I have just come back from a quick trip to Sydney where I was learning about how the internet is starting to dominate our lives. And the startling fact is that it is actually far more dominating than I think any of us realise.
Think about it. Where do we go to look anything up. Where do we do any research, for example when ever i look up someones name i dont use a phone book. I just use www.whitepages.co.nz Its just more convenient. Also when your buyers are out and about where do they look for property. A recent study that I have been completing at my open homes for the last 6 weeks showed that 94% of my buyers were seeing the property on the internet before coming to the property and looking at it in person.
Something else I found was that 76% of the people were researching the property and the market trends of the property in question on the net without the assistance of any agent. Most of this was done through www.qv.co.nz and some people used local council statistics etc. But seriously the internet is a great tool for you to be able to get most of what you need from the comfort of your home. And with the state of petrol prices this is becoming more important than ever.
In the USA there are over 2.5 billion internet users and the studies that I have been looking at are that most of these users go on the internet in one way or another with their credit card in hand prepared to spend money. Studies as far as i know of this kind havent been done in New Zealand but imagine if we were the same here. Couldnt we channel at least some of that traffic to our advantage.
Buyers, Sellers and Agents should if not already embrase the advances in technology and realise that their is alot of bussiness avalliable on the internet. Not just in sales but in information gathering andsocial networking. Social Networking these days is very popular. On my myspace profile I have contacts around the world who always have different points of view on everything and this sharing of knowledge will aways make you a much more well rounded person.
Take the chance and look at some of the Real Estate websites around. soak up the information, whether your a buyer, seller or an agent. You will always find something new everytime you look on the internet.