Web sites builders' best tool

Bill Heckman knew two years ago that integrating Web-based technology into his real estate brokerage and marketing firm, Builder Resources, would provide a big return on his investment.

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It's $50,000 later, and that investment hasn't quite been recovered, but the resources his company can provide to home builders, agents and home buyers are priceless.

Builder Resources provides a one-stop shop for small to medium-sized home builders who want to sell and market their homes and new developments. It employs independent agents and marketing and graphic design personnel to serve clients' needs.

And when the National Association of Home Builders reports six out of every 10 home buyers use the Web for initial contact with a builder, the highest quality technology is vital to a company wanting to compete and grow.

"It is a lot less expensive to buy something off the shelf, but they tended to be oriented toward very large-volume builders and we deal with medium and small builders. It didn't work for them," Heckman said.

Previous software provided scheduling, construction management and pricing technology, but none of it could be updated in real time or be accessed from remote locations.

Heckman was looking for an administrative technology that provided an easier mode for communication between agents and builders. He also wanted an attractive Web site, with features for home buyers.

The company's site, called Builder­File, was created by a small Cincinnati Web development company, United Ware LLC. For agents, the site provides a contact management system that acts as a Rolodex, electronic paperwork manager and automatic marketing and newsletter generator so they can keep consistent contact with interested buyers. Builders can get on the site and run reports on traffic in certain communities and get information about their buyers' interests.

"Technology works well in situations where there is a lot of data or a lot of users and the home building industry has both," said Kevin Fessenden, president of United Ware.

Thanks to its work on BuilderFile, United Ware has designed sites for many builders and new developments. The company also built Builder Resources' cincycustomhomes.com site, which allows potential home buyers to navigate developments on a map of Cincinnati and zoom in on each community to get more detailed information about the builder, model, school district and municipality.