Internet Battleground for Future of Residential Real Estate

Real estate agents are gearing up to face the biggest shift in their industry since it's beginning. No longer the first in the path of homebuyers and sellers, agents have gone from top feeders to the bottom feeders with real estate consumers in just a few years.

I started in the real estate business when agents were top feeders and the keepers of the information. Multiple Listing Services® began migrating to the Internet at the millennium. Most agents in my first realty office said the Internet wasn't going to change anything, because we still had the telephone like books with available homes for sale. Consumers had to call us to start their search to purchase a home.

Buyers started calling from out of town on a property and they hadn't driven by it, they saw it on the Internet. This started the shift of the consumer having access to the same information as the agent. Proactive agents and virtual brokerages saw the writing on the wall and began Internet marketing efforts and captured new market share by being early adopters and listening to their new web-based consumer.

Today traditional brokerages and their agents are scrambling to get in the path of Internet real estate consumers, who number seventy-four percent of all buyers in 2004 according to the National Association of Realtors® Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers. Many of these late adopters have to compete with thousands of real estate websites and e-marketers who have been honing their position for the last five years to be the first in the consumers path when they start their home search. Large newspapers hold brokerage licenses and own real estate websites to capture real estate consumers and sell these leads back to agents, now the bottom feeders.

Real estate trade associations are fighting back against the Internet real estate pioneers with changes to state real estate license laws to restrict and define their roles in lead generation and interactions with consumers. Large Internet powerhouses with non-traditional real estate brokerage business models will give a whole new face to residential real estate by the year 2010.

Mark Nash is a residential real estate author, broker and commentator. He has been featured on CBS The Early Show, Bloomberg TV, CBS Dow Jones Market Watch, and Smart Moves by Ellen James Martin. His latest book 1001 Tips for Buying and Selling a Home is available online and in bookstores nationwide.

---

California Home Seller Disclosure Duties

Property Condition - Seller's What to Expect During the Inspection... Read More

Protective Covenants ? Buying A Home

In addition to zoning, some properties have covenants recorded at... Read More

Selling Houses with Curb Appeal and Design Psychology

Curb appeal is the most important challenge you'll face when... Read More

Are Condo Hotels What the Orlando Real Estate Investor Has Been Looking For?

Earlier this year the Hawthorn suites in Lake Buena Vista... Read More

Real Estate Investing Works In Your Area Too!

I hope you had a spectacular weekend!Things have been going... Read More

Things To Consider Before Buying a Condo Hotel or Resort Residence

Resort home ownership, such as condo hotels and fractional shares... Read More

Buying Houses at Discount Prices

Buying a house is the best way you can create... Read More

Safe, Scenic & Secure Sussex County Delaware

As I write this, there is a considerable concern about... Read More

Notify Them When Youre Moving

One of your first steps, when you're getting ready to... Read More

New Home Construction - The American Dream or The American Nightmare?

Buying a new home is suppose to be the American... Read More

Equity

Equity is the value of your home minus what you... Read More

A Real Estate Investing Primer

There are a great many books and web sites devoted... Read More

Appraisal vs. Market Value: How to Avoid Pitfalls in the Sale of Your Home

When you sell your home, appraisers use comps (comparable market... Read More

Property Investing Secrets 2

Property Investing Secrets:How You Can Turn A Below Average Deal... Read More

Types of Listings with Agents

There are several different types of listing contracts. Few of... Read More

Why Real Estate?

Five months ago I was faced with a decision to... Read More

Refinance Rental Property - Dont Sell It

You own a rental property for years, and never see... Read More

How to Choose the Proper Entity for Your Business

First, let me state that I'm not an attorney and... Read More

Lock In Big Profits By Offering Rent To Own Deals

Why would anyone accept a lease option, rent to own... Read More

Real Estate Investing - Protect Your Privacy

An irate tenant or disgruntled home-buyer, with the help of... Read More

Cant Rent a Work Zone

So you've picked up your first (or third, or tenth)... Read More

Real Estate Investing ? FSBOs vs. Agent Listings?

Many would-be real estate investing professionals face discouragement because of... Read More

Why You Need a Lender to Sell Your Home

Home sellers who are prepared to help buyers find financing... Read More

Buying Foreclosures - Knowing Why Helps You Buy

One big potential deal-killer in buying foreclosures is the homeowner.... Read More

How Home Buyer Rebates Work

In today's tight housing market, many buyers are looking for... Read More

Homebuyer Heaven Can?t Possibly Last

With interest rates at record lows over the past year,... Read More

7 Marketing Methods for Real Estate Coaches

You shower, shampoo, dress your best, check to see if... Read More

Let the Broker Show the House

Of course you're curious, and you'd like to see what... Read More

Home Buying: Things To Keep In Mind

So you've decided you want to own a home and... Read More

Oh No! Something has Happened in Florida

The Florida housing market has attracted many foreigners to invest... Read More

Real Estate Investing In Mexico

Mexico is CHEAP! But its getting more expensive. As property... Read More

Selling Your Home: 5 Deal Killers That Are Lurking In Older Homes

You've listed your home for sale, you have a Buyer... Read More

For Sale By Owner Listings

Selling your home on your own, without a Realtor, is... Read More