Those new models are coming. Bradley's Pacific Properties is one of 14 Coldwell Banker offices in 12 states adopting the system concurrently. More free time for agents, he explained, means more opportunities for sales and for following up with clients. If they can close that transaction a few weeks earlier, that's money in their pockets. As active homebuyers know, Internet tools already have become a familiar part of homebuying.
Consumers have access to national listings of properties, some with virtual tours.
Today's buyers also benefit from a menu of related Web site services. Web surfers, for example, can explore all kinds of data about a home, from the neighborhood's crime rate to the average test scores of the public school district. The latest programs provide background and invite actual negotiations and tracking of the transaction process. The system makes the bidding process more transparent by posting information for other registered users to see. Only those who have pre-qualified and registered to use the secure software can see the exact online offers and contingencies, Bradley noted.