Coldwell Banker Says, “Touch This” and Find a New Home

Coldwell Banker Real Estate LLC is hosting an interactive billboard in New York’s Times Square that displays requested home listings in real time.

The billboard is another step in a larger program the company has been implementing since last September to provide interactive and engaging ways for people to search listings, find brokers and learn about local communities when and where they want to, said Michael Fischer, senior vice president of marketing for Coldwell Banker.

The billboard is located above the W Hotel in Times Square through Aug. 2. The messaging lets people know they can use their mobiles to text the word “homes” and any zip code to 30241. Within moments, the highest-, median- and lowest-priced properties in that area will display. Coldwell Banker will also send a text to the phone with a link to more information.

A promotional video on YouTube shows a Coldwell Banker employee showing demonstrating how the billboard works.

“We have a strategy of commitment to innovation that we want to carve out in the real estate industry that anywhere our consumers are they can find Coldwell Banker listings and we think that’s a great proposition,” Fischer said. “

Last September, Coldwell Banker launched a customized online platform for iPhone users specifically designed for smaller screens to make it easier to search for real estate listing while on the road. The platform includes a home-value estimator and search functions to find a home and agent.

In March, the company released an application it created for Microsoft Surface, a computing platform, to search for listings. (It’s the touch-screen technology that was regularly used by CNN anchor John King during the 2008 election coverage). The tabletop technology is being purchased by affiliates and will be used at sponsored events, Fischer said.

And through a partnership with YouTube and Google, the Coldwell Banker on Location channel debuted in May that is populated by brokers and sales associates. The number of videos on the channel has grown to 3,000, after launching with 300 prepopulated videos.