Monday, June 19, 2006

SellSmart and Knockbox UPDATED!

SellSmart® Real Estate announced at the C.A.R. Convention last week that it has entered into a license agreement with Ardell-Martin Industries to use their patent pending Knockbox™ Technology. Read the press releases for SellSmart and the Knockbox. If you are an Inman member read more here. Find Knockbox news on Engadget.

WHO WILL HAVE A KNOCKBOX?
Distribution is scheduled to begin in July, however SellSmart agents have already begun placing orders. If you are a SellSmart broker or agent you can download an order form here. Initial pricing for the Knockbox, in its current configuration, is $250 per listing. UPDATE: The newest version is now available at a reduced price of $150 per listing. Please order early to avoid inventory delays.

The Knockbox is currently available to all SellSmart Real Estate brokers and agents, through a corporate license agreement. You take pictures of the home you want to appear on the Knockbox, post them to your web site and we do the rest. We create a page on the Knockbox featuring the home, send it to you with a sign rider, you set it up at the home. It couldn’t be easier.

WHAT IS A KNOCKBOX?
The Knockbox is a wireless device that is simply plugged into an AC outlet at a home for sale. Once booted, the Knockbox serves up a web page from its internal drive, which is viewable from any WiFi capable device. A buyer would connect to the wireless local area network (WLAN) created by the Knockbox; the network name is the same as the address of the home. The buyer then opens a browser window and enters the IP address of the Knockbox, 10.0.1.1, into the address field of their browser, which would then load the home page for that Knockbox. The Knockbox page includes exterior and interior photos of the home, a virtual tour, floor plans, an open house schedule, extensive property data and the home’s sale price as well as contact information for the listing real estate agent. A potential buyer may download a PDF flyer with the same information as contained on the page, so that when they are out of range of the Knockbox they still retain information about the home. The Knockbox is not a HotSpot, it will not connect the user to the Internet, the user may only view the single page contained on the Knockbox.

When showing the home or holding an open house, the Realtor may provide a potential buyer with a thumb drive preloaded with their contact info, bio and other helpful reports or materials. The buyer or agent would insert the thumb drive into a USB port on the Knockbox. The Knockbox then automatically copies the same PDF flyer that may be downloaded from the web page on the Knockbox to the thumb drive, which the prospect would take with them.

A sign rider attached to the For Sale sign in the yard informs all prospects that the property has a Knockbox for them to access with their WiFi capable devices.

The cost of a Knockbox, in its current configuration, is $250 per listing. We are working on a version without the USB feature that will cost $150 per listing. UPDATE: The newest version is now available at a reduced price of $150 per listing.

GET A KNOCKBOX
Savvy consumers will benefit by affiliating with a Knockbox agent. Sellers gain access to an effective advertising tool – one that combines the efficiency of technology with the power of visual marketing. Impromptu tours are minimized, and they may experience a reduction in, if not complete elimination of, lockbox access. Buyers benefit by having 24/7 visual access to the property. They also appreciate the anonymity and privacy they will experience by not becoming the target of call capturing devices. The Knockbox allows buyers and sellers to find each other quickly and efficiently.

Progressive agents who understand the importance of connectivity will naturally appreciate the direct access to property information that prospective buyers want. Prospective sellers are also eager and enthusiastic about the innovative marketing results that SellSmart Real Estate offers with the Knockbox.

Successful brokers realize the value of remaining ahead of the competition, and what better way than to become affiliated with a growing franchise with an outstanding business model! New brokers who are seeking a turnkey system to launch their business will benefit from SellSmart Real Estate’s consumer-driven programs. Established brokers who seek a more effective business model will benefit from the emphasis on technological innovation that SellSmart Real Estate brings to the table.

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