Realtor.com released a new feature to its home search capabilities that will let home searchers check out sound data down to the property level.
The new feature, a noise indicator, is a first-of-its-kind feature among national real estate search sites, providing home shoppers with data at the property level, where others can only do so at a neighborhood level, according to realtor.com.
In a press release, the company said each property listing will have a noise rating of high, medium or low. With that, home searchers can look at noise details on a heat map overlay that displays noise sources.
“Every home buyer is different. Some people are at home in a bustling city, while others prefer the peace and quiet of a country farmhouse,” said Rachel Morley, senior vice president, product management, realtor.com.
“With our new noise indicator, we can provide specific information about whether the property is near a freeway, an airport or a gas station and how that impacts sound levels,” she said. “This information can help narrow the search and make sure that our users find a home that’s perfect for them.”
Direct portfolio lender Velocity Mortgage Capital announced the addition of new search engine marketing tools to the Broker Marketing Toolkit, which launched last August.
According to the company, the toolkit is designed to support the needs of independent mortgage brokers who want to engage with investors that are seeking to purchase residential investment and small commercial property loans.
Additions to the toolkit include text ads and keywords, which aim to provide insights for search engine marketing, including sample and target keywords, therefore equipping brokers with what they need to grow their business, the company said.
“Velocity recognizes that marketing is essential to attracting new clients, and that most brokers do not have the time or resources to create marketing and advertising materials to secure new business,” said Chris Farrar, CEO of Velocity Mortgage Capital. “We’re pleased to add search engine marketing materials to further round out the curated materials we already offer brokers, to deliver on our mission to help brokers increase grow their businesses.”
In an effort to boost growth, ClearEdge Lending, a Non-QM wholesale mortgage lender based in Southern California, announced that OptifiNow will now provide its company with wholesale CRM and marketing automation technology.
In a press release, the company said OptifiNow will support ClearEdge’s growth initiative by enabling them to better manage and support their broker customers, by integrating data from ClearEdge’s loan origination system.
“We’re taking a smart approach to growth, and that starts with a well-coordinated sales and marketing process,” said Steve Skolnik, CEO of ClearEdge Lending. “Having gone through a CRM evaluation and implementation previously, we knew what we needed and what to expect from a vendor. OptifiNow met all of our requirements and proved to us that they could deliver. That is why we’re confident we made the right choice.”
According to the company, OptifiNow will now be integrated with ClearEdge’s LOS to provide even greater visibility of broker activity, which the company hopes will enhance service delivery and deepen business relationships.
“ClearEdge understands the value we bring as an integrated sales and marketing platform,” said John McGee, CEO of OptifiNow. “They have a well-defined process and articulated their needs to us right away. It’s exciting to have a company such as ClearEdge give us the opportunity to work with them and provide a platform that will be central to their growth.”
