Ubertor Real Estate Blog

Steve Church, a Realtor in Bellingham, Washington launched a new website a few weeks ago to help him and his colleagues promote their open houses in the area. Newspaper advertising is not working as well as it used to and real estate agents are looking for other ways to promote their listings and open houses. Steve’s website, www.whatcomopenhouses.com is a website dedicated to upcoming open houses and has listings from any agent in any company within the Whatcom County area. Steve then promotes the website with a single ad in the Bellingham Herald Newspaper, Craigslist.org and a few others.

Century 21 In Town’s Mike La Prairie commissioned some photos of Vancouver. The shots have been posted on the company website for all to view. They are great pictures of Vancouver from rarely seen vantage points. The ones from the air are particularly interesting. (the views from the water are here)

Giving the user the ability to save a search is nothing new in the internet world. Many property searches, including ours, gives the user the ability to save their search if they wish to do so.

More powerful than a “save this search” function is the ability to autofill specific real estate listings directly into a website. Local search is being pushed by everyone from Google to Yahoo, to even the Yellow Pages. Local is everything… if the user has found your site, you and them already know what they are looking for.

As an example, take Ian Watt, he has a website called www.electricavenue.ca. Now, you can assume that any visitor to this website is interested in Condos or Townhouses available within the Electric Avenue development in downtown Vancouver. So having a generic search is not important. You know what they want and an auto fill category (AFC) can give it to them. On this site, if you click on “Listings (for sale)” you are going to get every condo and townhouse in Electric Avenue that is currently listed for sale. So you are basically, saving the search for the user without making your visitor go through the work of creating the search that they want, and saving it.

Now, this functionality only works with MLS systems that we are integrated with and with Boards that permit it. But for those that can do it, the power of this is huge.

If you Google the term - electric avenue real estate - you will see Ian’s site come up #2

Local, niche specific websites are key to doing well on the internet. Have a look at Ian Watt’s collection of websites, all of which take advantage of an AFC:

Yaletown Park
Vancouver Penthouses
Vancouver Townhouses
Electric Avenue
Whistler Homes (new)
Ian Watt Main Website

If you have any questions about AFC’s or what can be done in your area, please feel free to contact me or your sales representative.

A new client of ours, Kris Berg, emailed me a wonderful testimonial about her new Ubertor website. Kris is a real estate agent in San Diego who just moved to Prudential California Realty and is a very active blogger.

Steve,

I just wanted to take a moment to thank you for the fabulous products you offer and for your assistance in getting our new site up and running. We are always looking for ways to improve our online image and streamline our business. Your website “template” has provided us that opportunity.

For many years, I have been personally designing and managing our website and have resisted converting to a template-based site fearing that I would have to compromise content for presentation. Ubertor’s product was the first I found that offers the flexibility I desired. The sites are simple enough for the novice yet offer the more sophisticated user the tools required for full content control, such as access to code and the ability to add and edit pages and site navigation. Of course, your featured homes presentation software is among the best I have encountered. Finally, your technical support was terrific and contributed to my accomplishing the unthinkable. I was able to completely transfer our site to the new format and server in a matter of days!

I am convinced that the new site offers the same unique and extensive content that our clients have come to expect but in a visually enhanced format with improved navigation. I am equally confident that we have not only improved our online presence but have become more efficient in the process, as management of the site and future updates will be accomplished more easily, allowing us to spend more of our time on the business of selling homes.

Thank you again. We wish you continued success.

Kris Berg
Broker Associate
Prudential California Realty
(858)530-BERG
www.SanDiegoCastles.com

We launched a new website the other day for James Rodgers. His site, GreenerHomes.ca is a unique spin on the real estate industry as well as the services that real estate agents provide.

From his site:
“GreenerHomes.ca has adopted a multi-pronged approach to �green� real estate. In addition to providing a quality real estate service by recognized professionals, GreenerHomes focuses on the aspects and characteristics of homes that make them greener such as reused or renewable building materials, efficient heating and cooling systems, and energy efficient appliances. Whether one is interested in purchasing, selling, renovating or just contemplating the reality of a greener home GreenerHomes.ca has resources to offer.”

I think that this is the sort of website that we are going to see more of. In my travels to different markets and in discussions with real estate professionals across North America, I have been hearing and learning lots about “green” aspects of the real estate business. There are lots of programs in the works that will focus on “green”. Watch for more details in the next few months as I should have some more information about some of these “green” programs.

On a side note, James of GreenerHomes.ca emailed me this about his experience in setting up his real estate website:

“Colour � specifically green, is integral to the design of my website and business
(www.greenerhomes.ca). The Ubertor Team have done a fantastic job putting the
exact colours I specified together in a very attractive and efficient manner.
Beyond having the flexibility of custom colours at a reasonable cost, I have
been impressed with the extent of customizing I have been able to do with a
so-called template website. As far as bang for one�s buck? The Ubertor site
coupled with their online help are incredible. Thanks to the entire Ubertor
Team GreenerHomes.ca is off to a quick start with a snappy custom look � thanks
again.

James Rodgers”

I get asked quite abit about the flexibility of the Ubertor system? and how far can a template be customized?

The best answer I can give is another question - What would you like it to do?

Here is a quick example of the Laika Template that has been redesigned by different web designers and in some cases the Realtors themselves.

www.joefayner.com - One of my favorites and was designed by Joe himself
www.greenerhomes.ca - A new color variation and again was designed by the Realtor
www.vancouvercityproperties.com
www.mariofelicella.myubertor.com - A new site for Mario that has been customized by Dara at RealtySupport.ca
www.marysoldit.com - Another example of Dara’s work

If you look at these sites, they are all on the same template, but using different color variations and utilizing the ability to change the banner images as well as the content and the images within it. Small changes can make a big difference.

These agents are still able to maintain their unique colors and brands, while utilizing the best real estate website software available.

Our friends at realstock.ca have created another version of our Westwood template that is available for purchase. If your a Seattle real estate agent and are looking for a turn key website then this is the a great solution for you. For only $995.00 you can own this website plus:

- Google sitemap created.
- Google Satellite maps enabled [API].
- Unique content added to blog & homepage.
- Agent Photo added with graphic enhancement on home and contact page.
- Agent signature added,
- 7 High Quality Realstock.ca niche images added to banner.
- 2 Graphical Headings on home page. - Custom Header [top of site]. - Custom title tags and label tags.
- Yaletown Buyers and Sellers content.
- Auto Fill Category added.
- Featured listing widget on the home page.

The monthly cost is $57.00

Click here to see the website

Realstock.ca, an approved vendor of Ubertor, has decided to make a website for the Yaletown area without a specific Realtor in mind. The website is available for purchase and includes the custom content, photos, design and domain name. Does this sound like something that might interest you?

Have a look at the website - http://www.yaletownlistings.com

Here is what the website currently includes:

Here is the list of customizations thus far:

- Google sitemap created
- Google Satellite maps added
- Unique content added to blog & homepage
- Agent Photo added with graphic enhancement on home and contact page
- Agent signature added
- 7 High Quality Realstock.ca niche images added to banner
- 2 Graphical Headings on home page
- Custom Header [top of site]
- Custom title tags and label tags
- Custom Yaletown content
- featured listing on the home page

To Buy this website the cost is:

$995.00 - Purchase of this customized Web site (paid to RealStock.ca)
$67.00 - Monthly Re-occurring Fee for Ubertor Hosting and Software (paid to Ubertor)

Here are a couple of new websites we have launched on the new Ubertor System:

Century 21 In Town Realty - www.century21intown.ca
Andrew Hasman - www.andrewhasman.com
Murphy Costello - www.mcrealestate.ca
Joan Montgomery, Janet Ingraham, Denise Brook - www.westsiderealestate.ca
Don Eilers - www.doneilers.com
Jason Low - strathcona.macrealty.com

Have a look, they are using the new Ubertor Real Estate Website Software and its new functionality. If you have any questions please feel free to contact me or our sales team. - 604-264-1999 or 1800-209-2416

I had a great lunch today with Darryl from MyHomeTours.ca. They shoot virtual tours for Realtors all over BC and Alberta and do quite a bit of work with our clients. We had a great chat today and he was telling me about the change in pricing structure…. if you do Virtual Tours, give Darryl a call.