Real estate sites; the most active example of Local Search

[earlpearl]

I think real estate web sites are the prime example for applying local search practices. Growth in this area is phenomenal...the application of the web to the industry is extraordinary...and the web works beautifully for both individual realtors and brokerage firms.

The NAR has an article describing this and other phenomena: [realtor.org...]

Of interest customer usage of the web has grown from about 4% in 1995 to 77% last year. (repeating these numbers from memory-hope they are accurate)

Visitors go most often to realtor.com; local mls listings next and then visit brokerage office listings and individual sales persons listings in that order with mls traffic about 50% of the time, brokerage office visits about 38% and individual sites about 31%.

The industry has embraced the web and uses it to excellent use. I'm sure faster internet delivery speeds and simpler technology enable brokerage web sites to do things they couldn't do years ago.

In any case I can't think of a more active application of local search and how important it has become when vigorously applied.

Dave

[Kirby]

Visitors go most often to realtor.com; local mls listings next and then visit brokerage office listings and individual sales persons listings in that order with mls traffic about 50% of the time, brokerage office visits about 38% and individual sites about 31%.

That is what realtor .com would have you belive, but that assumes facts not in evidence.

[Webwork]

Nothing quite so local as real estate, so no surprise there. :)

Let us not forget that the "sale by owner" space, greatly aided by the www, is also encroaching on the dominance of realtors and will likely continue to do so.

[Junanagoh]

This is actually the nitch that I am starting to squeeze into in my area. I work for a real estate office and have started making pages for my first clients.

[Kirby]

>is also encroaching on the dominance of realtors and will likely continue to do so

It actually isnt impacting realtors' business to any great degree. The numbers havent changed by more than a few % points in the last 10 years.

[Junanagoh]

I think that this only affects a small amount of business for individual agents but does affect a brokerage as a whole since they seem to rank higher in the search engines.

I think that the used of a website for agents is for the agent to seem more professional to their clients.

And I work in a real estate office 8 hours a day....

[Kirby]

>they seem to rank higher in the search engines.

not in most of the top 50 US markets