Reinventing
real estate Charles Laurie Hanes has been the future of online real estate since before the Internet; the thing was, he just didn't realize it! In fact, Hanes couldn't wait for the online revolution so he developed a sophisticated, interactive, multi-media CD-Rom that allowed clients to view, tour, and look over properties from the comfort of their own homes, anywhere in the world. The remarkable aspect to this is that Windows and the Internet weren't even around yet. "I realized that real estate was a global commodity," says Hanes. "And global buyers needed a better way to find, inspect, and buy properties they couldn't physically visit." It was during the 80's condo boom that Hanes made his initial foray into real estate, working with the Reichmann family on the prestigious Queen's Quay residences and moving on to 1001 Bay, 300 Bloor East, and Minto Plaza, among others. With the unavoidable crash of the market in the late 80s, Hanes saw an opportunity to sell the inevitable glut of condos to investment hungry Hong Kong residents choosing to relocate assets in anticipation of the impending reversion of Hong Kong to China in 1997. "We realized we had to have something different to offer in order to crack the market,: says Hanes of his innovative CD-Rom. He also credits his background in the arts, including stints as a commercial music, rock video and television producer, for giving him the creative ability to approach and pull off such an ambitious project. "I remember the first time I saw a picture of a rose, with a perfect dew drop, on a computer screen," recounts Hanes. "Up until that time it was all text and rudimentary graphics, and this picture was so crystal clear!" "All I saw was condos an floor plans, instead of roses, and I knew that this could work, so I came up with the concept for the CD." Hanes spent over six years in Hong Kong and upon his return, he discovered a whole new world that revolved around the Internet and the introduction of Windows. Funnily enough, this new technology allowed Hanes to further his already innovative approach to selling real estate to a broader global market. In January of this year, Hanes launched Simplycondos.com, a fully interactive Web site that allows visitors to view, tour and access properties, without having to actually visit them physically. Using state-of-the-art maps and visuals, Simplycondos.com has, without a doubt, set the standard for digital real estate. "We've invested heavily to allow our visitors to become thoroughly knowledgeable on Toronto and the surrounding GTA condo market to allow them to make their own informed decisions," explains Hanes. To say that Simplycondos.com is a success would be an understatement. With over 4,400 hits a day, it's obvious the general public has taken notice. Amazingly, 60 per cent of all hits come from outside Ontario, including America, Hong Kong, and the rest of Canada. Since Hanes is a purchaser's agent, as opposed to strictly "selling" properties, he credits much of the site's success to his pressure-free approach, not to mention his in-depth knowledge of the condo industry. "After two decades of strong-arm selling, consistent with condo sites, I now prefer to apply my skills helping those buying," says Hanes. ...So whether you're buying or selling a condo, let Charles Laurie Hanes and Simplycondos.com point and click you in the right direction. |