPR at the 2010 Texas Association of REALTORS® Convention, Coneway notes that it quickly became apparent that the product offered features that their current MLS was unable to provide. “For a retail commercial broker, one of the biggest benefits associated with using RPR is being able to identify competing businesses for my clients within the marketplace,” says Coneway, who cites a recent example of working with an upscale toy store in Round Rock, Texas, that wanted to lay down roots in an area that catered to their specific demographics, while not being close to other toy stores. “With the assistance of the RPR program, we were able to quickly identify all the other toy stores within that area and find a location that met their criteria.”
And the successes don’t stop there. In fact, RPR was instrumental in helping Coneway successfully facilitate a deal with a pizza franchise that was looking for a location in the Austin market with a 60 percent Hispanic client base. “We were able to provide maps and documentation showing those areas of Austin that would bring them into the center of their specified demographic,” says Coneway.
As the needs of commercial buyers continue to change, RPR is dedicated to keeping pace with the evolving industry. “They have top-notch people willing to work with you to identify the needs of specific clients and develop products to meet those needs,” says Coneway, who goes on to say that Jeff Young (SVP of Operations/Industry Relations) and Emily Line (director of Commercial Services) have proven to be incredible resources at the local and national level when it comes to educating REALTORS® about the product. “And Marty Frame (president of RPR) is a brilliant, technical person who can create anything the market demands of him.
“RPR is one of the best resources available to real estate professionals seeking to support their clients’ goals,” concludes Coneway. “If you’re not using it, expect your competition to get more of your business.”
For more information, visit www.narrpr.com.
