In today’s real estate landscape, agents and brokers have an abundance of tools at their disposal to help them stay competitive in their marketplace. From smartphone apps and devices, to Internet news services and local MLSs, the influx of information directed toward agents nowadays can be overwhelming to say the least. Sifting through multiple sources to find the nuggets of info one needs may not only be daunting, but incredibly time-consuming as well. For those looking to save time and streamline their daily process, Realtors Property Resource® (RPR®) may be just the life-saver they need.
RPR is the largest database of parcel-centric property information in the industry that REALTORS® can utilize to facilitate transactions and keep their clients updated. With the RPR system, agents can refer to one single source for any type of information they need to serve a client. From public records and tax assessment information to stand-alone mortgages, and school district data, RPR offers a single reference point for agents and brokers to quickly find the information they need. For its users, RPR cuts down on the number of sources an agent needs to be successful, and places everything one might need under one roof. If that doesn’t sound valuable enough, here’s the kicker: it’s included in yearly dues for NAR members.
Brent Ellis, a REALTOR® with ERA Sunrise Realty in the Greater Atlanta region of Georgia, started his affiliation with RPR after discovering the service at an in-state conference he attended. Shortly after RPR went live, he became an RPR instructor in his home state, helping the company promote the platform to other REALTORS® in the area. Although he no longer instructs for them, he continues to use it in his business and also in his interactions with state legislators and congressmen.
As an NAR Federal Political Coordinator, Ellis is assigned to inform a congressman of the housing landscape throughout his state. On a recent trip to DC, Ellis brought reports generated through RPR to hand off to his representative, who, in turn, found RPR’s robust information and easy-to-read reports to be quite helpful.
“He and his chief of staff saw lots of value in the reports,” says Ellis. “They really liked how it drilled down into our dominant segments and then takes it down further. It even tells us who our dominant population in the 11th district is, and also compares our area to the rest of the nation. It breaks down our top segments all the way down to things like whether or not they have cable and where they eat. The last page even shows all the businesses in the district, and which ones we have a need for and which we have too many of.”
RPR’s reports also indicate what the population and home prices will be like in five years, and can compare those numbers to other states. When Ellis uses RPR from a REALTOR®’ s perspective, he uses the platform to compare comps and help write contracts on purchases. Or, if he’s about to take a listing on, he’ll look at the property info to get a better handle on the home.
Despite not handling much commercial real estate, Ellis has used RPR to help some buyers who happen to also be regional businessmen. He can go into RPR and pull reports to share what areas and places might be good focus points to start a business search.
No matter how RPR is used, Ellis champions RPR to REALTORS® from all over the country. “I preach it all the time,” he says. “It’s an extremely valuable tool that all REALTORS® should look into.”
For more information, visit www.narrpr.com.
