a la mode news & marketing tips — posted August 15, 2005

Clients can now "zero in" on their new home with your XSite's Google Earth feature

Google is now so synonymous with web searches that, instead of saying they're searching for something on the web, many say they're "googling" it. And in the few weeks since its release, Google's latest tool, Google Earth, is also changing the way people search for buildings, landmarks, and, more importantly for real estate agents, their next home.

Released earlier this summer, Google Earth is "a globe that sits inside your PC," allowing you to view satellite and aerial photos of almost any spot on the planet. You simply point and zoom to a specific address and satellite images and local points of interest zoom into view, whether it's across the street or across the globe. Take a look at what our Oklahoma City headquarters looks like in Google Earth here.

We knew instantly that Google Earth's capabilities would be an important tool for REALTORS® so we released a plugin August 1 that integrates your XSite's property listings with the Google Earth technology.  The Google Earth plugin gives your clients a clear picture of the location and surrounding area of prospective homes right from your XSite, giving you a technologically savvy leg up over the competition.

Now you can expertly give clients dramatic fly-through tours of your properties' neighborhoods, showing everything from major roadways to the local grocery stores and coffee shops. Prospects can tour through your market area, identify homes from the MLS, and check criteria like schools and shopping. 

"Our goal is to make sure our customers have the latest tools so they make a good impression on clients and help the real estate transaction run smoothly," said Rusty Lindquist, Vice President — Agent Products.  "The Google Earth feature shows clients that you utilize cutting-edge technology in real-world ways to serve them better — and that justifies a commission."

To use Google Earth, clients simply click "View listing in Google Earth" link in the Property Tools section of your listings and they will see a prompt that looks like this.  Your clients will be prompted to download the free Google Earth software before viewing the listing.  You will also need to download the software to use Google Earth, which you can do here. You can also check minimum and recommended configuration requirements here.

Volunteering helps you, your community and potential clients

If you're not sure what kind of volunteer opportunity you would like to participate in, just think about causes that are important to you and what you like to do in your spare time.  For example, if you like animals, you might find working at your local animal shelter or humane society rewarding. If you enjoy spending time with kids, you might consider becoming a member of Big Brothers and Big Sisters.

Here are a few other ways to get involved in your community that you may not have thought of yet:

• Host a first time home buyers seminar or give a lecture on how to prepare your home for a sale.
• Volunteer with your community's Meals on Wheels program, which provides nutritious meal services to men and women who are elderly, homebound, disabled, frail, or at risk. 
• Speak at community clubs or schools about career opportunities in real estate.
• Have your company host a community golf outing to raise money for charity in your area.
• Become a sponsor or a volunteer for a 5K or Marathon, such as the Susan B. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation
• Sponsor an American Red Cross
blood drive at your office.
• Participate in a charity project such as Habitat for Humanity.
• Offer to be a source or advisor for your local newspaper on real estate and housing topics.
• If your town has an annual festival or fair, volunteer to help out.

You also may want to create a page on your XSite that describes the causes and charities in which you participate.  Not only does it allow your clients get to know you better, it may also encourage them to get involved as well!

Improvements made to CertMail

Currently more than 40,000 real estate professionals use our web-based CertMail e-mail service — and that number is growing every day.  As a result, we recently invested half a million dollars in new servers and technology so we can better handle the more than six million e-mail files that pass through our servers here in Oklahoma City each day.

We will continue to add more servers and technology as needed to manage our ever-expanding network of CertMail users more efficiently and to ensure that your e-mail is always working properly.

New features on your XSites

It's been a busy few weeks for us at a la mode.  In addition to server additions, CertMail improvements and the new Google Earth feature, we also added the new "Franchise" family of themes to your XSites, which you can view by going to Step 1 in your XSite's Wizard.  We'll be working on more themes in the upcoming weeks and months, but if you have a specific request for an theme, e-mail us at info@alamode.com.

In addition to the new features, we've also made improvements to the page loading process of your XSites for better speed and performance, which, in turn, will enhance your clients' visit to your site!