Every day, more and more people are surfing the Internet and finding the immense possibilities of this buying, shopping and research tool.

From old baseball scores to regional foods and specialty books, the Internet has made the planet smaller by giving everyone with a computer and modem access to products and information that was previously a lot more difficult to obtain.

One of the more unusual uses of the Internet has proven to be looking for a home from the comfort of your own house.

Instead of going on numerous trips to different homes that may not be right for you, the Internet is now allowing buyers to virtually pick and tour a home before they talk to a real estate agent.

Coldwell Banker Fulton Realty owner/broker Jim Fulton explained the Internet technology in the real estate business is changing everyday and his company is trying to provide the best service for his customers.

At his company's Web site, www.realtor.com/Atlanta/cbfultonrealty, customers are greeted with a colorful home page that shows today's interest rates, along with a guide of the available services.

The site features pictures of all the company's listings and offers detailed descriptions of the home.

Another feature is the estimated mortgage payment, which helps potential buyers know what price range house they can afford.

While the Internet helps the real estate agents by getting their listings and names out to the public, Fulton explained it also brings the real estate company more informed customers.

“We're having a lot of potential buyers coming into the office who have already picked out their home,” he said.

Some of the homes displayed on the Internet also offer a virtual tour, which shows a buyer the inside of the home, along with views on all sides of the home.

“It's just amazing. With just a click of the mouse, buyers can get a perfect view of their possible new home,” Fulton said.

The wealth of information available also spawns more questions from the potential buyer on the neighborhood and other amenities, which helps keep the agents savvy, he added.

Since so many customers are using the Internet for research, Fulton said real estate agents are having to become more and more technically savvy to conduct business in today's techno-world.

“Agents are now carrying lap tops and checking their e-mail and answering questions while they're on the road checking out a home or showing a home to a potential buyer,” Fulton said.

Agents are now becoming experts in desktop publishing and the Internet, which helps them become better and more informed agents, Fulton added.

While Fulton's site is currently part of the larger realtor.com domain, Fulton said his company is working on creating its own home page and should have that site available soon.

“Every time we think we're ready to go with it, something more advanced comes along, but I guess that's the nature of this technology,” he said.

Back to News Home Page | Back to the top of the page