2002 Press Releases

ERA Franchise Systems LLC 1 Campus Drive Parsippany, NJ 07054 (973) 428-9700

Media contact: Stacy Quinn (973) 496-7904 stacy.quinn@ERA.com

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 

PARSIPPANY, NJ, December 10, 2002 - Real estate sales professional Linda Luetjen of ERA Trend Realty in Gainesville (FL) was recently named to the "Top Ten Salespersons Web Site" list for 2002 by Florida Realtor magazine.

This year's contest attracted more than 500 entries from real estate sales professionals, brokers and companies in Florida. Winners were determined by a panel of judges who ranged from Web design experts to real estate technology trainers. REALTOR® Web site evaluations were based on content, value to the user, ease of use and mechanisms for lead generation.

Luetjen, who has been assisting homebuyers and sellers for the past 13 years, launched her Web site, gatorhomes.com, more than five years ago. In addition to showcasing her clients' homes, the site provides extensive community information about Gainesville. In Florida Realtor magazine article, comments from the judges about Luetjen's site included, "The content organization and navigation are both very good. The featured homes are well presented, and there is very good content regarding the local community - a real benefit for potential relocating buyers."

Luetjen says more than 16 percent of her business last year was generated as a result of the Web site. "The site has been a profitable investment for my business," explained Luetjen. "I've gained a lot of relocation business as a result of the community information posted throughout the site. It's also been a great retention tool because many of my past customers use the site as a resource for local information such as library hours, bus schedules or recreational activities."

Bill Cogan, director of interactive marketing, ERA Real Estate, said "Gatorhomes.com is a great example of a very customer-centric Web site. Linda has created a site that people can bookmark to regularly reference local information."

In the past year, Luetjen has added several new lead-generating features to the site, including a market analysis for sellers and a relocation package for buyers. Through an interactive tool, gaterhomes.com visitors can directly contact Luetjen by typing in their phone number, which immediately sends a message to her cell phone.

To keep the site's information timely, it is updated weekly by Rob Luetjen, Linda's husband and Web master. "A lot of sales associates are reluctant to spend money on technology, but you have to spend money to make money," explained Luetjen. "On average, I spend about $150 a month on the site, which pays for itself because of the new clients I get from the Web. When sales associates ask me how to build a Web site, I advise them to start small and grow. It's like building a house."

About ERA Franchise Systems LLC
ERA Franchise Systems LLC is a global leader in the residential real estate industry with 30 years experience in developing consumer-oriented products and services. It is a subsidiary of Cendant Corporation (NYSE: CD) and part of its Real Estate Franchise Group. The ERA real estate network includes more than 28,000 brokers and sales associates throughout the United States and 29 other countries and territories. Each ERA office is independently owned and operated except offices owned and operated by NRT Incorporated. ERA information is available to consumers on the Internet at ERA.com. ERA properties can also be viewed at www.REALTOR.com®.

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