Market a Home from All Angles-Know How ‘Connected’ a Home Is

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Commentary by Angie Klein

RISMEDIA, Dec. 5, 2008-With a surplus of homes on the market, every amenity found in a particular home can make or break a deal. While some home buyers want granite countertops or hardwood floors, there are many others who are also keenly interested in what communications network is available in the home.

To help Realtors meet that need, Verizon recently launched a rewards program where agents can earn a $100 gift card each time a new homeowner is referred and subscribes to the company’s services.

According to a study by The Yankee Group-the 2006 U.S. Digital Home Entertainment Survey-hi-definition viewing in U.S. households increased by 70% in 2006; digital video recorder (DVR) penetration increased by 42% and photo sharing doubled in 2006.

These broadband and entertainment statistics shouldn’t be surprising as a growing base of people are now connected 24/7. Our lives, compared to 10 or 20 years ago, have evolved and been enhanced by technology. Also, many workers are opting to telecommute, meaning they need to be connected to a reliable, cost-effective home network.

So What Networks are Available?

In recent years, two of the largest telephone companies in the U.S. have deployed cutting-edge networks that use hair-thin strands of fiber optics to deliver voice, high-speed Internet and TV services to customers.

Verizon’s network, however, has been certified by the Fiber-to-the-Home Council as providing all-fiber-optic services that extend directly to homes and businesses. In contrast, AT&T’s hybrid fiber and copper network sends voice, data and video signals to neighborhood nodes; then uses a combination of copper and coaxial cable to deliver those signals to homes.

When it comes to Internet connection, cable company networks often group up to 1,000 homes on the same pipeline, meaning users share the same “network,” producing inconsistent Internet connection speeds, particularly during peak usage times in the morning and evening.

With Verizon’s FiOS services, only 32 homes share a very high capacity fiber-optic link with more than three times the capacity of a cable provider’s coaxial cable. With FiOS, customers get uncompromised, consistently fast upload and download speeds that don’t slow down during typically heavy Internet-usage time periods.

Telecommunications companies such as Verizon still offer DSL or digital subscriber line service over its copper network, where its fiber-optic services are not yet available.

The Bottom Line

Knowing the various services that are available at a home can help better position and market the attractiveness of a home to a potential buyer.

Additionally, the right network can even increase the value of a home; a recent study found that home buyers would be willing to spend on average, 0.8% more for a home with fiber-optic services straight to the home.

Tell your clients about the whole technology experience-these days the phone service, Internet connections and entertainment system are where a growing number of families will invest most of their time.

Angie Klein is executive director of products and services for Verizon.

For more information, please visit www.verizon.com/agentrewards.

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