Real Living Inc., Nation's 4th-largest Real Estate Firm, Launches MyRealLiving Version 2.0 in Beta
Technology-Enhanced Consumer Portal to Revolutionize Real Estate Industry
COLUMBUS, Ohio, April 11 /PRNewswire/ -- Real Living Inc., the nation's
fourth-largest residential real estate firm, is unveiling a beta version of
its new integrative consumer portal, MyRealLiving version 2.0 today. This
will be an industry-first, consumer-agent interface, which allows agents
and consumers to work together in real time and eliminates the mystery of
information available to consumers. The portal replicates an in-person
experience with a real estate agent online.
"We call it 'homeing,' the future of how agents and consumers will come
together to buy and sell homes," said Kaira Sturdivant Rouda, Real Living's
chief operating officer. "It's not just searching for properties or viewing
property data. It's not just an e-mail stating that MLS# 00000 has changed.
It's seeing the property in your account with a sold sign on it. It's
viewing all of your favorite properties in one place with your personal
comments on the back of each. It's sharing that property with your friends
and family electronically. For the first time in the real estate industry,
agents and consumers will be able to organize, personalize, save and share
information seamlessly in one place like never before," said Rouda.
Today, more than 80 percent of buyers start their search online.
MyRealLiving version 2.0 delivers what consumers expect - convenience and
control. Utilizing the latest technology, Flash 8, the portal basically
replicates an in-person experience with a real estate agent online.
Buyers will be able to:
- Virtually flip saved property cards and add personal notes to the back
- Share properties and events with family, friends and agent instantly by
dragging and dropping to "share" envelope, which stores personal
contacts
- View a log of all marketing, legal documents and articles agent has
sent to their account
- Receive alerts on each property card that show the updated status
- Bookmark articles and quizzes that assist in the buying process
- Keep all appointments, open houses and other events in one online
calendar
- Personalize their account by changing color scheme and selecting
favorite home
Sellers will be able to:
- Track the number of online views for their listing daily or monthly
- Store a copy of the offer in their account
- View marketing materials from agent to see how their property is being
marketed
- Use a convenient online calendar for all important transaction dates
MyRealLiving took the industry by storm three years ago with its
initial launch. Initially, it was created in response to the growth of the
Internet and the growing trend of consumers utilizing online technology for
their home- buying experience. Since its inception, the service has seen
continued, fast- paced growth in registered members. Currently, there are
59,000 members, and more than 2,000 new members sign up each month.
"As an agent-centric company with the industry's most productive
agents, providing them with the most cutting-edge tools is imperative,"
Rouda said. "Agents can easily share contracts, information about open
houses, new prospective homes and more. MyRealLiving version 2.0 is all
about staying at the forefront of change, constantly reinventing, and
establishing a connection with buyers and sellers one relationship at a
time."
Real Living partnered with AKQA, one of the leading interactive firms,
to co-develop the site.
To try MyRealLiving, visit RealLiving.com.
About Real Living Inc
The largest independently-owned residential real estate firm in the
Midwest and the fourth-largest in the country, Real Living Inc., boasts
nearly 4,000 agents and employees, more than $8 billion in annual sales and
nearly 130 offices throughout 10 states, including Florida, Illinois and
Texas. Real Living Inc was awarded the 2005 Inman Innovator Award by Inman
News, ranked 23rd in Entrepreneur magazine's Top 50 Best New Franchises and
has won numerous awards for its marketing achievements. Every 14 minutes,
Real Living sells a home. Each month, Real Living's Web sites receive
nearly 14 million page views. Real Living Inc. also offers a full range of
affiliated business services, including home financing, title, relocation,
corporate relocation management and home warranties. For more information
about Real Living Inc., visit http:///RealLiving.com.
SOURCE Real Living, Inc.
Web Site: http://www.realliving.com
