Managing the e-Lurker

Approximately half of today's prospective buyers will not convert to buying for at least 12 to 24 months. How do you manage an e-Lurker?

Convert the interview process that you use on the phone into e-mails.

Many Web sites offer back-end software to keep track of internet leads

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From e-Lurker to e-Prospect

Use your contact management program to flag e-mails or contact records and pick a date to follow-up.

If your client is a Baby Boomer or older, they may appreciate a call.

If your client is Gen X, an e-mail may be appropriate.

If your client is a millennial – you may need to text message. Let your technology task you to follow-up.

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Moving from Online to in the House

At some point, almost every e-Buyer becomes the person who meets you in person, shakes your hand, and looks at the houses.

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Moving from Online to in the House

Moving from online to person is often as simple as:

"We got the e-mail and would like to see that house”.

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Moving from Online to in the House

After the showing, if they like the house, there are two things that can happen:

They are ready to write a contract, OR they have questions and/or want to think.

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The Home Buying Process: Simple or Sophisticated?

Consumers believe the buying process is

SIMPLE

1. Search 2. Find 3. Buy

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Source: Roger Turcotte of Roger Turcotte Seminars

Actual Steps When Buying a Home

1. Needs assessment

2. Financial assessment review and approval

3. Community / neighborhood selection

4. Property types

5. Market data about competing buyers

6. Identify available properties

7. Visit properties

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Actual Steps When Buying a Home

8. Evaluate / prioritize

9. Decide to purchase or continue the search. If decision is to purchase proceed to next step

10. Negotiate terms of the agreement

11. Inspections / contingencies

12. Re-negotiate as required based on results of inspections

13. Arrange for move

14. Close

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Actual Steps When Buying a Home

The process doesn’t change if the consumer uses or doesn’t use an agent

– the quality of the result changes!

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The Contract

No matter what happens in your state, make certain that :

Your web site contains information about the process; and If you use standard forms, provide a copy to the buyer ahead of closing for their review

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The Contract

If you use standard forms that are purchased through software:

you have the ability to fill out the formput it in a PDF fileemail it to your client.

Upon receipt, the client can :review it online, and if he or she has the ability to affix a digital signature, sign it online and return it to you.

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The Contract

Upon receipt, you can use technology to deliver the contract to:

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Getting the Transaction to Closing

A bit part of an agent’s job begins when the buyer finds the house and signs the contract.

From there, the contract needs to be shepherded through lending, underwriting, home inspection, appraisal, title work, etc.

It is here that you can combine high touch and high tech to make the entire process as easy as possible for your client.

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Getting the Transaction to Closing

• Privacy of information and risk management are all accomplished with these products

• The consumer is not in the “dark” any more as soon as the contract is signed

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After Closing

Once the closing has occurred, technology makes it possible for the agent to continue to deliver

post-settlement services

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After Closing

Technology will soon make it possible for CRM applications to complete the entire home-buying

cycle, from keeping in touch before the sale through closing to post-closing services and onto the

initiation of another cycle.

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Keeping in Touch

Follow Up

The goal is to make a prospect a customer, a customer a client,

and keep the client for life!

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Discussion Question 8

1. Where do your e-Buyers come from? 2. How do you establish agency relationships with

your e-Buyers?3. What percentage of the forms used in your state

can be filled out electronically?4. What are the ways in which you follow up with

your e-Buyers?

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e-Buyere-Buyer

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