Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage Expanding Smart Phone Technology with Launch of QR Codes
San Ramon, CA, June 05, 2010 --(PR.com)-- Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage, the leading provider of real estate services in the Bay Area, announced today that it is expanding its smart phone technology services by becoming the first local real estate brokerage to deploy quick response or QR codes in its marketing and advertising.
QR codes, also known as “tags,” are part of an emerging technology that allows consumers to point their smart phone cameras at newspaper advertisements, magazines, home flyers, and even for-sale signs on front lawns, to link to Web sites with more information on properties.
The graphic images are two-dimensional bar codes as small as a postage stamp that enable printed ads to become interactive. They create an instant connection to the Web via a smart phone’s browser, with little effort from the consumer. QR code-reader applications can be downloaded free or inexpensively from the Web or from Apple’s app store for iPhone users.
“QR codes have been around for years in Japan and Europe as a way to link consumers to websites, videos, images and other advertising channels, but the technology is really just starting to catch on in this country,” said Anne Johnson, vice president of marketing for Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage.
“This technology has great potential in the real estate industry as a way to give home buyers the information they need, the instant they want it no matter where they are,” she said. “With so many of us relying on our smart phones these days, we fully expect that QR codes will quickly becoming an indispensible tool for home shoppers here in the Bay Area.”
Johnson said Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage decided to introduce the QR codes in the Bay Area first because of the region’s tech-savvy population and the popularity of the iPhone, BlackBerry, Droid and other smart phones. But she expects the technology will be rolled out in other regions before long.
The QR codes will be used in the company’s corporate ads, home magazines and other marketing material. Additionally, Coldwell Banker will also be working with its 3,300 agents in 58 offices in Northern California to use the codes on their flyers, postcards and, in the near future, their for-sale signs.
Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage has been one of the industry leaders in deploying cutting-edge mobile phone technologies. In 2008, Coldwell Banker became the first full-service national real estate brand to optimize its Web site for use on all mobile devices. By early 2009, international Coldwell Banker Real Estate listings in 28 countries became accessible via the Coldwell Banker Web site on the iPhone, Blackberry and other smartphones. To date, more than 200,000 users have viewed Coldwell Banker Real Estate listings from the convenience of their handheld devices.
For more information on Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage’s QR codes or any of the company’s mobile phone technology, please call 925-275-3085 or visit the company’s website at www.californiamoves.com.
About Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage
Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage is the largest residential real estate brokerage in Northern California and serves the markets from Monterey to Tahoe and nearly every market in between. The company has 58 office locations and more than 3,300 sales associates throughout Northern California. Last year the company handled more than 16% of all home sales in the Bay Area, more than double its nearest competitor. Through its internationally renowned Coldwell Banker Previews® program, the company leads the luxury home market, selling more than 27% of properties that sold for more than $3 million and more than 33% of homes priced above $5 million. Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage is part of NRT LLC, the nation’s largest residential real estate brokerage company. NRT has 760 offices and 46,000 sales associates operating in more than 35 major metropolitan areas. A subsidiary of Realogy Corporation, NRT operates Realogy’s company-owned real estate brokerage offices. For more information please visit www.CaliforniaMoves.com or call 925.275.3085. DRE # 00313415.
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QR codes, also known as “tags,” are part of an emerging technology that allows consumers to point their smart phone cameras at newspaper advertisements, magazines, home flyers, and even for-sale signs on front lawns, to link to Web sites with more information on properties.
The graphic images are two-dimensional bar codes as small as a postage stamp that enable printed ads to become interactive. They create an instant connection to the Web via a smart phone’s browser, with little effort from the consumer. QR code-reader applications can be downloaded free or inexpensively from the Web or from Apple’s app store for iPhone users.
“QR codes have been around for years in Japan and Europe as a way to link consumers to websites, videos, images and other advertising channels, but the technology is really just starting to catch on in this country,” said Anne Johnson, vice president of marketing for Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage.
“This technology has great potential in the real estate industry as a way to give home buyers the information they need, the instant they want it no matter where they are,” she said. “With so many of us relying on our smart phones these days, we fully expect that QR codes will quickly becoming an indispensible tool for home shoppers here in the Bay Area.”
Johnson said Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage decided to introduce the QR codes in the Bay Area first because of the region’s tech-savvy population and the popularity of the iPhone, BlackBerry, Droid and other smart phones. But she expects the technology will be rolled out in other regions before long.
The QR codes will be used in the company’s corporate ads, home magazines and other marketing material. Additionally, Coldwell Banker will also be working with its 3,300 agents in 58 offices in Northern California to use the codes on their flyers, postcards and, in the near future, their for-sale signs.
Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage has been one of the industry leaders in deploying cutting-edge mobile phone technologies. In 2008, Coldwell Banker became the first full-service national real estate brand to optimize its Web site for use on all mobile devices. By early 2009, international Coldwell Banker Real Estate listings in 28 countries became accessible via the Coldwell Banker Web site on the iPhone, Blackberry and other smartphones. To date, more than 200,000 users have viewed Coldwell Banker Real Estate listings from the convenience of their handheld devices.
For more information on Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage’s QR codes or any of the company’s mobile phone technology, please call 925-275-3085 or visit the company’s website at www.californiamoves.com.
About Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage
Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage is the largest residential real estate brokerage in Northern California and serves the markets from Monterey to Tahoe and nearly every market in between. The company has 58 office locations and more than 3,300 sales associates throughout Northern California. Last year the company handled more than 16% of all home sales in the Bay Area, more than double its nearest competitor. Through its internationally renowned Coldwell Banker Previews® program, the company leads the luxury home market, selling more than 27% of properties that sold for more than $3 million and more than 33% of homes priced above $5 million. Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage is part of NRT LLC, the nation’s largest residential real estate brokerage company. NRT has 760 offices and 46,000 sales associates operating in more than 35 major metropolitan areas. A subsidiary of Realogy Corporation, NRT operates Realogy’s company-owned real estate brokerage offices. For more information please visit www.CaliforniaMoves.com or call 925.275.3085. DRE # 00313415.
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Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage
Stephen Maita
510.739.0620
Stephen Maita
510.739.0620
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