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Homes and Land in Sunny Sequim, Washington

Homes and Land in Sunny Sequim, Washington

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Email: ChuckMarunde@gmail.com

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125 Olympic Ranch Ln, Sequim, WA 98382

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Buyers of Homes Using Powerful Internet Resources

by Chuck Marunde / Sunday, 02 November 2008 / Published in Buyer's Agent, Internet and Real Estate, Search Sequim MLS

Search MLS in Sequim WABuyers of real estate today are taking their searches and their methods to entirely new levels, thanks to the Internet.   Buyers want access to instant information that is free, and they do not want the kind of uncomfortable confrontation that occurs when they have to pick up the phone and call a salesman.

I believe there are two powerful reasons for this change.   First, the Internet has given consumers the ability to search the multiple listing service in their target markets at no cost anytime of the day or night.   When I first started in real estate before the Internet, I had an MLS book that was published every Friday with all the listings in it.   People had to actually come into the office and sit down with me while we thumbed through this two-inch thick book.   Now, buyers can jump on the Internet from the comfort of their homes and search the MLS without even talking to a real estate agent.   They like that.

Second, there is a cultural shift occurring that is fueled by consumers.   Technology has facilitated consumers’ desires to move away from traditional high pressure sales and from traditional advertising.   Buyers do not like being force fed news and advertising without choice.   They don’t like being told what to do.   Consumers want to have the power to decide what they look for, who they talk to (or don’t talk to), and who they do business with.   And they want to be able to come and go as they gather information without being hindered.   The advent of the Internet and the explosive growth of technology on the Internet to facilitate consumers is a Godsend for the majority of Americans.

Even the news that consumers are reading is part of this cultural change.   They are shifting from print newspapers to the Internet at the speed of light, and they are loving the fact that they get to choose what news to read.   A fascinating study by the Pew Research Center’s Project for Excellence in Journalism examined what news consumers are reading when they have a choice:

The question of whether citizens define the news differently than professionals is becoming increasingly relevant. It started with offering visitors a sense of what others found interesting: what news stories were most emailed and most viewed?

Soon, establishment news sites like CBSNews.com allowed users to make their own newscasts. Then, names like Digg, Reddit and Del.icio.us emerged as virtual town squares that became a way to measure the pulse of what the web community finds most newsworthy, most captivating, or just amusing. The trend continues, as even Myspace, the social networking site popular among 20-somethings, has launched a news page (http://news.myspace.com).

Some key findings include:

  • The news agenda of the three user-sites that week was markedly different from that of the mainstream press. Many of the stories users selected did not appear anywhere among the top stories in the mainstream media coverage studied. And there was often little in the way of follow-up. Most stories on the user-news sites appeared only once, never to be repeated again in the week we studied.
  • The sources user news sites draw on are strikingly different from the mainstream media. Seven in ten stories on the user sites come either from blogs or Web sites such as YouTube and WebMd that do not focus mostly on news.
  • The three user news sites differed from one another in subtle ways. Reddit was the most likely to focus on political events from Washington, such as coverage of Vice President Cheney; Digg was particularly focused on the release of Apple’s new iPhone; Del.icio.us had the most fragmented mix of stories and the least overlap with the News Index.
  • On Yahoo News—even when picking from a limited list of stories Yahoo editors had already pared down—users’ top stories only rarely matched those of the news professionals.

Consumers are taking control of what and how they gather information.   That is true with the news and the advertising they choose to read, or ignore, and it is true today about how they search for and buy real estate.

Home buyers can search a beautiful map based multiple listing service (see example of an MLS search that is easy to navigate and graphically pleasing), they can search the locale of interest with a Google search to find for-sale-by-owners, to find an exclusive buyer’s agent, to read local real estate blogs, and view photos of the area.   They can do all of this from the comfort of their home without talking to a single salesman.

The vast majority of buyers are not using real estate portals either.   Buyers are no longer pulled by the big names of real estate companies branded on billboards or on TV commercials.   The dominant branding of big names that was such a major factor in the 60’s, 70’s, and 80’s has faded just as the Internet has grown.   Consumer loyalty is no longer to the “branded companies.”   Consumers are loyal to themselves, and that is the way it should be.   Technology has finally given the consumer what they have always wanted–the power to choose.   They choose the information they view, how and when they view it, and they choose what to do with that information without interference from anyone.

Buyers are taking control, and they love it.

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Tagged under: Homes for Sale, Internet Search

About Chuck Marunde

After practicing real estate law for 20 years in Washington, Chuck opened iRealty Virtual Brokers covering the Sequim and the beautiful Olympic Peninsula. Chuck is the author of numerous magazine and Internet articles with a primary focus on real estate. He is also the author of over a dozen books, mostly about Sequim real estate. Chuck is a photographer, videographer, and Registered FAA Drone Pilot. Chuck has combined his love for real estate and technology to create a growing Internet presence in his market, and enjoys building his websites and blogs, including SequimBlog.com and Sequim4Sale.com and LuxuryWaterViewHomes.com. Chuck has degrees in Economics, Law, and Education.

5 Comments to “ Buyers of Homes Using Powerful Internet Resources”

  1. Mario Cortez says :Reply
    September 12, 2011 at 5:47 am

    I gotta tell you that your Sequim real estate site is really cool. I’ve been planning to retire in Sequim for a few years now, and I sincerely appreciate your information and “insider” knowledge about the Sequim real estate market and prices and other community information, too. I doubt you get many thanks for all the work you must do behind the scenes with such an extensive site and hundreds (actually over a thousand) of articles, but I just want to say thank you for myself and my little Spanish lady. We read your articles almost every day.

  2. Steam Shower Stalls says :Reply
    October 12, 2011 at 2:23 pm

    It is true the internet is changing the way a lot of businesses are run and giving even small businesses a chance to compete with larger companies.

    Editor: I’m very impressed with your steam shower units. They really are beautiful. They are so impressive, I will be writing an article about them on my real estate blog. I’ve never done that before, but they are so incredible, I think people would like to see them and learn more. Anyone who wants to read my article can search for the phrase, “Steam Showers.”

  3. Emma says :Reply
    November 27, 2011 at 7:04 am

    Very good articles. Thnx.

  4. Sara Lynn says :Reply
    March 17, 2012 at 5:29 am

    Sequim, Washington is absolutely beautiful. We’ve been there several times and using the ferries is a lot of fun. We also spent time hiking in the Olympic National Park. Unbelievable. And wonderful.

  5. Cindy B says :Reply
    April 27, 2012 at 6:19 pm

    When my husband and I started browsing your Sequim real estate blog we could not believe how many articles you have here, over 1,100, and all on Sequim real estate. And a lot of solid information and well written articles. We were surprised that you would do so much work that obviously has taken years, and give it to us free. We sincerely appreciate your work and sharing your experiences and knowledge. It’s been a great help as we plan our move to Sequim, the Rain Shadow. We love your book, too. Thanks again and know that while most people probably don’t express their appreciation or even acknowledge all that you do, we really do appreciate it. You never even required us to register or reveal who we are. Keep the great articles coming, please.

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Chuck E. Marunde, J.D.

Sequim Buyer's Agent
(Atty Ret.)
Founder and Broker of
Sequim & Port Angeles Real Estate dba iRealty Virtual Brokers
125 Olympic Ranch Ln,
Sequim, WA 98382
(360) 775-5424
ChuckMarunde@gmail.com

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From Los Angeles

It's rare, but once in awhile life provides the perfect collaborator for an important endeavor such as buying your new home. For me that person was Chuck Marunde. His two decade background as a Real Estate Attorney, his prolific career as an author of articles and books on Real Estate and his forthright and moral character made choosing Chuck a no-brainer. Chuck is dedicated, thorough, incredible at the negotiating table, knowledgeable about all local laws & regs but, most importantly, Chuck loves what he does. And what he does is find his client the perfect property. Chuck isn't about making the sale, he's about making the sale that is OPTIMUM for his CLIENT and this makes Chuck a rare bird indeed. I love my new home in Sequim and I am indebted to Chuck for making it happen. Kevin E.

From Seattle

I’ve had the pleasure of working with Chuck over the past three years in selling my parent's estate. It was a tough time to sell during the housing recession, but Chuck always kept things on the positive side. With his real estate law background, he offers sound, practical advice. He helps you along with the process using discussions and reason, rather than opinions and speculations. If Chuck doesn’t know the answers, he will get them for you. In several instances, Chuck took the initiative to meet with county officials to get up-to-date facts about zoning and regulations. I was always impressed with his company’s tech savvy communi-cations and internet presence: weekly email updates, blogs, videos, links, Linked-in networking, etc. He is truly pioneering the future of buying & selling real estate. Brian M.

From California

"Andy Romano is a successful motion picture character actor with over 40 years in 'the Biz.' Mr. Romano has a home in beautiful Santa Barbara, California, but he chooses to live most of the time in Sequim, Washington on the Olympic Peninsula in the great Pacific Northwest. Why? In his own words, 'Because it's even more beautiful and surrounded by more beauty in this incredibly peaceful and quiet place. With respect to real estate agents or brokers, well my friend Chuck Marunde, owner of Sequim and Port Angeles Real Estate, is hands down the best there" Andy R.

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From Florida

We do our homework for the task at hand and we look for and expect to enlist partners that do the same. It was our good fortune to select Chuck Marunde of Sequim and Port Angeles Real Estate to represent us as a buyer's broker in our search for a home in the Sequim/Port Angeles area. Chuck's site is all encompassing and super fast compared to many others, he knows the market at every conceivable level and his guidance through the process of selecting and purchasing a home is priceless - above and beyond that of anyone with whom we have ever worked. Add to all this his 20 year background in real estate law and you have discovered a superb asset in the adventure of purchasing a home. Greg and Marilyn

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