Tuesday 13 Jun 2006
June 13, 2006 - Sydney - Leading residential property group, McGrath Estate Agents, has launched Australia's first real estate website with a "lifestyle" property search engine to tailor the list of properties to match the buyer's specific search criteria.
The new feature is highly interactive and gives the prospective buyer 12 different lifestyle criteria to choose from, including finding a property by entering leafy suburb, short walk to beach, single level house, near to train station, near to ferry wharf, fixer upper, to name a few.
"We recognized that the traditional formats where you just plug in price range, number of bedrooms and suburb were not enough to meet most buyer's tastes and needs," says Chief Executive, John McGrath.
"The new website will not only help people find the right properties in the areas they know they're interested in, but will also highlight new areas they might not have previously considered.
"Changes in lifestyle aspirations and social demographics have impacted our criteria when buying a home. The white picket fence is no longer a priority as other factors influence our decisions."
In creating its user-friendly site, mcgrath.com.au has moved away from the traditional online property catalogue to a more human and interactive experience.
Under the advanced search, icons for selection include architectural style, apartment features such as, pet friendly, security, gym and concierge.
Property Comparisons is an added feature which allows you to compare the features of up to four properties against each other.
A directory of quick links at the bottom of the home page cuts back on the layers and makes the site easier to use.
Mr. McGrath adds, "With over 90% of our buyers using the internet as their main research tool, our focus continues to be more human and customer-centric. The improved functionality of the new site allows site visitors to access the information they require faster and easier."
Figures released from Australia's leading property portal, realestate.com.au, confirm the important role that the internet plays in property transactions -
- 70% of Australians have access to the internet.
- 75% of people using the internet have a better or more productive interaction with their real estate agent as a result.
- 60 - 70% of people first hear about the house they purchase via the internet.
Changes in the look and feel of the mcgrath.com.au site reflect a softer pallete, expanded search criteria and photo selection. The redesign of the website took over six months. mcgrath.com.au currently registers 1,509,000 page views per month, and has long been regarded as one of the most popular property sites in Australia. McGrath's top searched Sydney suburbs in the past 12 months are: - Leichhardt
Further media information, please call Terri Sissian on 0419 881 414
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