A Real Estate Text Messaging Service So Easy to Use Americans Over 19 Can Do It

Mobile Price Check is a new real estate text messaging service, where instead of texting a number to a shortcode, like millions of teens do on American Idol, the buyer dials an 800 number to receive property information by text.

I'm not knocking my fellow Americans
"I'm not knocking my fellow Americans," said Jim Lofton, creator of Mobile Price Check,it's just that we're a little behind most of the rest of the world when it comes to text messaging. People of all ages regularly text in places like Asia and England. Although it's changing rapidly, most people in the U.S. who text are little younger than the average home buying age of 40 years. That is why this service was designed to initiate with a phone call. Anyone can use it."

Once the home buyer calls the 800 number and opts-in for property information, the listing agent receives the buyer's cell number by text and online for follow up. "We're very careful to make the home buyer opt-in so there are no problems with Do Not Call lists. Additionally, all text messages to home buyers have a link the buyer can click to opt-out of any future contact by the agent., " Mr. Lofton said. The home buyer can also opt to be directly connected to the agent at the time of the initial call.

The real estate agent can send multiple texts by going online, typing one message in a text box, and sending the message to everyone who has inquired on a property instantly. "An agent can go online at 11am and in seconds send a text alert announcing a 1pm open house to multiple buyers, " said Lofton. "It's also a great way to instantly announce information like price reductions."

"We're finding that most of the prospective buyers who call our service don't have a real estate agent yet, so it's a great way for an agent to meet a buyer who needs representation," Lofton said. "It's also a great listing tool that sellers are impressed with."

"Mobile Price Check is a tremendous service to my clients and it is a proven marketing tool for generating lots of buyer leads," said Ralph Smith, Weichert Realtors in Northern Virginia.

There are more mobile phone subscribers (1.4 billion), than there are landline phone subscribers. 350 billion text messages are exchanged monthly worldwide. 89% of major brands plan to market via mobile phones by 2008, and 40% have already deployed text messaging campaigns. Source: Mobile Marketing Association.

Mobile Price Check is free for prospective home buyers. Real Estate agents pay a $95 flat fee per listing good for the life of the listing, There are no monthly, texting, or per message fees to the agent. "Our pricing is designed for the slower market that we're in now," Lofton said. "With a flat fee the agents know exactly how much the service is going to cost them no matter how long it takes to sell or rent the property.