Howard Dinits and his wife split their time between Hawaii’s Big Island and Maui. Because serving the real estate market in Hawaii can be logistically challenging, it’s critical to have a strong online presence, as most of Dinits’ work as head of the firm is done online.
Although he originally got into real estate back in 1994, Dinits transitioned into the dot-com industry and became an early internet pioneer, using his profits to buy houses. But when he couldn’t find a good agent in the market where he was looking, he decided to jump back into real estate.
“I took my internet skills and became something of an internet REALTOR®,” says Dinits, who notes that most of his clients aren’t on the island. “I conceded early on that once they got on the island and didn’t have an agent, they would just walk into an open house, and my goal was to capture them before they ever came.”
Therefore, when he went to set up his webpage, Dinits knew he needed a name that was flashy and a site that would attract people and keep them coming back. He chose the domain www.BigIslandRealEstate.com and added www.easymauirealestate.com a few years later.
But setting up a website wasn’t enough to ensure success in the real estate game, so Dinits began working with Elm Street Technology and its IDX Broker service in 2013. Over the past nine years, Dinits has depended on IDX Broker as his website partner to drive business to his firm.
“I have stayed with IDX Broker all this time because it is customizable, and I can make my site the way I want it while providing the data I want to provide,” says Dinits, who goes on to explain that other website partners don’t sort the data properly and often don’t provide good data. “With IDX Broker, I can provide better data and get to know my clients.”
To that end, Dinits utilizes IDX Broker’s search tools, widgets and saved search pages to attract and convert website visitors into leads.
“All of these things drag people to my website, and IDX Broker is my way of providing content via my blogs and video, so for me, it’s everything,” says Dinits. “For a consumer looking for a vacation home, in a normal market, there might be 500 listings to weed through, but on my website, it takes one click to find out which condos can be used for that purpose.”
That one-click search can also be used to find homes with pools, houses with an ocean view, condos allowing pets or any number of different features.
“Living on a rock, with the majority of my clients buying from somewhere else, I couldn’t be doing what I’m doing without Elm Street Technology,” says Dinits. “In a tough market like we’re in now, with very little inventory, the IDX Broker engine, email updates and being able to get information to consumers as quickly as possible is working.”
Dinits is also impressed with the level of service that those behind IDX Broker offer. Whenever an issue pops up, someone is always available to work through the problem quickly and effectively.
“When I call them up, I do so patiently, explain what’s going on, and they always fix it,” says Dinits.
“You just need to use it properly and put some time into it,” concludes Dinits. “Highlight neighborhoods, do the saved searches and build out the showcases. You just need to be creative with what you’re doing.”
For those looking for assistance with their website and IDX integration, explore IDX Broker and take a tour (https://www.idxbroker.com/take-a-tour) to further understand how IDX Broker can help with lead capture and business growth. For more information, visit https://www.idxbroker.com or https://www.elmstreettechnology.com/.
