A True Buyer's Market - The Intention Economy hits real estate

"The Intention Economy grows around buyers, not sellers. It leverages the simple fact that buyers are the first source of money, and that they come ready-made. You don't need advertising to make them.” - Doc Searls

Dutch bank ING has a new program called WoonWaarUWilt ("LiveWhereYouWant"), which launched yesterday. It lets people make an offer on a house they'd love to own but isn't necessarily for sale. Its a partnership with online real estate firm iBlue.

Here's how it works:

1. Potential buyers fill out an online form on with the home's address and the initial offer.
2. iBlue contacts the them to discuss whether the offer is reasonable. A mortgage consultant also determines whether the buyers would be able to finance the purchase.
3. iBlue sends a preliminary offer to the property's current owners, explaining the situation and inquiring whether they'd consider selling.

It is all about giving the homeowners "an offer they can't refuse," to get them thinking about selling their house when its not "on the market." Aside from the financial upside for sellers, the program takes some anxiety out of the process as well.

So, the question is how to facilitate your buyer's intentions? This shift in thinking could change the whole market dynamic in your industry and give you a competitive advantage.

From Springwise