E-chat part of Coldwell Banker Currier & Lazier new Web site
Warwick - The business of doing real estate, just like most other businesses, is changing everyday with technology. Coldwell Banker Currier & Lazier is definitely keeping up with technologyrecently launching a brand new Web site complete with e-chat, an interactive way to communicate with a real, live agent via the Internet. "We are really very proud of our new Web site," said Gayle Beach, the manager of Coldwell Banker Currier & Lazier's Warwick office. "It is just about two weeks old now and it has so many great features." The e-chat feature is by far the most exciting, though. Let's face it. Not everyone wants to talk on the phone or come into a real estate office in person. E-chat allows them to connect to an agent without feeling pressured. The conversation appears on screen, similar to instant messaging. The user may end the connection at any time just by clicking on the appropriate button. The Web site name is currierandlazier.com. The home page has rows of houses on the screen that fade from view and are replaces with other homes listed by the company. It is easy to search for homes by town or price. You may request school reports, community tours and get a list of open houses. In addition, every Coldwell Banker Currier & Lazier listing has a virtual tour that can be accessed through the Web site. Page down to the bottom and you see some choices for contacting the office. You may request that the office contact you via e-mail or phone, or you may request an e-chat. All of the Coldwell Banker Currier and Lazier office names will pop up and let you know whether they are online or offline. You may then select whichever office you would like to chat with. It takes about a minute to connect, so be patient. Once the connection is made, you may chat away. Ask questions of the broker based on what you have found on the Internet already or any topic you need. At the end of the chat, you may print out a transcript. Beach said most of her agents are excited about the new feature. She said that even someone like her who didn't grow up with this sort of technology has embraced it. "I haven't been raised with this technology. It's not in my blood," said Beach, who has worked in the field for 19 years. "Some people just don't like to use the phone for whatever reason. This gives them the opportunity to find out what they need from a real agent without any pressure at all." Coldwell Banker Currier and Lazier did their homework on this. They know that the average buyer is 35 years old and when they call a Realtor it is because they have already done their homework. Beach said most of the people she and the other agents in her office deal with narrow down what they are looking for before ever stepping into her office. They get their information on the Internet. And it makes sense. They can look at their leisure, anytime of the day or night. The virtual tours are of great quality so they really "see" the house without ever leaving the comfort of their own home. "And with the cost of gas these days," said Beach, "people don't want to go riding around looking at houses they won't be interested in. Technology has given buyers the tools to find out the information they need even before they call us in. "More and more, our job is to guide people through the process, point them in the right direction. This job has changed so much over the years and this technology has definitely made that possible."