The Vancouver Sun ran an article in yesterdays paper about the latest feature that we have added into the Ubertor system. I did a phone interview with Gillian Shaw last Friday from Seattle where we discussed the new feature and its impact.
Software helps buyers compare homes online
“Comparables” link on realtors’ website will display properties of a similar typeBy Gillian Shaw
Vancouver SunWednesday, July 26th 2006
Combustion Labs Media, the local software developer that introduced Vancouver real estate agents to online blogging has come up with a new feature to help buyers wend their way through the jungle of real estate listings.
Building on the technology of its popular Ubertor software program for agents, Combustion has added a button that takes buyers on a virtual tour of comparable real estate listings in a neighborhood.
So if you’re in the market for a two-bedroom apartment downtown and you want to look at everything that fits that description and your budget, you can click on the comparables link on an agent’s website and details of the listings line up on the screen.
The company has been testing a new version of the feature on real estate agent Andrew Hasman’s website. Stephen Jagger, Combustion’s founding partner, said the company expects to offer a final version in the coming days.
The beta test can be viewed at www.andrewhasman.com/115 .
Real estate agents are anxious to take advantage of the latest tweak to to push their website into the forefront of online technology.
“We have a lineup of people wanting to put the comparables feature on their website,” said Jagger. “It has generated a lot of excitement”.
“It is an innovative feature and it is just going to get better as we get feedback from people who have seen it.”
The technology company, which had its roots in Web hosting and made the transition into a software developer for real estate agents, has thousands of agents as customers from across North America.
When blogging rose in popularity, Ubertor added that capability to agents’ websites, giving sales people a new way to communicate online.
“Comparables is the latest innovation but it is not about wanting to differentiate ourselves from the competition as mush as insuring our agents’ are up to speed with what’s available,” said Jagger.
Jagger said real estate agents can run details of other agents’ listings with permission under reciprocity agreements they have through the real estate board.
He said potential buyers appreciate the quick and easy route to finding all the properties similar to the one they are considering, and agents, who know their clients will seek out such information on the internet, want to be the first to offer it.
“Agents are very excited,” he said. “We have tons of emails from people saying ‘put it on my system’ “.