The real estate market is simultaneously one of the most investment attractive businesses in the world and a largely undiscovered area for technological projects. It is often considered conservative because of its slow responsiveness to innovation and technological change.
A few years ago only a small number of countries had electronic real estate officers and properties. This was largely due to the difficulty people have in imagining buying a house without a broker or agent and feeling like they don’t have enough access to the information they may want.
As times have changed, digital techniques are finding a more firm place in the real estate business world and enhancing the real estate market.
Now buyers have several ways to find a house. These include apps, websites, or real-life visits. Online searches simplify the home search. You can compare houses with ease and make a list of the best ones. This limits the interference and influence of a real estate agent in the sense that the buyer is allowed to choose what they see, too, not just the agent.
Now that you have a little background on why having a virtual presence is a must and why people like it, here are a few useful pointers on how to create and maintain a profitable online real estate business.
Things You Need To Have On Your Website
There are a few important things that you need to have on your website in order to improve the user experience.
1. Photos of the potential house, so that buyers can get a better idea of the size and spaces in and around it before they take a look.
2. Detailed information about the house such as its features and amenities. Does it have a swimming pool? How many rooms? Bathrooms? These must be stated clearly and legible.
3. Interactive maps and virtual tours are even better than simple photos as this allows buyers to virtually see the layout of the house.
You should also acquire a WordPress theme. These themes allow potential buyers to search, share and bookmark listings and can speed up the closing process. It is important that they offer a great user experience such as the smooth transition between pages, quick load times, are easy to navigate, and are not overwhelming. A theme should also be mobile-friendly as most people will alternate searching between their phones and computers.
Choose A Business Model To Adapt For Your Market
The Classic Online Approach
This model is useful for collecting ads, grouping them according to common characteristics, and is designated by a special category – for example selling apartments.
This approach is as old as the internet and completely free of charge to the everyday ordinary user.
Access to Content
There are platforms that only provide full access to the database and the newest ads for users who pay. These sites can be off-putting to some users as the content is not exactly unique, and you can often see the same ad for free on other sites, or even social media. Therefore, there is not high popularity for sites like these as there is not a strong need to pay for a platform that offers such services.
Services for Agents
Moving away from potential buyers, there are also sites targeted specifically at agents. One of the most popular types is ad-aggregator sites. Sites like this make life easier for agents who need to place an ad on the maximum number of sites to find tenants or potential buyers as quickly and efficiently as possible.
Fully Online Real Estate Agencies
Sites like these are the more popular type today. Potential buyers have access to good quality photos of properties, often both on the web and through an app. This is more convenient than working with the agencies in person and has a lot of promise. These follow the traditional way of earning money in the real estate industry – commission.
Take the Real Market Into Account
Competition in the traditional niches of the real estate market is quite high. Only the best of the best can achieve a high enough revenue. The companies that occupy lower spaces in their niche are hardly profitable.
Why Not Consider Entering The International Market?
Your market doesn’t have to be strictly local. Consider a model that allows for your business to be easily transferred and launched in another country.
Technological innovations can assist real estate companies to simplify the lives of buyers as well as property owners. These innovations make the process of acquiring property more simple and transparent and that much more satisfying.
