Increase new home sales
Real estate agent with a new home buyer.

We all know the power that agents have during the home buying process. According to NAR, 89% of all home buyers ultimately use an agent. And 63% of new home buyers are represented by an agent.

It’s obvious that new home buyers see value in working with agents. They feel like their agent will be an advocate and help them find communities and homes faster using their inside knowledge and MLS access. They look to them as a credible resource to double check information given to them by sales reps in the model. Home buyers also turn to their agent to help them navigate the new home buying process.

But agents are unfamiliar with new home sales and have a fear of the unknown. This often pushes agents to recommend resale homes over new homes even though more than half of all buyers would consider new construction.

When BDX interviewed agents as part of a recent research study, we found the following are the top agent pain points about selling new homes:

  • New home builders do not offer useful training for agents and brokers about how to sell new homes.
  • Builders do not make it easy to learn about new properties and inventory.
  • Agents lose control of the sales process when working with new home builders.
  • New home builders do not properly educate about their properties.
  • New home builders do not help agents educate and inform prospective buyers about the advantages of new homes.

So how do we solve this and increase agent comfort with new homes? We’ve come up with 5 ideas to get you started:

  • Work with brokers, Realtor® associations and your HBA to provide training courses to local agents. There are several training courses that exist today that can provide educational material. Take a look at http://newhomesniche.com.
  • Provide information about your procedures at the outset and set expectations for the process from start to finish. It’s important to outline for both the agent and home buyer exactly what they should expect from the process at each stage.
  • Include information for agents on your website (including policy documents!). Agents want to see that you are willing to work with them. Don’t have a policy document? We’ve created a template you can use to get started. Insert doc link.
  • Be available to answer agent questions. This seems so basic and can make a big impression but is often overlooked.
  • Develop personal relationships. This can be accomplished in a variety of ways: Host regular agent-only events; attend broker; association or MLS events when possible; or look for agent meetups where builder attendance is acceptable.

Clearly there is room for improvement in most builder-agent interactions. And at BDX we’re also trying to help foster these relationships. Today, New Home Source Professional offers 50+ articles from third-party experts, teaching agents how to sell new homes. But we’re not stopping there. In 2016, we will make an online new home sales training course available to agents on New Home Source Professional. Also, we have several additional articles on this blog that you might find helpful:

Real Estate Agent Leads – How Are You Following Up?

Publishing Your Agent Policy

Are You Putting Your Best Data Forward For Agents

IBS 2016Las Vegas, NV – Builders Digital Experience (BDX), a leading provider of digital marketing and sales solutions for homebuilders, will be showcasing interactive virtual and augmented reality displays and other innovations January 19-21 in Booth C2050 at the 2016 International Builders Show

in Las Vegas, Nevada.

During the show, BDX will highlight their flagship products that include new home listings on NewHomeSource.com and its network of leading real estate websites and a variety of advertising, website, sales center, and rich media products. The company will also spotlight new technologies and tools designed to help builders digitally transform their business and better attract, engage, and convert prospective homebuyers.

At the center of the BDX booth will be an interactive virtual and augmented reality display where builders can try out these cutting-edge technologies. BDX will share their virtual reality expertise and show builders how they can showcase vibrant photorealistic 3D panoramic renderings, still images, or video of their homes in stunning virtual reality with a variety of viewers including Google Cardboard, View Master, and the Samsung Gear VR.

“Today’s homebuyers crave a visually inspiring and interactive shopping journey. Virtual reality will help builders create a dynamic sales center experience and bridge the gap between the online and in-person home shopping experience and provide a unique and high impact lead generation tool,” said BDX CEO, Tim Costello. “For the first time, we’ll be giving builders the chance to see these technologies in person and learn how to create a unique and memorable connection with their home buyers.”

Another innovation in the BDX booth will be the debut of several new marketing tools for builders. Through BDX’s partnership with Zonda™, a Meyers Research – Kennedy Wilson innovation, builders will now have access to the housing industry’s most comprehensive research app with real-time market data reporting, land listings, new home projects, and easy to use tools, all in one place.  The Zonda marketing research tool will be available for purchase to builders that list their homes and communities with BDX.

The company is also unveiling a free Digital Asset Management tool for BDX clients which allows builders to share, organize, find, retrieve, and upload digital rich media files across and between organizations. This quick to deploy and easy-to-use, centralized digital library gives peers, employees, clients, contractors, and any other key stakeholders controlled access to digital assets.

“In recent years, we’ve seen builders create libraries of compelling visual assets like videos, tours, renderings, and floor plans,” said Costello. “The challenge is these resources often become unorganized and difficult to manage. We’re offering our client builders a free Digital Asset Management solution to help centralize, protect, and update their vital assets in a single location.”

Builders are encouraged to visit Booth C2050 at the International Builders Show in Las Vegas from January 19-21 to learn more about these interactive solutions and discover how BDX can help them connect with consumers and real estate agents across the Internet and improve the digital tools they use in their model homes and sales centersSticke. BDX’s digital marketing experts will be available in the booth throughout the show.

The International Builders Show is the largest annual tradeshow in the world for residential design and construction professionals and draws more than 55,000 attendees each year.

Builders who are not able to visit the BDX booth at the show are encouraged to email info@theBDX.com to schedule an appointment with their BDX Digital Marketing Consultant.

About Builders Digital Experience

Builders Digital Experience (BDX) is a leading provider of digital marketing and sales solutions for home builders. In addition to hosting the top new home listing site (NewHomeSource.com), and providing distribution of new home listings to hundreds of real estate websites, BDX offers website development, interactive floor plans, photo realistic renderings, and digital sales solutions to builders and real estate developers. Together these online and interactive resources help builders create a true digital experience for their buyers. For more information, visit www.theBDX.com.

Stay up on the latest in digital marketing with free educational BDX webinars.  Here are some of our upcoming events — we hope you can join us!

BDX Webinars

Digital Marketing 101 for Small Builders – New Year’s Resolutions

Friday, January 22nd at 1:00 PM CST

When you’re a busy builder, it can be difficult to keep up with changing technologies and buyer habits. Times are changing and builders need to arm their buyers with information in engaging forms. There are so many new selling tools available today, however most builders aren’t sure where to start. During this session we will discuss the hottest trends in technology and how you can implement them into your sales strategy. This year, make a resolution to sell more homes by taking a fresh approach to your marketing.

BDX Webinars

You Need Real Estate Agents

Tuesday, February 2 at 11:00 AM CST

63% of all new home sales come with a real estate agent. And 90% of all buyers that walk through your door will have an agent at some point in the process. Do you provide agents with the information they need to bring in buyers? Are you using the right tools and messaging to efficiently communicate? This session will give you practical tips to build stronger relationships and effectively work with real estate agents.

Start your year off strong by joining all BDX webinars!

From architectural advice to the latest home buyer trends, The International Builders Show (IBS 2016) is the hub of all things new construction. And it’s no coincidence that Builders Digital Experience is providing some of the most cutting edge and educational speaking engagements at the show. Curious about millennial buyer trends? Do you know how to track and respond to leads? Check out some of the sessions that you won’t want to miss!

 

LinkedIn TogetherIBS Education Session: Leads are People Too: Track & Respond to Digital Leads Without Losing the Human Touch

Date: Wednesday, January 20th at 10:00 AM

With all of the talk about lead conversion, it’s easy to forget that buyers aren’t numbers. They are people who want a personal touch, and if you don’t provide it, that may just cost you the sale. But how is a salesperson supposed to keep up with thousands of personal conversations, via multiple channels, over a long buying cycle? Wouldn’t it be great if your salespeople knew exactly when to follow up and what to say, based on a prospect’s actions? In this session, you’ll learn how to use technology and content to track and respond to buyers’ digital signals so your salespeople make the right calls, at the right time, with the right message. Presented by: Melissa Morman, BDX and Alan Daniels, SmartTouch Interactive
Background speech bubbleIBS Thought Leader Session: Tech Trailblazers – Home Building in the Digital Age

Date: Wednesday, January 20th at 3:00 PM

From the houses we build to the way we sell them, home building is being digitally transformed. During this fascinating Thought Leader session, three giants in housing and tech will share their insights-TED talks style-about our industry’s digital future. Liza Hausman, VP of Industry Marketing at Houzz, will examine the internet’s effect on how we shop and why winning the Zero Moment of Truth is critical for marketers. GM of Nest’s Professional Channel, Gene LaNois will discuss the connected home, the explosion of new tech products and the need to build homes that take care of themselves and the people inside. Finally, Tim Costello, CEO of BDX, will share the latest tools and strategies for creating a richer, more dynamic buyer experience.
Couple with House iPad
KBIS Education Session: The Millennial Effect

Date: Thursday, January 21st at 12:30 PM

With a passion for conservation and sustainability, millennials are more interested in repurposing existing quality materials than in buying new. What does this trend mean for the design and building communities?   Join us for a panel discussion, moderated by BDX’s Tim Costello, focused on connecting with the up-and-coming millennial generation. We will discuss their buying and building habits, the design elements they want, and ways to market to them. In addition, we’ll explore renovating with vintage pieces, creating luxury spaces without luxury price tags, and designing with sustainable materials.

With such an impressive lineup of opportunities to see leaders of BDX speak, you’re going to prepare yourself for a very successful 2016! For more information on these speaking topics or to register, please click here!

Technology

Investing in the Big Picture

Technology has not only changed the way we sell homes, but also the way consumers shop for them. Ninety percent of home shoppers begin their search online, so builders must have engage them throughout the buying cycle, from the first click of their mouse at the beginning of their search to when they close on their new home.

Home buyers crave customization and they want technology solutions to help them customize every aspect of their home. Learn how to empower your customers with our article featured in the National Association of Home Builders Sales + Marketing Ideas Magazine.