The Real Estate industry is fast evolving and has advanced from the stage of news paper prints, Magazines and flyers to the use of Real time (online) Real Estate tools such as property websites, blogs, social media like facebook, twitter, google+, pinterest, linkedin, instagram etc and forums like nairaland.

As at 2012, the number of internet users in Nigeria was 55,930,391 (Global Internet Usage - Wikipedia)

While the number of Nigerians that were accessing the internet via telecommunication networks were 32,513,261 (Sunday Punch)

This number is growing by the day and practically all service providers use the internet as a medium of delivering their services.

With just mobile devices, people can access information, all over the world, in the comfort of their homes or offices. The purchasing of printed materials have reduced over the years through the advent of the internet. This is why companies that publish printed materials, news, etc. have started using the internet, as an added medium, to reach out to their audience.

Therefore as a Nigerian Real Estate Practitioner in this fast advancing age, you should take advantage of these internet tools to remain current and patronised.

My aim for this topic is to educate Real Estate Practitioners and property seekers on how to use these internet tools to their advantage as well as share the challenges we are facing in the use of the internet amongst ourselves and render solutions accordingly.

Tutorial 1:

Advantages of online Real Estate marketing

1) It is cheaper using the internet and it's resources as a means of marketing your products and services.

2) Your products and services are exposed to the whole world

3) It is easier and with the advancement in the internet technology, transactions can be closed quicker due to the ease in the transfer of information.

4) It reduces the unnecessary travel time, such that meetings can be held in separate offices and even different countries with the use of video calling applications.

5) With the use of Google maps and GPS (Global Positioning System), satellite images as well as coordinates can be retrieved for verification purposes.

6) Also Google maps aid in the location and direction of particular places not known to a Real Estate Practitioner, thereby saving time and resources.

7) The use of the internet reduces the cost of communication especially when the parties involved are in different states or countries.

8 ) You can transfer transaction files, forms and documents via the internet to ease and fasten the process of real estate transactions.

9) Networking is a very important aspect of succeeding in the Real Estate industry and the internet makes it very easy and aids people in connecting with each other through the social media platforms.

10) You can find relevant, educative and innovative Real Estate information and resource at ease via the internet to remain up to date and even ahead of your contemporaries.

Tutorial 2:

Networking

For any business to strive one must be able to know who his/her potential clients, or otherwise target markets, are. In other to have a lead on this, one must be registered to numerous groups and memberships for networking.

The internet has made it very easy to join such groups or memberships and majority of them are free. Groups and memberships such as facebook, linkedin, twitter, google+, nairaland etc where one can connect to so many potential clients.

The trick in getting noticed despite the large number of subscribers is being active and consistent in your marketing strategy.

Though you have one product but it means one thing to a particular client and means something else to another client.
E.g. a piece of land may be to a client an opportunity to invest and recoup outright interest in the future or streams of income on a periodical basis, while to another, it may be an opportunity to own a home where he can dwell with his family. Therefore, one must study the market and know the variety of wants needed at particular times.

For instance, one doesn't go to a medium class earner, introducing him or her, to buy a property in Ikoyi or go to a manager in an oil company, introducing him or her, to let a mini flat in Ajegunle. One must know the variety of potential clients and also the particular product that would interest them.

Social networking sites give one the opportunity to know the variety of clients through the information about them and thereby delivering your marketing strategy effectively.

Please you are welcome to contribute and ask questions as we go along

Let me elaborate on tutorial 1:

1) It is cheaper using the internet and it's resources as a means of marketing your products and services:

With the advent of social media platforms, Real Estate Practitioners have the opportunity to reach out to a wide range of property seeks especially at minimum cost, only with the use of an internet enabled device and time spent in promoting their services.

As earlier stated, millions of people look for information via the internet and millions are on the net at the same time. Imagine being able to display a product or service people need; over a million individuals. At least 100,000 of them might go through your advert and probably 10 of them would be interested in proceeding. Even if you get a client who purchases one of your product, the revenue gotten from it can support you till another deal closes, depending on how you plan and manage your income and resources.

Multi national businesses can't do without websites and local businesses are also seeing the advantage of it and are using it as a means of marketing their products.

One thing you need to know is that you have to be persistent no matter what and your reward would surely come, which would surpass your sacrifice and cost.

2) Your products and services are exposed to the whole world

As earlier said, with the number of people using the internet not just in Nigeria but also in other countries of the world.

If your product/service is needed in country, especially if you have made an impression from your marketing strategy, you would surely be contacted by numerous clients, home and away, that are not just making enquiry but need your services.

What an easy, fast and cheap way to be known.

Great job.

Good day Sir, I appreciate your comment Sir. God bless you

mr folu: Great job.

3) It is easier and with the advancement in the internet technology, transactions can be closed quicker due to the ease in the transfer of information:

We are in an era where the means of communication has advanced from the use of mobile phones to internet enabled devices. This has reduced cost drastically with respect to transactions such that the exchange of information can be done by emails or faxes. Also parties involved can simply use video calling in their different locations instead of having to travel from other places, states or even countries. As long as documents are verified by the appropriate authority, transactions which could take months can be closed within a day.

4) It reduces the unnecessary travel time, such that meetings can be held in separate offices and even different countries with the use of video calling applications.

AS earlier stated, applications like yahoo messenger, skype e.t.c. are video calling applications which enable parties to engage in meeting instead of bearing the cost of travelling to another country as well as the time spent in travelling.

Compare the cost of buying tickets and possibly hotel bills when one can have the same face to face meeting via video calling.

We need to think smart especially when we have all these cost effective tools at our finger tips

5) With the use of Google maps and GPS (Global Positioning System), satellite images as well as coordinates can be retrieved for verification purposes.

As a real Estate practitioner, locating properties is a prerequisite. With the aid of a Google maps and GPS, properties can be found easily, preventing time wastage and providing exact coordinates which can be used for Land Use purposes.

6) Also Google maps aid in the location and direction of particular places not known to a Real Estate Practitioner, thereby saving time and resources.

With the use of Google map, you don't only get a locational map on where the property is located but also get directions to it from the different routes that lead to the property. This saves a time, especially for Estate Surveyors and Valuers who carry out valuation jobs and need these locational maps when compiling their report.

7) The use of the internet reduces the cost of communication especially when the parties involved are in different states or countries.

The internet can be used to make voice and video calls. Compared to how much it costs to using recharge cards, internet calling is very cheap. Especially when urgent meetings need to be held and the different parties are not within the same location/state or country.

Also communication can be down via chats such as blackberry messenger, yahoo messenger, whats app, e.t.c. and they are done with the use of the internet. These chats are unlimited depending on the subscription period.

8 ) You can transfer transaction files, forms and documents via the internet to ease and fasten the process of real estate transactions.

With the aid of scanners with emailing functions or you can hook up a scanner to a laptop or desktop, transaction files can be sent, signed and delivered, as long as parties have verified all the documents and processes. Therefore distance should not be an obstacle to close deals. Thereby fastening the transaction process.

Kindly ask any question regarding this topic and you would be attended to accordingly. Thank you

We want to use this medium as a way to educate Real Estate Practitioners on what it takes to have online presence as well as assist them on a practical note.

So questions can be asking at any time as we continue on the topic

What an educative and informative thread. Thumbs up sir.

Sir, how effective is the Google maps and GPS, etc in Nigeria, Most especially on the phones?.

Thanks.

Good day Sir,

Thank you for your compliment.

Yes, GPS works to an extent in Nigeria, with the available data that has been gathered over time. Unfortunately, more roads are being constructed as well as houses being built.

One way for it to work effectively is for private individuals and the government to be able to work together and collate locational data which would be sent to be added to the google map database. The government can not be everywhere at the same time but with the input of private individuals that add their own locational data, it would help a great deal.

I have a colleague who is working on a project in respect of "The Effect of GIS (Geographic Information System) on Land Administration (Case Study, Lagos State, Alausa)"

I'm certain it would enlighten us (individuals and government) on the importance of the matter.

Thank you Sir.

yungchap:
What an educative and informative thread. Thumbs up sir.

Sir, how effective is the Google maps and GPS, etc in Nigeria, Most especially on the phones?.

Thanks.

Good day Sir,

Thank you for the splendid reply.I'm really enjoying the thread keep it up.

Good day Sir,

Thank you for the splendid reply.I'm really enjoying the thread. keep it up.

Good day Sir,

You are most welcome.

We appreciate your audience and would continue to enlighten you as well as others on contemporary Real Estate Methods which we should adopt especially when other countries of the world are practising them; We shouldn't be left out.

Thank you sir

yungchap: Good day Sir,

Thank you for the splendid reply.I'm really enjoying the thread. keep it up.

8 ) You can transfer transaction files, forms and documents via the internet to ease and fasten the process of real estate transactions.

How else can we send transaction files quickly and also safely?

Electronics, equipment & programmes have been created and developed to make things easier but if we don't update ourselves and take advantage of them we would soon become like dinosaurs (extinct).

Imagine having a scanner which you can scan your documents and send via email or being able to use an email enabled fax machine instead of using a courier service just to send pieces of paper.

When the person receives the document, he/she can go through it, sign in relevant portions and scan back.

Major cost reduction and time saving!

@ OP, good job,

In addition, kindly contact us at info@deitydatasys.com for enquires on how u can get a website

Thank you, we appreciate your comment and information. Regards

instinctg: @ OP, good job,

In addition, kindly contact us at info@deitydatasys.com for enquires on how u can get a website

9) Networking is a very important aspect of succeeding in the Real Estate industry and the internet makes it very easy and aids people in connecting with each other through the social media platforms.

The advent of social media platform have extremely increased the circulation of information to a huge number of people at once. We have platforms like twitter, facebook, google +, linkedin etc. Also people network through online organisations as well a forums like Nairaland.

By networking, you get information or you circulate information. Such information can be of properties for sale or to let or clients who need particular properties which may just be in your portfolio. No matter the case, networking enhances business success, cos what you don't know, you can't use to your benefit

Without connection there is no promotion. Networking is the game. If you are not an active member, then you are really missing out on opportunities

Join relevant, educative groups and would enhance your productivity and result. This would also enable you be abreast of the happenings in the industry

If you need assistance please to hesitate to contact me as we go along

Kindly post your questions regarding this topic

10) You can find relevant, educative and innovative Real Estate information and resource at ease via the internet to remain up to date and even ahead of your contemporaries.

There is hardly an answer you don't find on the internet, either someone has written something in line with what you need answered or someone has asked the question and it has been answered.

There are so many articles people have written an uploaded on the internet for people to educate themselves for free.

You can get free training in a profession or skill. The internet has made things so easy, that is why I have the opportunity to also reach out to you, my good and noble audience in order to share the little experience I have on contemporary real estate practice.

Let's try this test to see how visible you are on the internet.

Type your name in google search and see if any detail about you would be within the result