More home buyers today according to a recent study start their search on the Internet before looking anywhere else.  This is good news for Realtors who have a heavy presence on the Internet.

The Ellis Team at RE/MAX Realty Group in Fort Myers Florida has perhaps the largest and most effective Internet presence in SW Florida.  This actually helps us because we were the first to offer the MLS online.  Other agents were skeptical about putting that data out there.  We knew customers would like to see that data.

Often times it becomes information overload, so buyers need agents as much as they ever have.  Internet sites don’t always tell the whole story either, like what the reputation of the builder is, what schools may be added to the area, road congestion and future plans, airport noise, etc.  All these things affect value, and Internet sites don’t convey all that information. 

What the Internet does do is speed up the process, which is good for buyer, seller, and Realtor alike.  The Realtor’s who fight against the Internet are quickly disappearing and being replaced by progressive agents who understand the importance of traditional advertising models, and the use of efficient advertising models like the Internet.

What hasn’t changed is customer service, responsiveess, and ability to sell being key components to an agents success.  It does no go whatsoever to create leads and not have systems to cultivate and harvest them, and provide the customer a long-term solution to their real estate needs.