The concept isn’t new, but it has surely taken hold. Scheduling residential real estate showings online is a time saver to the key users: home-shopping consumers and real estate agents.
Enabling consumers — who are already online at the beginning of a house search — to schedule a showing online has obvious benefits. You put yourself where they are. According to a joint study by the National Association of Realtors and Google, real estate-related searches on Google.com rose 253 percent over the past four years.
So it makes sense that consumers — and agents — would also want to request showings online.
First, consumers are likely to be on your web site or have accessed the public view of the Multiple Listing Service site, and you’ve given them a clear way (putting a “Schedule a Showing” button next to the listing) to act.
Second, the contact information of the interested buyer is immediately delivered to the listing agent and/or office. The listing agent/office can quickly follow up, assuming they have the proper procedures in place. This demonstrates great customer service to the consumer. It also enables the consumer to feel in control of the process to pursue a home right at the moment their interest is high.
For listing agents, who wouldn’t want potential buyers delivered to them? For agents who want to show listings, they would login to their respective MLS sites and, because they’ve logged in, their requests are known to be from a registered member of the MLS.
In each case, the benefit is clear: A “Call to action” to schedule a showing when interest is high connects the two sides simply, quickly and accurately.
Do you spend too much of your day scheduling and confirming showing appointments? Learn how the ShowingTime Appointment Center helps free up your time to focus on other tasks to grow your business.