In Meadville, Pa., near the shore of Lake Erie, old Victorian homes and picturesque farmhouses are reminders of a quieter time.
They stood when the telephone was the latest technological trend, and now they stand in photographs on local real estate web sites.
The need to provide accessible customer service and keep a high profile has led local real estate companies to join the rush to set up a web site representative of their breadth and abilities.
ERA-Richmond Real Estate Service in Meadville has maintained a web site, www.era-richmond.com for three years.
DeAnna Runyan, marketing manager, organized and planned the agency’s web site development. Now, she takes care of the upkeep of the Web site, keeping up with changes in listings, prices, etc.
A graduate of Edinboro University in Erie, Pa., with a bachelor of science degree in business administration with a concentration in marketing, she has lived in Meadville all her life.
In addition to her work for ERA-Richmond, she recently opened a photography studio, Photographs By DeAnna, just outside of Meadville. The studio focuses mainly on portraits and wedding photography. Runyan is currently designing a Web site for her studio.
“Making use of the Internet gives us a lot of opportunities,” Runyan said. “The agents even use e-mail to communicate with clients. Some agents keep in touch primarily via phone, some by both phone and e-mail. E-mail is becoming more and more important, though. But sometimes a conversation is necessary.”
Runyan said that the agents include the web site address on their business cards to constantly direct customers to the site.
The agency, which offers one of the largest and most comprehensive selections of real estate in Meadville, is also the only national agency with a site specifically designed for the area.
“We’re a leader in the area,” said Runyan “Of course we’re not like a company in Pittsburgh or New York City, but we always try to be on the cutting edge.”
The site is not their biggest sales catalyst, Runyan said, “but it’s gaining more and more of a slice of our business every day.” Citing the benefits of immediate access to the agency’s property offerings, Runyan said the site has helped immeasurably in the area of customer service.
Runyan said that while the Meadville office does not have its own Intranet, they do share one with other offices in the area. “We have a program that allows us to view up-to-date info on all listings, price reductions, what is pending, what has sold, and more from these offices.”
The agency initially worked with Realtor.com to develop their site, and gradually Runyan took control of the maintenance and improvement. She said that what has made the site successful is its simple, user-friendly design and a few features which only ERA offers in the region.
“We keep it so you can always maneuver to any part of the site,” Runyan explained, “so that you never get lost and have to backtrack. A lot of sites, you can get lost trying to find what you’re looking for.”
The main page contains links to all the agency’s offerings, including rentals, new listings, open houses and commercial properties. Once a customer opens one of those pages, the list reappears at the bottom of the page to allow for easy maneuvering.
Newly available properties are listed in descending price order, with a photograph, information about the number of bedrooms and bathrooms, and comments about the unusual, especially interesting or most marketable aspects of the property—a “must” in Meadville, where people often buy property for its history or its charm. The commentary is extensive and detailed, making each listing unique.
Residential properties are listed similarly, and broken down into price brackets for the customer’s convenience.
Runyan said that a lot of real estate sites neglect to list their offerings in price order so customers can easily search for what they want. “They just list things in no particular order, and it’s confusing.”
Setting up their listings in price order was an attempt to make customers aware of their commitment to thoughtful service, Runyan said. Another convenience is that customers can also have their financing approved online. The site also contains ads from relocation services, sites like www.move.com, and moving van companies.
The site also includes a “Real Estate Wanted” section, to get the word out about what buyers are looking for. “That’s something nobody else in the area does,” Runyan said.
Also relatively unique is their “ERA Team” page, which includes photographs of the entire staff and links to web pages detailing staff members’ experience and credentials.
“The site helps us always stay ahead in customer service,” Runyan said, emphasizing its value as a way to be accessible 24 hours a day and to encourage potential customers to learn about what the agency can offer.
Old-fashioned homes, sold using the best that modern technology can offer—coming to a small town near you.
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