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2010

Once again, our developers have been hard at work innovating new ways to make more comprehensive and user-friendly websites for realtors. Browse through the following features, and contact us on how you can get started on your new real estate website design today!

We've added a Similar Listings option - companies can now turn on or off Similar Listings in their Settings. The feature shows up to six similar properties for sale in your property details view. The criteria for similarity are simply that the comparable properties come from the same MLS, the same town, and the same neighborhood if applicable, that their price be within 10% of the original property, and that their bed and bath count be plus or minus one of the original. The similar properties have to be active in MLS and have the same property type. This is a great way to show your customers other great listings that match their search criteria, keeping them engaged and on your site for longer.

We've enabled brokers and agents to manually send daily email updates. This can be done both for sales and rentals. If a new leads signs up and you don't want them to have to wait until the next day to get their first email, you can generate it right away using their search criteria (or criteria you set up for them).

We've also built an HTML search code generator that agents can place anywhere on the Web. Agents can generate the code from their profile details page when logged into the system - when the code is pasted on an outside site, it shows a search tool which sends leads back to the site the code was generated from. This is a great way for agents to gain more exposure, and leads coming in from these searches are automatically assigned to the agent who pasted the code!

Additionally, we made our Property Tools, such as Schedule a Showing and Contact an Agent, automatically assign leads to the agent who listed the property in question. If a lead uses the tools for a property listed by an outside agent, the leads become Unassigned (or are auto-assigned if you have automatic lead assignment turned on in your Settings). Any tool use by leads already logged in results in the activity being sent to the agent the lead is already assigned to, regardless of which property they are interested in.

Check back in often for more software upgrades for property web design!

New Features in Sequoia Now Live: 6/10/2010

The always-innovating developers at Boston Logic have released four major features now available for Sequoia real estate websites. Check out what's new in web design for realtors, and be sure to contact us on how you can get started on your own custom real estate website and real estate online marketing campaign today!

1. You can now set the default rate that appears in the Mortgage Calculator property tool in your Settings tab. This is the number that shows up when the tool is opened - but as always, you can type in a different number at any time. To access, go under the "Search Options / Sales" section, and is called "Default Mortgage Rate".

2. We've added the ability to indicate whether a Town Page should return only Bank Owned or Foreclosed properties. This is true of the back end searches available to agents and brokers only. When you set up a Town Page thusly, the only results you will see are bank-owned (foreclosed) properties.

3. The Contact and Agent, Schedule a Showing, and Email a Friend property tools are all linked to the listing agent. Rather than letting customers choose a preferred agent as in the past, the system now automatically associates any use of these tools with the listing agent if the agent is a user on the site. That means that any agent with a user profile on the site will get leads sent directly to them. If the property was not listed by an agent with a user profile, as in an agent of another firm, the leads will go to Unassigned.

4. If your MLS requires lead email verification (currently the only one we work with is Cape Cod and Islands MLS) you will now have an Unverified Leads subnav item under your Lead Management tab. This lets you view any customers who used the site but did not verify their account in order to view full property details.

Major upgrades to the Sequoia platform released: 6/4/2010

We’ve been hard at work keeping Sequoia sites head and shoulders above the competition. We recently released a round of system upgrades that improve the performance, user experience, and functionality of the Sequoia platform. Among many others, here are a few of the highlights for your custom real estate website:

• Multiple MLS search capability. Now we can display listings from more than one MLS in the same search results view, so brokers and agents who belong to more than one MLS can give their leads access to more properties than ever before.

• The ability to choose which property types are available for public search. Now Sequoia customers can control, through their Settings tab, which property types are searchable, on a per-MLS basis. Don’t want your users searching for commercial listings? Only want multi-family houses on your site? You can choose any or all property types.

• The ability to choose which towns appear on public search forms. Also on the Settings tab, you can now select as few or as many towns as you like from the list provided by your MLS, so you can broaden or focus the area your site represents at will.

• Faster search! We’ve upgraded the technology behind our property tools to greatly increase their speed.

• Multiple sets of search criteria for Daily Email Updates. Both users and agents can set up multiple searches to return results through Daily Email Updates. This lets users refine their results even further, showing them only the most relevant properties for their needs.

• Agents’ own listings can now be displayed on their Agent Details pages! Agents can now choose to have their bio include their exclusive listings.

• Direct-mail friendly lead export. Agents can now export their leads’ names, email, phone number, and address – handy if you want to send postcards or other direct mail pieces.

• Companies can now have multiple offices! Sequoia clients can now enter multiple offices and associate agents with each specific office. Offices can also display any exclusive properties listed by the agents in that office. All office locations can have a full profile and are displayed on a map, just like searched properties.

• Dynamic forms! Our newest optional feature, Dynamic Forms lets you create customizable forms for your users to fill out. From simple lead capture forms and requests for information to full questionnaires and more, you can build your own forms with checkboxes, radio buttons, required fields, file uploads, calendar selections, and much more! You can view all form submissions on the admin panel of your Sequoia site. Contact us to learn more.

The Importance of Websites for Realtors

A few years ago, it was difficult for Real Estate agents to acquire leads. With the constant utilization of the internet, this has become much easier for realtors. The vast majority of clients are now seeking homes by turning to the internet as their first means of search.

However, this is not to say that hard work isn't involved with this process. True, there is potentially no limit to how big your business can grow online - but it is up to each realtor and real estate broker to put in the effort. It is up to you how far you want to stretch, how much money you want to spend, and how much time and effort you are willing to invest in your website.

Without a functioning, aesthetically pleasing web presence (or without a web presence at all), your realty company risks becoming obsolete: customers and leads trust agencies with good websites. The fact is that your brick and mortar office is no longer your biggest sign of significance, it's your real estate office website.

Consider a new website or website makeover as an investment in the success of your real estate brokerage. Sequoia Real Estate Solutions provides a high-quality, customized website option for you at a great price. Click here to read more about how you can market your real estate brokerage - and all the advantages and features that go along with it!

Tri State Realty Group launches new site on Boston Logic's Sequoia Platform!

Tri State Realty Group had Boston Logic design a custom Sequoia platform site for their new web presence - adding a unique look and feel as well a few great new optional features we've created.

Adding to the already robust rental property search functionality built into the Sequoia platform, Tri State Realty Group opted to employ a customized graphical search map. This feature allows users to click on the areas of the map they wish to search, select a few quick parameters and get fast, accurate search results tailored to their specific needs. The tool can be customized to suit any desired range of locations and themed to match the style of your site.

In addition, Tri State added an MBTA Search tool to their rental property search roster. This tool, which can be added to any Sequoia site that already uses our Neighborhood Pages feature, allows users to search for rentals near any major MBTA line with one click. This tool can be readily deployed for any site that already utilizes Neighborhood Pages, adding to the already significant boost in search engine rankings the Neighborhood Pages component provides.

Tri State Realty Group specializes in residential sales and rentals in the Boston area.

Keep the Upgrades Coming! 6/15/2010

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New Features in Sequoia Now Live: 6/10/2010

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Major upgrades to the Sequoia platform released: 6/4/2010

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The Importance of Websites for Realtors

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Tri State Realty Group launches new site on Boston Logic's Sequoia Platform!

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