Aug. 21, 2005
As reported in RISMEDIA
http://www.rismedia.com/index.php/article/articleview/11408/1/1/
By Maria Patterson
RISMEDIA, August 16 – RE/MAX International is announcing this week a new
strategy for delivering real estate listings to consumers via a new,
national collection of IDX broker Web sites available at www.remax.com.
We decided to start our own intelligent network of IDX sites, explained
RE/MAX Co-founder and Chairman of the Board Dave Liniger, during an
interview with RISMedia. NAR and the DOJ (Department of Justice) are
discussing the policies and the procedures on the accessibility of
listing information…they are on the verge of having a written agreement
that will make listings available to anyone who wants them.
Realtors have always shared listings, Liniger continued. We are the
first to now integrate them on a national basis and provide the ultimate
way for Realtors to retain control of leads. We have made strong
financial and resource commitments to this program because its the right
thing to do for the public, for the real estate industry and our RE/MAX
membership.
According to Liniger, as the program is rolled out over the next year,
consumers will be able to view any property listing, whether its a
RE/MAX listing or not, at www.remax.com. The program will be in complete
compliance with IDX policies across the country. Liniger expects to have
listing information in place for half the country within six months, and
the balance completed within the year. The Internet strategy is currently
available in the New Jersey and Northern Illinois markets.
The strategy is a natural progression for www.remax.com, says Liniger,
which already receives millions of hits a day. If you already have a
great brand name, people will go to your Web site. Were not going to be
a national MLS…were aggregating IDX sites out there and giving the leads
to the people who deserve them, for free.
Liniger describes the new strategy as part of a broader
industry-changing paradigm shift.
The entire industry will follow our lead, he adds. No competitive
advantage lasts forever. Realtors are the most cooperative group out
thereits all about anything that helps get the listing sold faster. We
are excited to take a leadership role in this.
This program has some very exciting new features and leverages
state-of-the-art technology and marketing systems, said Kristi Graning,
RE/MAX vice president, information technology. The system will put the
control of the marketing listings and lead generation back into the hands
of our agents and give RE/MAX members a competitive advantage in the
industry.
RE/MAX will license existing and proven technology from Florida-based
Siegent, Inc., which will assist in this large effort and bring
significant value through their experience in data aggregation,
manipulation and distribution, Graning explains.
Siegent is the parent company of Boca Raton-based eNeighorhoods.
RE/MAX will advertise the new program to consumers via its far-reaching
advertising campaign through vehicles, such as Google, radio ads, and
print ads in publications including People, National Geographic, Time and
This Old House.
Ultimately, despite such advancements online, consumers will always come
back to using Realtors that they know, says Liniger. People wont call a
stranger. The Internet gives them access to the information, but they
want a friendly face. This is a referral and repeat businessthat is
still the mainstay of this business.
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