Online initiatives to benefit renters

Media Release

Harcourts introduces online initiatives to benefit renters

29 July 2008: Harcourts New Zealand has introduced two new online initiatives aimed at making life easier for renters, CEO Bryan Thomson announced today.

“Firstly, Google-powered mapping functionality is now available to people searching for rental properties on Harcourts’ website and secondly, tenants can now apply online for rental properties advertised on there by our group,” he says.

Mr Thomson says the new online initiatives, which are aligned with the trend for people to do more of their research and transactions online, “make the process of finding and securing a rental property easier and faster for tenants”.

Harcourts first added Google’s sophisticated mapping functionality to its website (www.harcourts.co.nz) in August 2006 for use in connection with the group’s residential, rural and commercial property listings. This functionality has now been made available to Harcourts’ growing property management team for use with properties they are listing for rent.

As Harcourts National Property Management Co-ordinator Carol Benny explains that now if the Google-powered mapping functionality is enabled when a rental property is added to Harcourts’listing system then anyone who subsequently finds that property on Harcourts’website will be able to locate it on a Google-powered street map, detailed satellite image or a hybrid of the two.

“Given how popular this technology has already proven with buyers who use our website, we’re confident it will be a hit with renters too, as it will make it easier for them to establish the location of the rental properties being advertised by our group.”

Harcourts other new online initiative follows an agreement with a specialist online tenancy application system provider, 1Form, says Mrs Benny.

“Now when a tenant finds a property on our website that they are interested in renting they just have to click on the “Apply Now” button which takes them through to a simple, secure online application form on the 1Form website. This is a faster and more convenient option for tenants than filling in a hard copy form and taking that to one of our branches.”

ENDS

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