Is the Internet important to your local real estate or mortgage business? Apparently, the answer is a big–YES!

I know I already hear the comments:

“Bill, all my business is referral business.”

“Internet leads suck!”

“People on the Internet are only window shopping. They never buy anything.”

“Internet only works for the big National guys with lots of money.”

Well, I think Missy Caulk and her Team in Ann Arbor, MI might tell you are headed to the poor house with your stubbornness:

The Missy Caulk TEAM had 9 of those closings in April, making us with about 11% of the total closings. Of the nine closing we had in April, three of the clients were referred to us, and six were buyers from the internet.

My thoughts are, if you are a Realtor and not working the internet you are missing out. Since 77% of all buyers are going on line to look for houses, you must have a STRONG internet presence. When I say strong, I don’t mean a web site. Everyone has a web-site. Your web presence must include PPC ( pay per click) campaigns, and a good follow up system to nurture those initial leads and most important a home search site that is so good the buyers come back again and again.

Is it an important part of a down market mortgage or real estate strategy? At 11% market share Missy Caulk might tell you it is a real estate and mortgage survival strategy, and the 918 Realtors in the Ann Arbor, MI market might believe her:

If you include the entire MLS for the Ann Arbor Board of Realtors, this would include all the way from Brooklyn in Lenawee County to Brighton, down through Western Wayne County, there were 373 closings in 2007 in the month of April and only 82 for April 2008.

This means that out of the 1000 Realtors in Ann Arbor Area Board of Realtors, only 82 got a paycheck of any kind in the month of April.

Notice the other key point she makes: “a good follow up system to nurture those initial leads.” You knew there had to be a least one opportunity to stump for the importance of lead nurturing and a good lead management system.

Congrats to the Missy Caulk TEAM. Keep working the Internet to gain market share and growth in this tough market.