RISMEDIA, July 6, 2009-When it comes to finding a solution for automating your business, tracking buyer and seller activity, and making the real estate process easy for clients, many professionals might perceive this to be a costly endeavor. Those same professionals would love that upper hand in a challenging market. Others think it’s just not possible. Those who have embraced ListingbookTM, however, think the contrary. Teaming up with Listingbook helps agents to not only automate the stereotypical “busy” work and create an impressive interactive experience for clients, but also enhances their value to buyers and sellers in one easy-to-use portal.
“Our MLS is contracted with Listingbook and the basic service is free,” says Crissie Cudd, branch manager for Watson Realty Corp. and author of Sell Your Home in a Tough Market – Now!!! Armed to help agents succeed in any market on any budget, Listingbook also provides agents the upgraded service to try free for 30 days. “It’s such a universal application for anyone in this business to use, whether they’re brand new or have a lot of experience.”
Listingbook is an MLS-wide online service that connects agents and their clients through an integrated platform of client management, sales productivity and direct marketing tools. Agents simply input their clients into Listingbook and the system takes care of the rest.
“I’ve been using Listingbook for over a year-and-a-half now and liked it from the start,” says Jay LaGace, an agent with RE/MAX Realty Team. “As someone who procures my own leads-whether they come from my website, advertising, etc.-I just plug them into the system. Once you plug in their information, it automatically sends home buyers listings that fit their criteria.”
The system is designed to enable a constant flow of communication between the agent and clients. In addition to sending out personalized, up-to-the-minute properties that match a buyer’s criteria, it also allows the client to leave notes or ask questions directly to the agent.
“I can also see what they’re looking at on a daily basis,” says LaGace. “So, if they’re looking at 100 properties each day, I can see what they’re looking at to help me better search for them. It’s all personalized with my contact information, photo, telephone number, etc.”
Considering the challenges of today’s market, Listingbook is a suitable tool for those buyers who may be on the fence. Simple to use, clients can easily change their search criteria, price points, view maps, change features and just keep looking.
“Listingbook eliminates a lot of the work for me because the system stays in their face every single day,” he says. “A lot of people who are sitting on the fence will look and look until the right property comes along. And then it will have come from me.”
Also a great tool for sellers, Cudd says, it helps to overcome the common challenge of pricing.
Once you have a listing, you can set the homeowners up to receive reports-whether it’s comparable units for sale or price reductions, showing feedback, etc. “Sellers can use Listingbook to see what’s going on in their area and see when competing homes have a price reduction,” she says. “We then get a call saying, ‘Hey we need to drop our price.’ It helps them to be proactive, and it reinforces the idea that there’s a partnership between the seller and the agent.”
“I can tell you that I have sold between 20 and 30 homes just because of Listingbook. It keeps you in front of the client every day and you don’t have to call buyers frequently-it does it all automatically,” says LaGace.
“By being able to see what customers are doing, you’re able to keep up with their criteria, and when you speak with them, you know what they’re looking for,” says Cudd. “It’s a matter of having a system that works without having to put a lot of effort in saving time and keeping clients satisfied.”
For more information, please visit www.listingbook.com.
