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For Immediate Release: SURVEY REVEALS THAT REALTORS® USE TECHNOLOGY TO MEET CLIENT NEEDS(Edison, NJ) - According to a recent survey, New Jersey REALTORS® are increasingly relying on technology to connect with clients and meet their needs. The 2008 New Jersey Member Profile reveals that REALTORS® are becoming more tech savvy and accessible to clients by increasing their use of the Internet and technological devices. "The survey reveals that REALTORS® are increasingly embracing technology as a means of achieving greater productivity and efficiency in the real estate transaction," said 2008 NJAR® President Drew Fishman. "New Jersey REALTORS® use technology to simplify the home buying and selling process and make it more convenient for their clients." According to the survey, 91 percent of New Jersey real estate firms have a website. On an individual level, 56 percent of REALTORS® have a website for business purposes with 49 percent having had their website for at least five years. The survey found that 87 percent of New Jersey REALTORS® placed their listings on www.REALTOR.com, compared to 80 percent nationally. An overwhelming majority (86 percent) also placed their listings on their firm's website. REALTORS®' websites can provide consumers with a wealth of information. The report shows that 90 percent of the respondents place property listings on their websites, 78 percent post information about home buying and selling, and 74 percent have a mortgage and financial calculator. The 2008 New Jersey Member Profile also shows an increase in New Jersey REALTORS®' use of technological devices, which indicates that today's real estate professionals are keeping pace with their clients' needs. The vast majority (89 percent) of REALTORS® use e-mail daily or nearly every day while 85 percent use a cellphone (with no e-mail or Internet capabilities) daily or nearly every day. Additionally, the report found that 31 percent of REALTORS® use a smartphone (cell phone with wireless e-mail and Internet access, such as a Treo or BlackBerry) daily or nearly every day. In 2007, 9 percent reported that they have a blog and 12 percent plan to start a blog in the future. By comparison, in 2006, 4 percent had a blog and 8 percent planned to start a blog. New Jersey REALTORS®' use of global positioning systems also significantly increased from 44 percent in 2006 to 60 percent in 2007. "The use of technology such as blogs, instant messaging, and podcasts makes it easier for REALTORS® to communicate with the home buying and selling public about the dynamics of today's marketplace," commented Fishman. "REALTORS® are knowledgeable and trusted resources and technology is a vital tool that helps them share their expertise about local market conditions with consumers." With regards to accessing multiple listing services, 75 percent of REALTORS® use them on a daily or nearly every day basis, and another 12 percent use it a few times per week. Other frequently used software includes contact management, customer relationship management, and comparative market analysis. The median amount of money spent on technology products and services by REALTORS® in New Jersey increased from $620 in 2006 to $770 on 2007. The survey was conducted by the National Association of REALTORS® on behalf of NJAR®. In February 2008, NAR mailed an 89-questionaire survey to a random sample of 72,000 REALTORS®. An identical questionnaire was also distributed to another group of 89,400 members via a Web-based online survey. A total of 9,997 responses were received. There were 344 unweighted responses from New Jersey, yielding a response rate of 4.3 percent, which form the basis of the report. For more information or to view a summary of the 2008 New Jersey Member Profile please visit http://www.njar.com/research_statistics/pdf/2008NJMemberProfileSummary.pdf. The New Jersey Association of REALTORS®, with approximately 53,000 REALTOR® and REALTOR-ASSOCIATE® members, is one of the largest trade organizations in the state. NJAR®'s membership is comprised of real estate professionals who subscribe to a strict Code of Ethics and are members of the national and local REALTOR® organizations. As the leading advocate for the real estate industry and private property rights in New Jersey, NJAR® is committed to protecting the dream of homeownership. For more information, please visit www.njar.com. # # #
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