I’ve Finally Made It
My career as a real estate reporter/editor is at it’s peak. I heard Ebby Halliday play the ukulele last night.
It happened at an event hosted by Hot on Homes producer Leslie Ann Crozier, where a few hundred real estate agents gathered at the Westin Galleria hotel for a meet and greet with area home builders.
After the meet and greet, the group assembled in a hotel ballroom for what started out as a real estate agent pep rally to pump them up about the prospects of the current real estate market.
Later, we learned what the event was really about. Crozier introduced her Crozier & Henderson Productions’ new web application for real estate agents’ websites.
The application allows the new home search engines from the Hot on Homes site to be included on agents’ sites. When a potential home buyer goes to an agent’s site, they can search the Hot on Homes listings in addition to the agents’ existing home listings.
At some point, to see further information like current promotions and incentives, the potential buyer has to give up some personal information. That information is compiled into a lead sheet that’s sent to the agent. The builder also gets a list of agents that have lead sheets, and the two can approach potential buyers and sell them a home.
From what I can tell, it seems like a decent tool for agents and builders. What I don’t like about it is that potential buyers are forced to give up their personal information online and wind up getting sales calls from agents.
Buying a home is an extensive process, and I don’t know how I feel about agents being in a position to push a hard sale on someone just getting started in their searching process. Hopefully all the parties involved that choose to use this tool will do so responsibly, but only time will tell.
Besides Ebby’s ukulele playing, the event was highlighted by a bevy of celebrity impersonators. I personally saw an Ozzy Osbourne, Elton John, Marilyn Monroe, and Elvis. The Elvis guy, Dave Tapley, performed a montage of the King’s hits.