Spatial Match gives Realtors® competitive edge

Editor’s Note: Click images for a larger view

A new program for websites gives Realtors® a competitive edge over mega-sites like Zillow and Trulia.

“We recognize that it’s been a challenge for independent Realtors® without mega budgets to compete for consumers’ time when larger companies like Zillow and Trulia have such engaging websites,” said Grant Gould, vice-president of SpatialMatch®.com.

That’s why founders Gould and CEO John Perkins set out to create an information-rich mini-portal to be embedded into Realtors®’ websites to give consumers all the information they have been navigating off-site to get. The result for the Realtor® website is more interaction, more time-on-site, and ultimately more loyalty and deal flow from consumers.

“Most consumers start their search for a home online. When they go from a site like Zillow or Trulia to most Realtors®’ sites, the latter sites lack the deeper localized information that the consumers want prior to making their purchase decisions,” Gould said. “SpatialMatch® was designed to be embedded into the Realtor’s® site and gives consumers a way to research all aspects of areas and neighborhoods including a lifestyle search that helps them create a file of what’s important in their day-to-day life.”

For example, if consumers want to live in a specific school district, they can select and search for homes using that as a choice. If they want to live within 10 miles of their office, they can enter that address and any others as custom addresses and include them in the search. Or if they want to stop at Starbucks every morning and want it within five miles of their home, they can choose that as well. “We have 100 different databases feeding information into the matches and we continue to integrate new data monthly,” Gould explained.

When multi-list systems (MLSs) have an IDX agreement with SpatialMatch®, the program allows the Realtor’s® site to populate area listings within those geographic ranges based on the consumer’s selected lifestyle choices.

Realtor® Jack Miller of Good Life Realtors® in Austin, TX, said SpatialMatch® is great for their lifestyle consultation. “This tool is a ‘wow’ factor when working with clients who are unfamiliar with the area,” Miller said. “It has one of the best school district boundary maps in Austin and is a great resource for what properties are available with what district.” The Austin MLS recently entered an agreement with SpatialMatch® so for-sale properties are now populated on the site.
Miller said a lifestyle consultation was previously part of his initial meeting with clients but SpatialMatch® helps them walk through the process. “We can go deeper when we show them the tool,” he said. “Do they want to be close to a gym, coffee shop, park, movies and we can put all their criteria into the program. It’s well designed around the question of where do I want to live and what’s important to me. It’s pretty awesome.”

Negotiations with some MLSs within Pennsylvania are under way; however, Realtor® Martin Millner of Coldwell Banker Hearthside in Yardley, PA, already uses the SpatialMatch® lifestyle application on his blog.

“It’s an awesome and powerful tool that offers meaningful and valuable information to our clients,” Millner said. “It’s basically a series of interactive options offering a series of information specific to the area like schools, shopping and entertainment.”

For Realtors® interested in having SpatialMatch® work with their MLS, they should contact www.spatialmatch.info.