For decades, the real estate industry has been dominated by certain key selling points used by realtors and marketers in order to increase the value, appeal and marketability of their properties and homes. Factors like square footage, interior updates and prime location have always been at the top of mind for sellers and buyers alike. But in the modern era there’s a new factor that’s heavily influencing the decision-making process of potential buyers, and it’s leading real estate companies to reassess how they present themselves to their numerous clients.
Though environmental impact has been a part of the public dialogue for several decades, only in the last several years has it become a decisive factor for many property buyers as they look to find sustainable, minimal impact homes and properties that will allow them to live free of burdens on their conscience and secure in knowing that they’re doing their part to protect and sustain the environment. A recent study demonstrated that green homes sell for 9% more in California. That means better business and bigger commission checks for salespeople. Additionally, green home sales are expected to increase by 14 % over the next 5 years. As a result, real estate companies are adjusting their salesmanship to include a focus on the environmentally friendly features of sustainable homes. But is updated marketing enough?
Walk the Walk: Don’t Just Sell Green— Be Green.
Proponents of sustainable living are passionate about their dedication to the future of the environment. As a result, many of them not only commit to green living but also insist that the companies with whom they do business carry out that same commitment at least on some level. If your real estate company expects to market to environmentally-focused buyers and clients, you should be prepared for when your potential clients begin vetting you to find out if you’re as committed to sustainability as the homes you market. So how can you walk the walk instead of just talking the talk?
One key method is to make a commitment to go paperless, a significant move made nearly impossible unless you utilize a powerful, advanced document management system like eFileCabinet. Going paperless will show your environmentally-conscious clients that you’re serious about going green. But before we address the environmental benefits of switching to a DMS, let’s first discuss the independent factors that make a powerful DMS like eFileCabinet a profound step forward for your business.
Decreased Costs
In 1999, a study found that the average company spends $25,000 filling a standard four-drawer file cabinet and $2,000 a year maintaining said cabinet. Again, this was over fifteen years ago. Adjusted for inflation and the increase in filing needs, this number is likely far higher for companies today. While going paperless can initially seem like a daunting task, the thousands of dollars your company will save will make the time investment unquestionably worthwhile.
Increased Organization
eFileCabinet’s advanced document management system offers a wide range of features that will increase the organizational level of your real estate business by leaps and bounds. Each scanned document is automatically made searchable based on the text it contains, meaning eFileCabinet doesn’t simply scan images of your documents as if taking a picture. It recognizes each letter and word of text and makes them searchable, so your days of rifling through filing cabinets will be instantly replaced with mere seconds of typing in keywords or phrases to find exactly what you’re looking for. Additionally, eFileCabinet offers a cloud option that will allow you to access your documents from absolutely anywhere so you’re never left without that critical piece of information when on-site.
Increased Share-ability and Security
With eFileCabinet, sharing documents securely has never been easier. You have the power to dictate exactly who has access to each individual document or set of documents and who does not. This ensures that confidentiality is always maintained while sharing documents on-the-fly is simple and straightforward.
Show Your Clients You Mean Green
Going paperless is not only a shrewd business decision, but also an opportunity to make a measurable positive effect on the environment in order to do your part for the planet. By vastly reducing the amount of paper your real estate company uses on a daily basis, you can drastically minimize your footprint in a world where environmental issues have come front and center. As a result, your clients and potential clients will have greater respect for your dedication to the issues that matter most to them, and will reward you with their business and continued loyalty.
eFileCabinet is a powerful, state-of-the-art and intuitive document management system built to help your business become more organized, lose less money, earn more clients and leave a positive environmental legacy all at the same time. To find out more about how eFileCabinet can transform your business, fill out the form below for a free demo.