White paper authored by growing real estate firm explores connections between women, technology and real estate industry; outlines broker strategies to meet evolving consumer needs.

COLUMBUS, Ohio, July 28 /PRNewswire/ -- Women's increasing use of the Internet won't eliminate the real estate agent from the home buying process - but rather, will significantly alter the role that agents play in the evolving real estate industry, according to a new white paper authored by Ohio-based Real Living, the nation's fifth largest residential real estate company and the Midwest leader.

The white paper entitled Women, Technology and Real Estate: Leveraging the Connection maintains that women are usually the key decision makers in the home buying and selling process. It also identifies key intelligence relevant to (1) women and their Internet usage and (2) the changing role of the agent within this new market reality. Finally, (3) the report outlines key broker and agent strategies for meeting the evolving needs of today's 'connected female consumer' as she uses the Internet to improve the efficiency and convenience of the home buying and selling process.

The Internet: a time-saving, convenient home search tool for time-starved female homebuyers

Recently-completed Real Living focus group research affirms that female heads of households use the Internet as a home search tool for two main reasons: convenience and control. Participants indicated that the Internet helps them feel more in control of the home search process by providing easy, 'anywhere, anytime' access to real estate market information and listings. However, the research also confirms nationwide findings that women who use the Internet as a home buying and selling tool will continue to value the services of real estate professionals, mitigating early industry concerns that online knowledge and information would lessen the need for agents. The report affirms that the agent will play a critical, but changing role in the home buying and selling process of the future.

The real estate agent of the future: Finding new ways to deliver convenience is key to evolving role

Historically, consumers relied on real estate professionals for almost all information concerning the buying and selling of a home - a transaction model which positioned real estate professionals primarily as information disseminators. According to Real Living, women now rely on the Internet to gather information upfront, often before contacting a real estate agent. However, women who are short on time and long on needs place a high value on the agent to guide them through the home buying process once they have used the Internet to educate themselves and narrow down their home search criteria. This shift in behavior now positions real estate professionals as negotiators, time-savers and efficiency experts - demanding that brokers and agents find new, innovative ways to serve consumer needs for convenience and control.

Real Living advises that brokers and agents of the future must fully integrate technology into their normal course of business in order to maintain a competitive edge with today's increasingly connected consumer. Key suggestions outlined in the white paper include:

• Offer anywhere, anytime access to robust listing information (such as property details, virtual tours and mapping) to drive efficiency, convenience and control for consumers.
  
• Deliver online customer communication, comparables and transaction forms to add value to the agent-consumer relationship.
  
• Leverage the Web as a real-time-marketing medium to provide home buyers with immediate access to all homes available for sale on the market.
  
• Target female decision makers through integrated, robust Internet marketing strategies supplemented by traditional advertising mediums such as print, radio and television.
  
• Meet consumer needs for efficiency and convenience by serving as a source for one-stop-shopping referrals for related services such as mortgage, title, relocation and home warranty services.

"The way people buy and sell homes is changing - and we've been proud to help lead that change by leveraging the Internet to improve the productivity of our agents and deliver convenience and efficiency to consumers," said Harley E. Rouda Jr., CEO and managing partner of Real Living. "This research is exciting because it affirms that Realtors continue to play a vital role in the real estate transaction process. As new business models continue to change the real estate industry, the most successful agents will be those who partner with 'smart brokers' who deliver online tools and resources to strengthen the agent-consumer connection."

Real Living's white paper entitled "Women, Technology and Real Estate: Leveraging the Connection" further discusses these assertions, and is being released at the Inman Real Estate Connect Conference, July 28-30 in San Francisco. Event participants can learn more about Real Living's progressive viewpoints on the future of the real estate industry by attending the Real Estate Connect panel discussion entitled "Big Trend Dig: Point of Purchase and who gets the customer," in which Rouda will participate at 11 a.m. on July 29. Sherry Chris, president of Real Living Network Services, will also participate in a panel discussion at Inman Real Estate Connect, entitled "Building a world-class brokerage Web presence," at 3 p.m. on July 29. Both sessions will explore the role of the Internet and the agent in the changing real estate industry.

Methodology

Real Living facilitated two focus groups in Columbus, Ohio, each two hours in length. Participants were women, ages 25 - 64 with at least a high school education, who have bought and/or sold a home in the last two years. Participants' home value averaged $350,000 or higher, and considered themselves to be "web savvy." Real Living's focus group research provided local, individualized support for national trends, as reported by the National Association of Realtors, the California Association of Realtors and additional sources.

The largest independently-owned residential real estate firm in the Midwest and the fifth-largest in the country, Real Living boasts nearly 5,000 sales associates and employees, nearly $7 billion in annual sales, and more than 100 offices throughout the nation. Real Living also offers a full range of affiliated business services, including home financing, title, relocation, corporate relocation management, auctions and home warranties. For more information, or to learn more about growth opportunities with Real Living, visit http://www.realliving.com/ .