Archive for category: Real Estate Related

A property data API is a valuable resource when it comes to marketing a home for sale and differentiating it from others in the same neighborhood.

Not every home for sale can be like this one in Miami – an 8,000 square foot penthouse condo with views of both the OCEAN and the CITY. Five bedrooms and 6.5 baths. With a hot tub. Did we forget to mention the dance floor, DJ booth and the soundproof walls and floor?

Right after an agent turns on that rave music and the dance floor lights for a potential buyer, that property is going to sell itself.

Let’s face it, for real estate agents in the rest of the country, sometimes it is difficult to make one home appear unique and different than the others (although many times the homeowner won’t see it that way). An agent might not have a dance floor, a DJ booth, or even a waterfront view to work with.

But, they can use data. Data that puts that property in a unique light. And that’s the data they can use to show home sellers how they will go to new heights to market their property.

Property Data API can Create a Distinct Profile

All it takes is a property data API (Application Programming Interface). It’s very easy to add this API to an agent’s website. But once they do, the code opens a door into a huge warehouse of hyper-local real estate market data – data that is very relevant to every home buyer.

That data includes:

• Recent home sales
• Pricing trends
• School data
• School district boundaries and attendance zones
• Municipal boundaries
• Neighborhood demographics
• Cost of Living Indices
• Crime ratings
• And much more.

One powerful tool for creating a unique value proposition for a home seller is the home value estimator tool, because much more information can be extrapolated with this tool than just a home estimate. With the home value estimator tool from Home Junction, for example, an agent can show how a specific property ranks for several key factors.

That would include:

• Age of the Home
• Size of the Home
• Price
• Price per square foot

Imagine how a homeowner’s eyes would light up when an agent shows them a printout indicating their property ranks like this compared to other properties in the marketplace:

• Top 80% for square footage
• Bottom 40% for price per square foot

That’s a unique selling proposition all spelled out for any buyer. Not only is this property priced reasonably compared to others, it is one of the LARGEST in the neighborhood. That makes it unique. That makes it valuable. That’s a compelling reason for a home buyer to make an offer right away. Or frankly, for several buyers to make multiple offers quickly.

An agent can almost see the smile on a seller’s face when they point out this valuable information about their home.

Conversely, home value estimate tools are super valuable for agents as well in terms of lead generation. Google data shows there are several thousand searches for this term every month – “What is my home worth?”

You can be sure a large number of local homeowners will constantly be checking the results of those machine-generated estimates. (Naturally, they are not as accurate as a CMA. But what a great opportunity to offer a formal CMA to a homeowner!)

An agent can also use those other property dataset to show the uniqueness of a home compared to others.

Perhaps their prospect’s 3/2 is very similar to several other 3/2s on the market. However, using school attendance zone data, an agent can point out how that specific property is within the boundaries for the most desirable schools in the district.

Same with neighborhood demographics – perhaps this home is in an area where the residents tend to skew younger in age…and have children. That’s a great place to raise a family.

The next homeowner an agent talks to might not have that disco in their basement, or a hot tub overlooking the Atlantic Ocean. But with this hyper-local data supplied by a property data API, the agent now has a myriad of ways they can take an ordinary home, and show a seller how they can make it very unique.

Sometimes there are strange variances in real estate that a residential property data API with pricing trends can help agents provide explanations about what is going on. Let’s talk about the current situation.

Sure, during Covid 19, the real estate industry ground to a halt for a few weeks as the country adjusted to this health crisis. Now, markets are slowly opening up. So, with the current situation, especially with the large number of unemployed, one might think home prices would drop significantly. But just the opposite is occurring.

For the week ending May 23, according to Realtor.com, home list prices nationwide actually jumped up 3.1%. In fact, home prices increased in 75% of the 77 biggest metro areas.

Wait what? Why? Blame it on lack of inventory. “There are still buyers in the market,” said Senior Economist George Ratiu, “But given the very limited number of properties available, buyers are willing to pay more.” That’s quite a jump when you consider before all this, back in March, home prices were increasing at a 4.4% annual rate.

There are some very positive factors out there pushing those prices. For one, mortgage rates are at record lows. It’s still less expensive to take out a home loan today than many other times in history. Secondly, Millennials have caught the home-buying bug. After years of renting and sitting on the fence NOW they want to buy. Plus, it’s the home buying season time of year.

However, the challenge most agents face is that listings are few. Realtor.com reports the number of homes for sale during that same week in May dropped 22% year over year. “The mix of homes that are on the market now is a little bit different,” reported the Economist. “What’s really selling at a premium are lower-priced homes. The higher-priced homes are sitting on the market longer.”

Residential Property Data API Points Out Pricing Trends

Buyers and sellers will look for the agents who can offer an explanation of this anomaly. And they will want statistics to back it up. The Millennial who wants to buy that house, will wonder why during these times, they have to offer more for a home? Home owners, who have expressed an interest in selling, will surely want to be notified that pricing trends right now are actually in their favor.

There’s a tool for that – a residential property data API.

A residential property data API (Application Programming Interface) is simply some snippets of code that a data aggregator provides to an agent to insert into their website. That little bit of code opens up a huge door to an enormous database of hyper-local data. An agent can then display this relevant data on any page on their website.

One of those data points is local pricing trends. An agent can have those price points converted into a handy and easy to grasp chart. That agent, and this is a MAJOR point, can also have those data points customized all the way down to the neighborhood level they are farming. This is huge. This is what local knowledge is all about. With this data, the agent can point out how home prices in general in XYZ neighborhood are going up, despite the economy.

If a buyer sees a home they like, that data suggests they might want to jump on it NOW. There’s more power in owning that data.

For example, say there’s a buyer out there who is interested in ABC neighborhood. But prices there for some reason are flat or have actually dipped. Show that buyer pricing trend data – nationwide – and in nearby neighborhoods. Point out how these homes are priced reasonably, maybe at a bargain level, compared to the rest of the country and frankly, the rest of that town. Again, this could be the persuasive tipping point to get that buyer to act.

Agents know they can reverse the use of this data and apply it to homeowners. Many homeowners may be under the impression, given the circumstances, that now is not a good time to list their properties. Au contraire! The data shows home prices are going UP. Mr. and Mrs. HomeOwner, why wait? The data shows conditions are favorable to list your home NOW.

In this topsy-turvy economy, who knows what those home prices will be next year? (Of course, the agent with the data will know). Speculation and misconceptions will always create a murky atmosphere during times of uncertainty. Facts and data can cut through that fog. Those same facts and data can also be used in social media posts and other marketing to help generate leads and inquiries.

Agents: give consumers something solid to help with their decision-making – a residential property data API that displays those pricing trends right on their website, by target neighborhoods.

At times in the world of business, when a major event takes place, such as this COVID-19 crisis, market practices change. Some events can even be a catalyst for lasting change. Let’s face it, conditions in 2020 have certainly altered the real estate landscape. However, one of the great attributes of the real estate industry is its resilience. It will adapt to market conditions. Rapidly.

The home selling business has always been a necessity, unlike some other industries such as entertainment. People need to move. Some have to buy homes to relocate to a new job. Senior citizens who have left their jobs need to downsize, sell their homes and move to a retirement community or state. That’s the good news for real estate professionals.

As we are seeing, even a major situation like COVID-19 cannot stop the real estate business. Many Realtors across America are reporting that now that local economies are opening up, business is brisk. For one, there is the pent-up demand from the lockdown. Secondly, this is the busy spring selling season. Third, mortgage rates are still at super historic lows.

There are mixed signals in the environment as well. Several realtor associations are reporting a drop in home sales. But many others are citing a major reason for this is because inventory is still low, which frankly, was an issue earlier. Thousands of Millennials, ready to purchase homes, can’t find properties in their price range for sale. They are ready and eager to purchase a home, if homeowners would just list them. The demand is there.

Obviously, the real estate marketplace is going to be different until the COVID-19 crisis ends. But as markets open up and more people get back to work, home sales should also see a return back to earlier days. It won’t exactly be normal. Many experts are referring to the current situation as a “new normal.”

Virtual Home Tours Help Narrow Down Selection

What will this new normal be like? Well for one, much of it will be “virtual.”

An even larger part of the home search process will be conducted online. Because it may be difficult for buyers to visit multiple properties and attend open houses, the search process will need to be narrowed down ahead of time. That’s where virtual tour cameras and property data APIs will play a large part.

Virtual Home Tours

As many agents know, this technology is starting to boom. Now that people are reluctant to allow visitors to their properties and buyers are not really sure they want to visit properties, the use of virtual tours is increasing. In fact, many realtors are now reporting that some homes are selling without a buyer ever visiting the property. In some cases, the agent has never seen the property in person. There’s more of this technology, what experts refer to as “prop tech,” on the way.

The next big thing could be “Virtual reality home selling.” In this case, a buyer would put on a VR headset and virtually be able to walk through a home, looking in any direction. For all intents and purposes, they would be as close to actually visiting that home as possible.

Augmented Reality

Another proptech innovation that is gaining in popularity is augmented reality. With this technology, an agent might have a new home or an empty property for sale, and they could insert furniture and other items to give the buyer an idea of what it would look like fully furnished.

As we all know – staging works. About 90% of buyers’ agents report it certainly does help a buyer visualize what that space would like fully furnished. Forty percent of buyer’s agents say staging has an impact on a shopper’s decision. That’s huge.

Drones

Drones are another innovation that can help buyers see what a property is like, from even a better angle than just walking around on the ground.

Note: Sellers know this technology is out there too. In fact, we are hearing reports that many homeowners do not want agents to bring potential buyers to their properties unless they are very serious and have narrowed down their choices. That means they have researched other properties online and even embarked on virtual tours to be sure this is one of their top picks on the list.

Property Data APIs Help with Decision Making

Since an agent will be conducting most of their showings in the webisphere, this is also a great opportunity for them to provide property data to help buyers narrow down their choice of homes. With a property data API supplied by providers such as Home Junction, an agent has the chance to show, rather than tell, the relevant data involved with any particular property.

For example, they can show charts indicating recent home sales in that particular neighborhood. Or, they can show charts with pricing trends for that area, revealing perhaps that home prices recently took a dip and NOW is the time to make an offer.

Other data that can be offered that will be a major influence on buyers will be school information, school attendance zones, municipal and neighborhood boundaries, neighborhood demographics, crime ratings, cost of living indices, and other information.

Incorporating a feed by a property data provider today is super simple. All an agent has to do is insert a few lines of API code (Application Programming Interface) to their web pages for any property, and the data aggregator does the rest. The property data provider gathers ALL the information, organizes it and sends it out through the API on a consistent basis.

Just think of the opportunity. Here an agent has a buyer’s attention online, and they can show them facts that will help persuade them that one particular property is right for them. This property not only has emotional appeal to them, but meets all the checkboxes for their criteria. That criteria might include schools nearby, low tax rates, certain age groups in the neighborhood, local amenities such as fitness studios and coffee shops, etc.

When walking with an agent, just mentioning there are great schools nearby does not have the same impact as showing the actual School Data and a map indicating just how close the schools are to that particular property.

There Could be an Upside to All this Change

With virtual tours, future VR tours and in-depth property data – the home buying process might actually speed up. The buyers save time. (And if they have to travel, they will save money). The agent saves time and can therefore do more of the other tasks they need to do. And the customers get a chance to shorten the home buying (or selling) process which as we all know, can be emotional and gut-wrenching for a family making such a BIG decision.

Get on board. Start working on those virtual tours and add a property data API as this shift in real estate best practices takes place and those who adapt will be ahead of the pack.

There are times when the real estate market slows down, but there could still be ways to keep in touch with clients and provide them with valuable property data software for when business cranks back up. Those slowdowns could be seasonal. Or, caused by a natural disaster, such as a hurricane or forest fire. Or they could be totally unexpected, like the situation we find ourselves in today. Even still, there is quite a bit of chatter out there on preparing for when the real estate market reopens.

Real estate transactions are a way of life in the United States. With a vibrant economic system and the freedom to move about any city, state and country, change will occur. People need to sell homes. They need to relocate. Workers get a new job and need to buy a home. Renters want to own property. Seniors need to downsize or move for retirement. Etc. Etc.

There is so much activity that takes place in the real estate industry, for example, that experts say it contributes to a significant 5% of the Gross Domestic Product. Every real estate transaction touches an estimated 13 people.

In other words, this business does not stand still.

Some experts predict that when markets do re-open, there is going to be a flurry of activity. But since our current situation is so unique, forecasts differ on what type of activity. Some people say there will be a surge of homes for sale. People looking to relocate. Maybe rental property investors looking to let go of some properties.

On the other hand, will there be a surge of buyers? Before the crisis, in most towns, inventory for homes in the $300,000 range was low. Will those buyers now be back? Will many of them be able to go back to work?

There are quite a few unanswered questions out there.

And as agents know, every market is different. It’s not so much the national real estate market that matters, as much as the local marketplace they service. With that in mind, some agents are sharing suggestions with their clients on how to get ready when the real estate market is back in full swing again.

Provide Tips and Use Property Data Software

To prepare homeowners who plan to sell when the real estate market reopens, this break is an opportunity to:

• Declutter that house (there always seems to be more that can be done to get rid of those personal items that distract buyers).
• Make repairs (e.g. fix that squeaky door, replace those cracked tiles, etc).
• Paint and liven up some rooms and add neutral colors that most buyers prefer.
• Improve curb appeal (plant flowers, trim hedges, etc).
• Find a storage area for things they can remove from the house now. And for after closing when the needs to move, and needs a place to store additional items.
• Make major repairs (many contractors might not be as busy as earlier in the year, so they might be eager to take on some home improvement projects such as replacing kitchen cabinets, etc.)
• Use property data software. This is also an opportunity when homeowners can do some of their own research into local market conditions.

Agents can advise them to check out charts on trends for home sales and prices in their neighborhood and surrounding neighborhoods. (The agent can provide this information with a property data API that feeds this data directly onto their website). If home prices are going up, that gives owners some valuable information on pricing their own property.

Also look at available inventory. If there aren’t many homes for sale that are similar to theirs in terms of square footage, location, price range, etc., then they also know they are in a stronger position as far as value.

Offers Suggestions and Real Estate Data to Help Buyers Decide

To prepare home buyers for when the real estate market reopens, some agents suggest to:

• Keep searching online and narrow down a few properties buyers want to review.
• If they are considering a specific property, perhaps get an estimate on some of the improvements they might want to make such as upgrading those kitchen cabinets, etc.
• Shop for appliances that buyers might need or perhaps doors, ceiling fans, etc. Go through the process of finding the style and model they want, the colors, etc. Getting all of that done during these slow times can save quite a bit of time later.
• Start the search for contractors. If a buyer anticipates needing one, take this free time to vet them and find the one that can make the improvements they are planning  to do.
• Research property data software. Now is also a good time to do further research into the neighborhoods on the buyer’s checklist. Review school data, school attendance zones, municipal boundaries, crime ratings, neighborhood demographics, and cost of living indices.

Performing this research now will give buyers a better and more detailed overview of the areas they are considering.

Compare neighborhoods. Check out charts for recent home sales and sales price trends. Perhaps during this search, they will find another neighborhood that comes close to matching one of the original neighborhoods where they wanted to move. But that neighborhood has lower home prices on average. That’s a good thing to know. Gives them more options.

Also check out home value estimator software. These tools are super popular with consumers. Naturally, they are not as detailed as a CMA or Appraisal, but they will help buyers get a sense of the home values in each neighborhood and also the trends for those values. If those quick estimates start dropping, it might be a time for them to make a move.

They might also find that attractive 3/2 homes in Neighborhood B, are estimated to cost less than a similar property for a home they wanted in Neighborhood A. A home they did not get because they were outbid by another buyer.

Sending advice to clients and prospects and keeping them informed of property data and local market conditions will help them be prepared when markets do re-open and recover. Also, contacting local residents, homeowners and renters, and offering to provide this valuable advice and property data, is a good way to start a dialogue with new customers.

Sure, during a slow down it might seem like nothing much is happening. But savvy agents can keep things moving and build up momentum for when their local area recovers and the real estate market reopens. By providing expert advice and hyper-local property data software, that agent shows their true value with in-depth knowledge that will keep clients engaged.

Market data for real estate can be a blessing when it comes to helping your listing clients respond to off-the-wall, low-ball offers. As we all know, market conditions fluctuate. In one instance, you have sellers enjoying multiple offers on a property and achieving a nice percentage increase above their asking price. And then the economy changes, and the equation reverses. It is during those times that homeowners will really come to depend on their agent for assistance.

When it’s a buyer’s market, there are the reasonable buyers who might come in a little low on an offer. Then there are the extreme opportunistic buyers. Buyers who take an almost predatory approach with a ridiculous “take it or leave it” type of stance. As we know, in some situations, sellers will cave in. Usually because they have to. But many homeowners might think they have to accept an unreasonable offer during a downturn, when in reality, they really don’t.

Unfortunately, in these situations,  sellers may believe their home is still worth a decent asking price and become emotional when these crazy offers come in. They feel insulted. Angry. It can get ugly. Experienced agents are familiar with this dance. There are tools they can use to help that homeowner feel confident about their price point with strategies on how to deal with any hard-driving buyers.

This is where current market data for real estate comes in. An agent can use this data to show a seller how they are going to counter-attack any insane offers. They can point out how they can use this information to persuade a buyer’s agent to convince their client that the offer is way out of line.

Because here’s another side of the emotion equation: A seller might become in love with that property. The more they negotiate, the more they want to own that house. And that is when they are more likely to be receptive to hard, factual market data for real estate that gives them a picture of the correct asking price.

Market Data for Real Estate Helps with Negotiations

With any negotiations, savvy business people know it’s best to try to keep emotions off the table. A low-ball offer comes in. Knocks everybody back for a loop. The smart thing to do is not get into an argument. Or, try to one up the buyer and tell them the asking price just went up another 10%. In most cases, the smart thing to do is come back with a counter-offer, even if it is a small reduction.

Negotiating experts say it’s best to always try to keep discussions moving. Keep everybody at the negotiating table. There are other factors that can be negotiated as well that would be favorable to a seller such as closing dates, down-payments, pre-approved mortgages, etc.

That’s also the time to present your market data and the comparables you have found that justify the seller’s asking price. There is a plethora of market data for real estate that can be obtained from national aggregators such as Home Junction. The aggregators go through all the effort of tapping into relevant sources – property records, tax assessments, recent home sales, and other historical data. They verify, organize and filter that enormous number of data points.

All the agent has to do is add some software code to their website for a feed. That code immediately lets them display all this relevant information on any page on their website. Place charts for recent home sales and trends in home prices right alongside that seller’s listing.

Point out to sellers how you are going to show buyers how those charts are relevant to that neighborhood. These are not charts that show national, county or city market data. Or by zip code. These charts show the data for that specific neighborhood or subdivision where the property is located.

Sure, home prices nationally might be soft. Maybe inventory is high for that particular county. However, maybe those neighborhood charts show a different picture. Perhaps home sales there have been on the rise. So have prices. Show them some comps.

“Hey, Mr. Buyer, if you look at this market data, homes in this area are going fast. You might not only think about raising that crazy offer up to a reasonable level, but you better act fast because this property in this desirable community may go quickly.”

Hyper-Local Data Gives Agents More Negotiating Power

Surveys of home sellers show that one of the traits they look for in a listing agent is someone who can negotiate on their behalf. When the seller’s market is rocky, they are going to want that reassurance more than ever. After all, this is probably their most valuable possession. Add that hyper-local market data for real estate to an agent’s website. This way, not only can an agent tell them how they are going to negotiate hard on their behalf, they also have the tools to display the cold hard facts to back them up.

Buyers certainly aren’t perfect. Sometimes they come from out of town. They might not have any idea of the local marketplace. Or they forget how homes values in different neighborhoods can vary. Same with the volume of homes sales. Sure, they might love that one property for sale in that awesome country club. But they might not realize how many other people are also looking to move into that awesome country club as well.

Agents are familiar with these scenarios. Now they can easily add market data for real estate to their website, by neighborhoods, to use facts to get those buyers’ heads out of the clouds and convince them to come back with a sensible offer worth discussing.

There is no disputing that a home value estimator API tool on an agent’s website can be a powerful draw for traffic, prospects and leads. In 2018, customers of Home Junction saw more than 1.1 million uses of the home value estimator tool by consumers on their websites. (Also known as an AVM – “Automated Valuation Model.”)

This feature acts like a magnet for people who want to know the answer to this simple and popular question: “How much is my home worth?” According to Google, more than 10,000 people type in this phrase or a variation of it every month on their search engine. There is an obvious interest there. Now, many agents and consumers may have some reservations on the results of a home value estimator API.

An API is a software term for “Applied Programming Interface.” The interface is basically the software that property data providers such as Home Junction offer agents so they can add the property value estimate feature to their website. Home Junction actually gathers all the data points and uses its algorithms to make the calculations.

Just like an appraisal, the home value estimate algorithm takes into account standard attributes such as the address, square footage, number of bedrooms and bathrooms, property sizes, etc. The software then makes calculations based on property records, recent sales, historical data, and other factors.

Even still, it is commonly acknowledged (or it should be) that the machine-generate estimate is not always as accurate as an in-depth comparative market analysis by a real estate professional or a full appraisal by a licensed professional appraiser.

A Home Value Estimator API Offers Instant Estimates

But that’s exactly the point, isn’t it? The home value estimates are generated quickly. People use this tool because they want a quick overview of the market.

The available data is run through a formula at a certain point in time to come up with a best guesstimate. Those estimates come with a high and low range as well, indicating the probability of variations based on the data gathered. This is what you would expect from a report on home values generated in seconds. Obviously, the property is not inspected in person, like would be found with a CMA or appraisal.

Secondly, the computer does not have the ability to inspect the condition of the property. Perhaps the roof of the garage is damaged, which would lower the value. Or maybe the kitchen was upgraded substantially, which would raise the value.

As we know, deficiencies, repairs or upgrades seen in person will influence an appraisal. In addition, there are other factors that can affect the price of a home, such as popular schools, neighborhood amenities, etc. Therefore, the savvy agent would be smart to provide this tool for quick estimates. But they need to be sure to let users know the parameters involved in how these numbers are calculated.

More importantly, this tool creates a HUGE opening for that agent. The person looking for a home value estimate is obviously a prospect, either immediate or long term. The agent can tap into that homeowner’s interest to offer a more detailed, in-person CMA of that property. For buyers, they can offer them an in-person assessment of the local housing market.

Factors Used in Creating Property Estimates

Here are some of the factors that agents can point out that are involved in creating those machine-generated estimates as opposed to the more formal personalized option. Some of those factors include:

Property Data Records

Home value estimator calculations depend on correct property data records for their calculations. As the saying goes, when you put accurate info in, you get accurate info out. If some of the information in those records is not precise, it could affect the machine-generated estimates. An address could be wrong. The square footage could be off. Etc. Etc.

Comparable Properties

Agents and appraisers use comparables to make their assessments and price projections. Computers do the same. The more similar properties that are out there, the better the results on the estimates. For example, if you have a neighborhood where all the homes are cookie cutter and very similar, then the home value estimate will have a smaller variation than an area where the homes are all different.

Which brings us to this factor – time.

Freshness of the Data

Time frames are important. If there is a neighborhood where there have been several recent closings in a relatively short period of time, the computer formula is generally able to come up with a more accurate forecast. That’s because the data is fairly current. Market conditions such as mortgage rates, economic conditions, etc. might not have changed that much in that short time frame. Conversely, if there haven’t been many sales in that area over a long period of time, there could be a wider margin of prices in the calculation.

As we said, it is still wise for many agents to focus on the opportunity that adding a home value estimator API can provide. Make it very clear, the results of the home estimator feature are estimates.

Also, when the results are presented on a website to a visitor, make an offer very clear that you can provide more in-depth, personalized information for them.

Add language such as:

“Are you interested in a more accurate in-person assessment of your property?”
“Would you like me to prepare a more formal Comparative Market Analysis and let me explain the results in person?”
“Would you like to meet with a real estate professional to discuss strategies for the pricing of your home?”

Home value estimator APIs have come a long way in recent years. Lenders consistently use them to quickly assess the value of a property. Investment companies that make remote purchases of properties basically use these calculations to formulate their offers.

It’s a powerful tool. Like any tool, it has to be used correctly. Agents would be smart to add it to their website. Make it very clear in explaining how the estimates are calculated. And as we all know, the value of a property is really only determined at the end of the day by what someone is willing to pay for it. Use this popular estimator tool to start a conversation with a prospect.

Sure, we’re in that age where computers are a dominant force in our lives. But at the same time, those computer calculations can be difficult to comprehend.

We are also in an age where even with all the software that’s out there; people still want the comfort of a personal consultation with a professional to make major decisions. Especially with decisions on the magnitude of pricing a home or making an offer on a property.

That’s where the one-on-one involvement of a real estate professional enters into the equation. Savvy agents can use this combination of the technology of a Home Value Estimator API plus their offer of personal expertise to get their clients the answers they need and want.