Realty Check: What Your Money Will Buy - Gulfshore Life - February 2013 - Naples, FL
MARKET TALK
Realtors Use Tech Tricks To Draw Buyers Worldwide
BUYERS FROM AROUND THE WORLD ARE A SIGNIFICANT FACTOR in the local real estate market, and savvy agents use many strategies to attract them. Glen Bigness, Premier Plus Realty, Naples, makes a website offer to reimburse Canadian buyers for their air fare at their closing.
“My agent websites place high on search engines such as Google, so buyers worldwide find me and are able to view all home inventory,” he says. His website provides an option to view the material in several languages.
Christopher Schauer, Bonita Springs, also utilizes websites with translation options. “We market to foreigners in several ways,” he explains. “Our efforts extend to 39 countries, including China.”
Robert Bailey, R.L. Bailey Realty, Naples, posts testimonials from satisfied Canadian and German clients on his website, and Linda Flack, Royal Shell Realty, Fort Myers, says all the modern technology, such as e-mail, websites and Skype, put non-native clients in touch with her.
“Today’s foreign buyers are prepared and knowledgeable,” she observes. “They do their homework before making contact, so the search for the right home is facilitated.”
Bigness adds, “I market to foreign buyers using several tools which include Internet real estate classified sites like Trulia, Zillow and other major websites that draw buyers in great numbers. I also use social media like Facebook, Twitter and several blogs.”
