21 Oct Models in the Cloud

The managing partner of Michigan-based Marketplace Homes thinks builders need to extend the hours and days they make their models available for viewing. And he believes he’s figured out a way to help builders do just that.

This cutting edge company plans to launch iTours, a software-enabled program that would allow builders to open their models at their shoppers’ convenience.

He believes that builders, like any retail environment, should be open 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., seven days a week. The iTour platform will allow a builder to supplement the current sales staff in the mornings, evenings, and other days off.

According to BUILDER, here’s how it would work, essentially:

Let’s say a buyer wants to view a model home after work, at around 7:30 p.m. on a Tuesday. He or she might be out of luck with most builders, whose models typically don’t have night hours and are open only on certain days. But that buyer could set up an appointment through Marketplace or one of its local builder partners by phone or its website.

At a designated time, a Marketplace salesperson would unlock the doors and turn on the lights at the model remotely, and conduct the tour with the customer via cellphone. If the buyer is interested in the house or wants more information, he or she could make a second appointment for a face-to-face meeting with the salesperson.

Marketplace Homes currently manages its customer relations through applications provided by SalesForce.com. This platform is one of the keys that have allowed them to take real estate sales into the cloud.

What do you think of this technology? Do you believe that being open 12 hours a day would revolutionize the real estate industry?