Saturday, September 30, 2006
What is a Top Agent?
When using Smarter Agent from your mobile phone, you can also get connected to a Top Agent.
How do we define who is a top agent?
To us, a top agent is someone who lists and sells many properties in a particular nighborhood in a particular price range.
My mom was a very good real estate broker. In the areas she sold the most, she could drive down any street and tell you about just about every home we would pass.
This was not limited to homes that were for sale, she could tell you about the homes that were not on the market, what they last sold for, etc. Becasue we lived in a resort community, it was great when she would recall how over the years, she had even sold the same house 2 or 3 times!
When you have an agent that can do that, you are on your way to having a great buying or selling experience. They will know more than your average agent.
Smarter Agent does not send leads to just anyone. You can't just sign up, pay us money, and get our customers.
We very carefully review applications we receive from agents that want to be in our relocation network, or we partner with the top firm in an area and together we make sure you get the best agent to meet your needs.
As second generation agents and brokers, making sure our customers have a great buying and selling experience is job #1.
How do we define who is a top agent?
To us, a top agent is someone who lists and sells many properties in a particular nighborhood in a particular price range.
My mom was a very good real estate broker. In the areas she sold the most, she could drive down any street and tell you about just about every home we would pass.
This was not limited to homes that were for sale, she could tell you about the homes that were not on the market, what they last sold for, etc. Becasue we lived in a resort community, it was great when she would recall how over the years, she had even sold the same house 2 or 3 times!
When you have an agent that can do that, you are on your way to having a great buying or selling experience. They will know more than your average agent.
Smarter Agent does not send leads to just anyone. You can't just sign up, pay us money, and get our customers.
We very carefully review applications we receive from agents that want to be in our relocation network, or we partner with the top firm in an area and together we make sure you get the best agent to meet your needs.
As second generation agents and brokers, making sure our customers have a great buying and selling experience is job #1.
Friday, September 29, 2006
Update: here is the link to view the CNBC piece:
http://video.msn.com/v/us/v.htm?g=a80080b3-66ef-4219-bc54-03d2e46d9ec4&f=rssmoney&fg=rss&f=15/64rssmoney
If the link does not work, more in our news section, NPR, Fortune Business Report here: http://www.smarteragent.com/news.php?sub=realestate
Also, a similar piece should air on the Today Show this weekend.
http://video.msn.com/v/us/v.htm?g=a80080b3-66ef-4219-bc54-03d2e46d9ec4&f=rssmoney&fg=rss&f=15/64rssmoney
If the link does not work, more in our news section, NPR, Fortune Business Report here: http://www.smarteragent.com/news.php?sub=realestate
Also, a similar piece should air on the Today Show this weekend.
Saturday, September 23, 2006
CNBC, takes a look at Smarter Agent, 7PM Monday, September 25
Catch Smarter Agent, and our Philadelphia broker partner, Prudential Fox and Roach, discuss how our mobile location based services will help consumers learn about real estate and when consumers are ready connect them to the best Realtors in each price range, in any neighborhood.
CNBC's "On the Money," hosted by Dylan Ratigan, is a nightly look at the world of money. Airing at 7 p.m. ET every weeknight, "On the Money" wraps up the day's news from the world's of business and everyday life, taking a closer look at the money in every story.
CNBC's "On the Money," hosted by Dylan Ratigan, is a nightly look at the world of money. Airing at 7 p.m. ET every weeknight, "On the Money" wraps up the day's news from the world's of business and everyday life, taking a closer look at the money in every story.
Friday, September 22, 2006
CNBC feature on-air reporter, Diana Olick, came into Philadelphia yesterday to take a stroll with Eric Blumberg and do a piece with Smarter Agent. Although we have not announced they also interviewed one of our partners for our new mobile LBS search in the real estate space.
Look the piece to run Monday on CNBC when they are devoting some time to real estate.
Also, September 29, on the morning edition of NPR (national public radio) around 10AM, tune in to hear about GPS and a Smarter Agent mention. You can also catch re-broadcast's on the NPR website.
I think this points to the gotta have it application that Smarter Agent is turning into for consumers, professionals and well that's just about everyone. As we like to say, more people cruise around looking for real estate, than watch sporting events.
Look the piece to run Monday on CNBC when they are devoting some time to real estate.
Also, September 29, on the morning edition of NPR (national public radio) around 10AM, tune in to hear about GPS and a Smarter Agent mention. You can also catch re-broadcast's on the NPR website.
I think this points to the gotta have it application that Smarter Agent is turning into for consumers, professionals and well that's just about everyone. As we like to say, more people cruise around looking for real estate, than watch sporting events.
Thursday, September 14, 2006
CTIA Takeaways : News Corp and Sprint make bold statements about mobile future
News Corp COO Peter Chernin, (News Corp owns Fox TV, MySpace)
“Mobile could be the greatest media vehicle ever created, greater than even television... we are still only sitting on the precipice of a consumer opportunity no one has ever seen before."
Some of his thoughts as reported by Moco News:
First, we must create an engaging consumer experience and we should be bolder in personalizing entertainment. We need to fit the needs of a wildly diverse audience.– We need to be more interactive.– Mobile should be its own medium. We shouldn’t look at it as a marketing channel.– Make is easy to find: it is a joke to find content on and off the deck presently.– We need to keep it simple for consumers….choices is good, but not too many.– We need to standardize technology…we have an urgent need for more standardized handsets.– We need to market much more imaginatively….just promoting availability does not cut it. We need to establish an emotional connection: communicate ease of use, communicate fun, communicate experience.– We need to entice advertisers to the largest media platform in the world.– We must banish the word failure from our vocab, and willing to take risk and try everything.
Now, Paul Reddick, Vice President Business Development and Product Innovation at SPRINT is a dynamic leader. He has been a supportive advocate of Smarter Agent. He gave a supurb, frank and humerous keynote in LA at CTIA. As reported by Moco News, here are some of the myths he addressed:
Myth #1: Carriers are strictly content distributors. We need to be original programmers...it will help us become better partners. Myth #2: Technology is the biggest limiting factor. We don’t have time for that. Myth #3: Mobile entertainment is just portable entertainment. Myth #4: Mobile TV is nothing more than “Tiny TV”. Myth #5: Repurposed content alone will do. User-gen: it is made for mobile, and mobile is made for it. For marketers: quit using mobile as a marketing vehicle for big screen. The point is to entertain and entice customers here and now, with original content. Myth #6: Mobile entertainment has to be commercial free. Partnering with Enpocket for mobile advertising…the rumor is true. Mtyh #7: Customers won’t pay premium for the convenience of “now”. Sprint music store: We took a lot of heat on pricing. We are well past 5 million downloads at $2.50 a pop. Myth #8: Mobile entertainment markets itself. We need entertainment industry to make mobile part of the message. Recommendation engines are beginning to take off, so is gifting. Myth #9: Carriers are inhibiting market growth and don’t care. We add a lot of value by building customers, platforms etc. Our interests are aligned and we are looking to creatively partner. Myth #10: Nevermind.
“Mobile could be the greatest media vehicle ever created, greater than even television... we are still only sitting on the precipice of a consumer opportunity no one has ever seen before."
Some of his thoughts as reported by Moco News:
First, we must create an engaging consumer experience and we should be bolder in personalizing entertainment. We need to fit the needs of a wildly diverse audience.– We need to be more interactive.– Mobile should be its own medium. We shouldn’t look at it as a marketing channel.– Make is easy to find: it is a joke to find content on and off the deck presently.– We need to keep it simple for consumers….choices is good, but not too many.– We need to standardize technology…we have an urgent need for more standardized handsets.– We need to market much more imaginatively….just promoting availability does not cut it. We need to establish an emotional connection: communicate ease of use, communicate fun, communicate experience.– We need to entice advertisers to the largest media platform in the world.– We must banish the word failure from our vocab, and willing to take risk and try everything.
Now, Paul Reddick, Vice President Business Development and Product Innovation at SPRINT is a dynamic leader. He has been a supportive advocate of Smarter Agent. He gave a supurb, frank and humerous keynote in LA at CTIA. As reported by Moco News, here are some of the myths he addressed:
Myth #1: Carriers are strictly content distributors. We need to be original programmers...it will help us become better partners. Myth #2: Technology is the biggest limiting factor. We don’t have time for that. Myth #3: Mobile entertainment is just portable entertainment. Myth #4: Mobile TV is nothing more than “Tiny TV”. Myth #5: Repurposed content alone will do. User-gen: it is made for mobile, and mobile is made for it. For marketers: quit using mobile as a marketing vehicle for big screen. The point is to entertain and entice customers here and now, with original content. Myth #6: Mobile entertainment has to be commercial free. Partnering with Enpocket for mobile advertising…the rumor is true. Mtyh #7: Customers won’t pay premium for the convenience of “now”. Sprint music store: We took a lot of heat on pricing. We are well past 5 million downloads at $2.50 a pop. Myth #8: Mobile entertainment markets itself. We need entertainment industry to make mobile part of the message. Recommendation engines are beginning to take off, so is gifting. Myth #9: Carriers are inhibiting market growth and don’t care. We add a lot of value by building customers, platforms etc. Our interests are aligned and we are looking to creatively partner. Myth #10: Nevermind.
Tuesday, September 12, 2006
How important is real estate?
On the way into work, I heard David Wessel, Deputy Washington Bureau Chief of the Wall Street Journal talk about housing on NPR.
He noted prices are falling or not going up, after a few years of +/- 12% increases.
The open question is if this causes a recession next year, -- Wessel doesn't think so.
He the noted the importance of housing on the economy by stating the housing industry is as big as the auto industry. 1 million people work building homes he noted.
Add another million that sell homes.
Plus, housing is important to consumers. Why> More than 2/3 of all Americans own a home. Less than half of all Americans own stocks or mutual funds.
Indeed, US consumers have more than 11 trillion in equity in their homes, more than the value of the stock market.
Consumers -- 40million search for real estate information each year.
And professionals in the home building, home selling, fiancing and retailing (home improvment, furniture, pools, etc) and advertising markets are equally interested in real estate.
Wessel noted, What happens in housing affects how people feel, and affects the economy.
All in all, real estate is a big impact vertical, -- highly personal, and you come to it time and time again in your lifetime. From renting a college apartment, moving, upgrading, and of course seeing what the nieghbor's paid -- all very mobile activities.
He noted prices are falling or not going up, after a few years of +/- 12% increases.
The open question is if this causes a recession next year, -- Wessel doesn't think so.
He the noted the importance of housing on the economy by stating the housing industry is as big as the auto industry. 1 million people work building homes he noted.
Add another million that sell homes.
Plus, housing is important to consumers. Why> More than 2/3 of all Americans own a home. Less than half of all Americans own stocks or mutual funds.
Indeed, US consumers have more than 11 trillion in equity in their homes, more than the value of the stock market.
Consumers -- 40million search for real estate information each year.
And professionals in the home building, home selling, fiancing and retailing (home improvment, furniture, pools, etc) and advertising markets are equally interested in real estate.
Wessel noted, What happens in housing affects how people feel, and affects the economy.
All in all, real estate is a big impact vertical, -- highly personal, and you come to it time and time again in your lifetime. From renting a college apartment, moving, upgrading, and of course seeing what the nieghbor's paid -- all very mobile activities.
CTIA: LBS, Location Based Services from Qualcomm and Carriers picking up steam at CTIA
CTIA's midyear show is this week in Las Vegas. Eric Blumberg is there meeting with our LBS partners.
Major LBS vendors such as Qualcomm (chipset in Sprint, Verizon phones) and phone vendors such as Motorola are working on LBS programs at CTIA.
US based wireless carriers are also pushing the LBS ball forward. European and South American carriers are on the LBS move too, watch Orange.
You can check Smarter Agent out on the Qualcomm website, here: http://www.cdmatech.com/locationservicesshowcase/dev_smarter_agent.jsp
We would think it is likely that Sprint continues to get the most LBS traction and live applicaitions, and that Verizon will make a major LBS 3rd party push that if marketed will propel them into a great position.
Marketing to consumers, in-stores (to consumers and carrier retail staff), bring carrier customer service folks in the fold so they can help consumers download these LBS applications (or even know they on on the deck :) - combined with content providers marketing with distribution partners and vendors - are some of the keys to consumer awareness, acceptance and downloads.
We are pretty sure consumers need to see more TV ads, like the Verizon TV spots for their navigation product, for folks to realize the new power of their cell phones.
We are also looking for LBS announcements by T-Mobile and Cingular into 2007. And by mid-2007 many of the LBS winners will be evident.
The media has begun to picked up on LBS. I think even our carrier partners have been surprised by the media requests to learn about Smarter Agent. Just last week we were on over 25 major station newscasts in places like DC and LA. I think we are taping on the Today Show this weekend as well.
I'll give you some more insight by Wednesday as we get the CTIA play by play from Eric.
Major LBS vendors such as Qualcomm (chipset in Sprint, Verizon phones) and phone vendors such as Motorola are working on LBS programs at CTIA.
US based wireless carriers are also pushing the LBS ball forward. European and South American carriers are on the LBS move too, watch Orange.
You can check Smarter Agent out on the Qualcomm website, here: http://www.cdmatech.com/locationservicesshowcase/dev_smarter_agent.jsp
We would think it is likely that Sprint continues to get the most LBS traction and live applicaitions, and that Verizon will make a major LBS 3rd party push that if marketed will propel them into a great position.
Marketing to consumers, in-stores (to consumers and carrier retail staff), bring carrier customer service folks in the fold so they can help consumers download these LBS applications (or even know they on on the deck :) - combined with content providers marketing with distribution partners and vendors - are some of the keys to consumer awareness, acceptance and downloads.
We are pretty sure consumers need to see more TV ads, like the Verizon TV spots for their navigation product, for folks to realize the new power of their cell phones.
We are also looking for LBS announcements by T-Mobile and Cingular into 2007. And by mid-2007 many of the LBS winners will be evident.
The media has begun to picked up on LBS. I think even our carrier partners have been surprised by the media requests to learn about Smarter Agent. Just last week we were on over 25 major station newscasts in places like DC and LA. I think we are taping on the Today Show this weekend as well.
I'll give you some more insight by Wednesday as we get the CTIA play by play from Eric.
Tuesday, September 05, 2006
1,000,000,000
It looks like 1 Billion NEW cell phones will be shipped this year worldwide.
Billions already have cell phones.
This medium is beginning to morph into something that is used much differently than radio, television and 2007 proves to be an interesting year as music, video, location-awareness, and imagery all come to bear on new applications on this device most of us have.
Billions already have cell phones.
This medium is beginning to morph into something that is used much differently than radio, television and 2007 proves to be an interesting year as music, video, location-awareness, and imagery all come to bear on new applications on this device most of us have.
