FAQs: Frequently Asked
Questions ICI World

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Isn't this the same as a real estate board service?

No.  The service is more like an electronic equivalent of classified ads in a newspaper.  Some say it is the most important second service that a broker should have after his/her local real estate board or Internet type listing service. The reason?  Some say 90% of apartment buildings in the world are not on real estate boards.  90% of shopping centers are not on real estate boards.  And this holds true for land, businesses and much more.   You will find this kind of "open or exclusive" type information handled through this service quite nicely.  Yes all members still advertise their real estate board listings, but we really designed this service to fill the gap in the marketplace for exclusive type information.  There is not enough information to write an offer from an ad as you can on a real estate board listing.  This service is designed to generate a call from a qualified buyer and/or seller so that the member can qualify the contact and then provide more information where appropriate.

It may be the only major service of its kind as far as information is concerned.

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Why should anyone dealing in commercial real estate in the world use ICI World?

  • There are over 1 Billion web pages on the internet today and growing and it is impossible for people to visit every site looking for what they want. 
  • ICI World is one of the highest traffic sites in the world of people dealing in commercial real estate and this traffic is directed to brokers through their information that they place. 
  • ICI World collects information world wide into searchable databases to make it easy for the public to click on a piece of information and then direct that traffic to brokers either by phone, EMail or through their linked web sites.  This all happens within seconds from anywhere in the world.
  • It distributes information world wide by email containing Have and Want information including contact names and numbers, brokers phone numbers, EMail address, Home Page and links.
  • It would simply be too expensive and time consuming for every independent real estate broker and salesperson to build and maintain a database of hundreds of thousands of people interested in commercial real estate and keep it up to date.
  • ICI World in addition to the extensive distribution system in place now, is embarking in what will be the largest distribution network of its kind in the world for commercial real estate with literally several hundred EMail distribution lists.  People can subscribe to exactly what interests them.  This selection will help overcome the problem in the industry of too much information that does not apply to a persons business interests.  People can subscribe to just what their business interest is and nothing more.  When you place your Have and Want, they get distributed automatically and virtually instantly to the marketplace to people who subscribe.  It is from your desk to their desk!
  • People simply can't visit every ones web site on the internet to get information to see what you have this month.  But they can visit ICI World to see a great portion of the industry as a whole. They search a major database for the type of Have or Want information that interests them.
  • The worlds largest distribution system for commercial real estate information.  Individual web sites are important but a major broker controlled traffic site is important to maintain interest through the sheer volume of opportunities and ideas to make money.
  • Protection of a real estate broker and salespersons information.  Members work long and hard to gain experience, education and knowledge to build a career in this business.  They are in the best position in the world to know about a majority of activity and expressions of interests of people wanting to buy and sell in the commercial real estate marketplace. They are best suited to collect, qualify and disseminate Haves and Wants in the marketplace and are best positioned to collect information world wide for the benefit of the industry.  As a result there, there is dramatic major time saving convenience factor as more Haves and Wants are collected in one place to benefit the public world wide.  In order to build this information, their must be a respect for the time, effort, and expertise of the individuals within organized real estate industry to do this. By protecting a brokers interest, more information becomes available in one place to benefit the public. It is a win win situation for principals and the professional in the commercial real estate industry.
  • Marketing expertise, information handling knowledge.  We are in the information age.  For ten years, ICI World has been studying and working with brokers and salespeople to help make them money through networking information in various ways.  It is this value added benefit of ten years of  knowledge that is shared with members.  It takes a lot of time and money to both learn what it takes to be successful and then teach it one on one.  Only through one on one personal training in a one hour special Training Session that is conducted in your office over the phone, can one truly appreciate the concepts. This hands on approach works very successfully.  For ten years we have been researching, making mistakes, learning, and working ideas and concepts that we know work to help brokers connect to do deals and benefit the people they serve.
  • It is a service that provides integrity in presenting Haves and Wants to the public while respecting the sources of a real estate brokers information.  If knowledge is power then ICIWorld is getting stronger every day since it is made up of members who make it their business to know what is going on in their marketplace. They share this knowledge with you in a way that is compatible with how they do business on your behalf.  If you could sit where I sit, you could see the connections that these members have.  I never cease to be amazed.   

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I have a web page.  Why should I use ICI World?

  • There are over 1 Billion web pages on the internet and growing.  Everyone is lost in the crowd.
  • The constant stream of new information daily on ICI World attracts people and this traffic is directed to build traffic for individual web sites.  It is like plugging a lamp into a wall socket.  Your web site lights up!  When you place information on ICIWorld, watch your hit counter on your web site, it will start going up immediately in many cases depending on your information.
  • There is no enough time in the day to search all the sites necessary to find the information that you want.  People want an easier way to find information and ICI World has proven to do this for them. Witness the statistics that just continue to grow.  Brokers place their information and then link it to their home pages.
  • By having a major world site that you place your information on, the high traffic of people, it is more easy for people in the world to find your information.
  • Save money.  There are no costs to you to add modify and delete your listings. It is easier to place haves and wants on ICI World and they are instantly on the internet on one of the worlds largest databases. At the same time, you can place a link on your home page, that pulls your listings off ICI World and displays them on the screen of the viewer within 4.9 seconds average access time. It is easy to add modify and delete your listings on ICI World and it is all free with a membership and you have a database from your home page.
  • You can place a message on your home page that says you are a member of ICI World and that will help you get listings.

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Who can join?

Only licensed real estate brokers and salespeople may join and place information in the public area that is receiving the over quarter of a million hits per month and major distribution throughout the world. 

Principals may join only where we do not have a licensed real estate member broker or salesperson in the area.

Companies, Associations, Organizations, ICI Councils, Commercial Real Estate Groups, Franchises, etc. Details

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Can Principals Join?

Yes but only where we do not have a licensed real estate broker member in an area and then guaranteed for one term only.  On renewal if there is a licensed real estate broker in your area, then we ask you to work your haves and wants through that office. 

If you have a great amount of information to work, there is a Private (FSBO) Developer Membership that permits unlimited Haves and Wants and these are emailed to the licensed real estate members of ICI World within the hour of being placed.  This is helpful for instance for developers who have great amounts of space for lease and wish to market this space themselves but who cooperate with the organized real estate industry.

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Can companies join or just individuals?

Companies can join as well as individuals.  There is a corporate rate.

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Does it cost money to read the ads?

No.  It is free for the public to read the ads in the public area.  However one must be a member to read the contact information of FSBO placed ads.  The Limited View is available to read free for the FSBO Area placed ads.

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Does it cost money to receive the free email of listings?

No.  In fact we are embarking on a major expansion plan so that everyone in the world can

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Can it help me in Listing Presentations and How?

Yes

  • First you can print out a list of buyers.  While other brokers competing with you state they may have buyers, but you can print out a list.  You can literally pick up the phone and start making appointments, it is that fast!
  • Secondly you can print out Statistics in color.  Use November/2000 for an example.  It will show the number of hits, 230,000 for November.  There is not another web site in the world that we know of getting this much readership that we personally know of.  Look at the maximum hits in one hour, one day!  Look at the third table down hits by day and the days of the month.  Look at the next table a bar chart showing the hits by the hour throughout the day. It will show the traffic and it also shows that even in the wee hours of the morning there is business going on.  It is like leaving the front door of your office open and there are people coming in 2-3-4-5-6am in the morning! The best part though is go to the bottom of the page.  You will see the countries of the world accessing the site daily!  It is incredible considering this was not possible years ago.  Now for only $240 per year you have this kind of reach!  We hear about stories all the time of people from all of these countries buying property.  Hey, that is why they came to the web site . . . to do business!  You will too!  It is just a matter of time and you learning how to work your information! 
  • Other brokers that you compete with will say they are on MLS, you will say you are on MLS, they do local advertising, you do local advertising.  They are on the Internet, you are on the Internet.  However the way you are on the Internet is significantly different than the way they are on the Internet.  Your information will be receiving 230,000 hits per month of traffic, there is no other site receiving this may hits for commercial real estate.

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How can I read the FSBO area ads?

Go to www.iciworld.net, click on FSBO Area.  Click on Limited View.  If you are a member, the numbers that come up will be in hypertext so that you can read the full ad.  You must be a member in order to read the full ad and contact information.  Members only can also subscribe to receive these privately placed FSBO ads by EMail.

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What does FSBO mean?

It stands for: For Sale By Owner
These are ads that are placed by principals, buyers and sellers of real estate.

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What does ICI Real Estate stand for?

It stands for Industrial, Commercial and Investment Real Estate.  Our service though also includes land, farms, businesses, financing and more.

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What's the difference between my real estate board and ICI World?

It has always been envisioned by us that there will always be a need for real estate boards and real estate board type listing services and for a world type real estate board type listing service.  However we also know there is a lot more information that can be worked in the industry that can make people money than can be placed on real estate boards and typical Internet Listing Services.

Some say 90% of apartment buildings in any area of the world are not on Real Estate Boards or typical Internet Listing Services which require certain written agreements be in place.  The same can be true for shopping centers, office buildings, businesses and much more.  You will find them on ICI World.  Why?  Because we have designed a service that fills the gap in the marketplace for commercial real estate information, not just listings.  Yes most of our members place their real estate board type listings on the service, but it gets rather exciting when information can be worked.  You will not find an $80,000,000 hotel complex on a real estate board.  You can find it on ICI World.  Information can be handled with the utmost discretion and confidentiality.  It is up to the broker.

Every buyer that is in the marketplace should have their Wants placed.  An owner who is "thinking of selling" can call the broker and see if that person might look at his/her property. These are the kinds of calls brokers in the past are not used to getting. 

A broker or salesperson who is getting a listing can post a message "coming for sale."  You can say that their name will go on a list and when you get the listing signed you will call them to show it. The responses can be used mentioned in your listing presentation to help you get the listing!

All the private for sale by owner properties in your area can be placed on the service.  However we suggest you have at the very least, verbal agreements, perhaps confirmed in writing that they agree to pay a commission, will cover your showing with an exclusive agreement, and agree to let you place their property on ICI World but without an address.  That way it remains confidential until you have a qualified buyer.  At that point you would contact the owner and put an agreement in place for showing the property. 

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How do I protect myself on an open listing?

First of all you should have an agreement in place or a very good relationship in place before divulging the address or showing the property. Just because we work open and exclusive information does not mean we do not have an agreement in place before divulging information or showing the property. 

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Can I place a banner?

Yes. Although this service is supported by licensed real estate brokers and salespeople through memberships, banner advertising is available.  Contact us now to enquire.

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Can I get just the information in my area and for what I specialize in?

Yes and no.  Depending on what you want there may already be an EMail List Service that fits exactly what you are looking for.  We have embarked on a major program to build among the largest set of Free Email List Services on the planet earth for commercial real estate.  Every state and province will have its own list service. Every country will have its own. There will be list services by city and/or major regions.  There will be price ranges.

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I don't want to place the address.  Can I do that?

Yes.  In fact we recommend you do it that way to prevent people from doing direct to the owner.  Many owners prefer it that way too. This way a broker can qualify people before introducing them to the property.  Unlike a real estate board type listing service, where there is enough information to draw an offer, ICI Worlds goal is to help the member brokers trigger calls.  It is more like an electronic equivalent of classified ads. 

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Are there any commissions paid to ICI World?

No.  You must make your own arrangements for compensation directly with the people you are dealing with.  ICI World is an advertising service more like an electronic equivalent of classified ads in a newspaper.  You simply pay for an advertising by way of membership.

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I don't have enough time to network with computers.  What should I do?

You will hear us make a statement, "if you are parked in front of your computer all day long you won't make any money.  You make money from talking with people."  However the biggest responsibility in our opinion that all members have is to recognize important information and to write it down onto a Have or Want Sheet.  You can then delegate it to someone to place on the service and its working for you.  To write down a Want is about 14 seconds, a Have is from 1-3 minutes.  Many have taken $50,000 and some as much as $250,000 to the bank based on this amount of time.

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My company has a web site.  Why do I need ICI World?

  • Increased exposure. We do not know of one other commercial real estate site that is receiving as many hits for commercial real estate.  The beauty is that you can link all your information to your company web site and generate traffic that you would not have had. 
  • Training Program - there is dramatic and immediate connections to do deals after the training session. This is a culmination of ten years of experience we share with you to highlight what it takes to be successful.  We know this works because our members have had many deals making them 5 and six figure incomes.  We are now sure yet about seven figure incomes in one year.  We know this is true in more than one year..
  • Powerful Listing Presentations - Print out lists of buyers, statistics.
  • Powerful Linking Features - One of the True Powers of the Internet is in Linking.  ICI World will show you how.
  • Learn the Ultimate in Marketing on the Internet. These techniques and ideas can be applied to your own web site.
  • FSBO Area - No where is it possible to have these many listings in one area from principals.
  • Resource Center - Links built up over several years that benefit commercial real estate professionals in both personal and business use.

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I am on another major service that's free.  Why do I need ICI World?

You need to ask yourself several questions.

  • Is it compatible with how I do business.  Do they allow principals to advertise directly to the public?  You may helping to build and support a service that essentially will cut you out in the end.
  • This service was built by brokers, for brokers to serve their clients.  It was not started as an advertising service.  Does its goals serve you completely?
  • Does it handle information not just listings.  There have always been real estate board and free internet listing type services much the same as a real estate board. 
  • Is your information available to the public free when placed where it gets the highest exposure.
  • Do they have a track record of sales.  ICI World publishes its members who have done deals. 
  • Do they publish their stats?  Do they show you the hits, the traffic on their site?  Many sites look great but are they producing results?
  • Do they have as their mandate to grow the service if they run into hard times?
  • Is the company over financed?  ICI World has no debt.  It was built that way on purpose because we have seen many companies come and go with millions of dollars in financing only to see this debt weigh them down.  Their overhead gets so high they can not maintain their original level of service.  They advertising either dries up or lowers and their expectations are not being met. They have no alternative but to close their doors.
  • Is the company built on financing numbers that work today or projected for the future.  You are seeing a lot of dot.com companies in trouble and reducing work staffs and overheads.  They were not built on sound fundamentals.  ICI World's overhead is small, ie: less than $100,000 per year.  We now have 600 members paying $240 per year. You do the numbers. There is no extra overhead for the next 600 members. 

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Why do I need the training?

You can have a jet outside your door, but if you do not know how to fly it, you still are not going anyplace. There are ten concepts covered in our Training Program that will teach several things.

  • The effective handling and dissemination of information as it applies to commercial real estate information world wide. Whether you are working for a REIT or Pension Fund or placing a "Have" for an industrial building, there are ways to work information that can make you money.
  • Confidentiality and discretion are needed in this business.  We will show you how it is done and how for the first time in your real estate business life you can make money working information not just listings.
  • Whether you are a beginner, intermediate or expert user of computers and technology we will bring you up another notch. We have had people who have been in the business for years profit immensely by applying some of these principles that are only taught in a one hour Training Program.  In fact the more well connected you are, the better opportunities you have to make a million dollars quite quickly.
  • The Ultimate in Marketing on the Internet.  We have a saying that 95% of the brokers on the internet today have not really arrived on the internet in an effective fashion.  We will teach you how to be effective!
  • Many people search around for the ways to do things and this costs time and money.  There are ways now to do most things on the internet absolutely free and we will show you how.
  • Most people are overloaded with information in the world today.  Unless you learn the techniques to handle this, you will be overwhelmed.  There are ways to sort and store information so that it is immediately available at your fingertips. 
  • It is time saving. One technique shows you how to go twice as fast as anyone else on the internet,   for the rest of your life.
  • and more.

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If I have a problem, is there any help?

Yes.  In fact we take pride in our personal service.  We thoroughly enjoy the opportunity to help you and we have been doing this since 1990 when we first started.  The training and help sessions are conducted in your office over the phone while you are on the internet.  We are also available by telephone.  Call now to get started or to ask for some help. See Personal Assistance.

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Can I start by placing a free ad?

Yes.  Start by going to www.iciworld.net and click on FSBO Area or Free AD.

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Do you supply Home Pages, Domain Name, Hosting?

Yes. There are various degrees of home pages from one page to sites encompassing many pages and a compete range of services.

  • One page - you supply it and its free.  The address will be www.iciworld.net/sites/yourname
  • One page - we design it. $150. The address will be www.iciworld.net/sites/yourname
  • Multiple pages, and a complete range of services.
  • Domain Name Hosting. You can have a directory within minutes!
  • Call to discuss your personal situation.

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How much does this service cost?  How long is it for?

It is free for principals but only the members receive and read this information. 

It is $240 for eight months service and one time $79 signup fee, total $319 for eight months or $39.88/mo. However if you pay the full amount when you subscribe you receive 12 months service.  After the first year it is $240/8 months or $240 per year when you pay in full before your renewal date each year.  This is less than $1.00 per day and you are on one of the largest services for commercial real estate in the world today.

For Corporate rates and company discounts we waive the $79 signup fee.

Economic Development Agencies, Principal Affiliations, Developer Memberships are $700 per year plus a one time signup of $79.

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Do I have to pay for each ad?

No.  You can place as many ads as you want all year long, free with your membership.

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Can we have pictures?

Yes.  Not only can one have pictures, but virtual tours, videos, sound bites, unlimited links to other sites and much more.  However in commercial real estate it may be advisable to provide pictures after you have made contact and made arrangements for compensation.  Otherwise people could go direct to your owners after seeing a picture and bypass you.  How to handle photos is covered in the Training Program.

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Can I have my secretary take the Training Program with me?

Yes.  In fact the Training Program consists of two parts simultaneously.  One for the concepts for a broker and one for the technical aspects. You can even have others in your office look on.

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What should I know about placing my information?

There are several things that are a key to successful use of the Internet and ICI World. 

  • Renew your information once every 30-45 days.  Many people work the top half of the database and get so busy, they do not get down to the bottom where your information might be. 
  • By renewing your information, it will get circulated throughout the commercial real estate industry world wide.  When you place information, not only is it in searchable databases on the internet immediately, but instantly and automatically they are EMailed out to the industry by way of industry wide Free EMail List Services that the public can subscribe to freely.
  • Because people are overloaded and overwhelmed with information there is certain information that should be placed to trigger responses.  People just do not have the time to follow up every bit of sketchy lead.  You must paint a picture for them immediately and their are ways to do that that will be covered in a Training Session.
  • Because commercial real estate is so diverse and different from residential real estate, there are certain ways with key words, limited yet salient information that should and can be placed.  The idea is to flush out a qualified buyer and the proper information will do that.
  • Only licensed real estate people may become members.  Our service follows the guidelines for identifying oneself on the service in accordance with generally accepted principles in the market place. There are guidelines that every licensed real estate broker and salesperson follow as provided by individual licensing bodies.

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What areas of the world do you cover?

The planet earth.  The service responds to the market place in terms of business areas, categories, etc. 

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I don't see many ads in my area?  Why do I need ICI World?

  • Readership.  ICI World has among the highest of any site in the world of readership for commercial real estate information. 
  • With the programs in place, virtually every single person dealing in the world of commercial real estate will at one time or another come in contact with ICI World.  By having your information on line when they do, they can make contact with you that leads to doing business.
  • Every new member starting on ICI World gets responses.  There are not any that do not get responses. Not all sell, but all get responses.  It is up to you to do the deal.
  • In many cases the real estate industry is behind in getting up to speed using technology.  ICI World will get you up to speed very quickly.

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Why do I not hear about it from my competitors?

  • If you have sold twenty properties would you brag about that to your competitors?
  • It is like a gold mine that some have found.  Would you tell your competitors?

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Do the owners of ICI World sell real estate?

No.  Much like the managing secretary of an independent type real estate service bureaus, we do not sell real estate because it would be considered a conflict of interest.

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What happens when someone calls to list their property building?

When someone calls in to list their property or place a Have or Want, we do four things:

  • suggest they place their have or want in the FSBO area for all members.
  • provide them with a list of members in their area.
  • provide them with at least three members who might most likely serve their needs.
  • question whether they have a personal broker and suggest they get them to join and place their information.
  • show them how to find a match for what it is that they are trying to do.  If they have a Want, help them search the Haves, if they have a Have, help them search the Wants.

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I have not had the time to study the Internet, what can you teach me?

One can spend a lot of wasted time on the Internet.  We teach licensed real estate people 

  • how to collect Have and Want information 
  • questions to use in your counseling sessions with buyers and sellers
  • how to delegate the placement of it to save you time, 
  • how to place it effectively to get results
  • how to maintain it effectively to get results
  • how to handle the contacts that are made to benefit the client and you 
  • the caveats, what to watch out for, pitfalls and traps
  • how to use your computer to make money
  • how to use your computer to save money
  • how to have a database on the internet
  • how to Link one of the True Powers of the Internet
  • how to use some ICIWorld tools that make your listing presentations very powerful
  • how to connect with principals on a global scale
  • how to market locally on a global scale
  • the concepts necessary to connect to do deals
  • how to work the marketplace for opportunities

We believe that you won't make money if you are parked in front of a computer all day.  You make money from talking with people.  However if you do not understand the concepts that are necessary to make connections using your computer and the Internet, then you do miss opportunities to do business.  These concepts will help you maximize your opportunities in the commercial real estate marketplace no matter where in the world you are located.

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When can I expect results?

When you place information on ICIWorld it is given the latest number and is at the top of the database that is receiving over a quarter of a million hits per month.  Instantly and automatically it is EMailed out to the industry and then over the next thirty days by over twenty other distribution methods.

The best calls seem to come within the first week.  It is possible to receive calls within minutes and that happens!  One broker placed a small plaza, received seven calls over three days, two offers, sold it with a backup offer and had a further seven calls over the next three days. 

Calls can taper off.  One broker got into a deal after renewing a four month old listing.  He got into a transaction within 24 hours.  Why? Because the listing went back to the top of the database and it got emailed out to the industry to new people who are subscribing all the time.

One broker got a call on an $18,000,000 quarry after three years.  If we had removed that ad arbitrarily he would have missed that contact. All messages are dated so you have a choice to look as far back as you want.

During presentations in offices, the phone starting to ring while we placing more listings on line for the broker.  

Depending on your information, you can get some of the best calls within a week.

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The Market ICI World Commercial Real Estate Network
2 Bloor St. W., Suite 100-A
Toronto, Ontario, Canada M4W 3E2
Bus. 416-214-4875
Fax. 416-214-4763
garynusca@iciworld.net

www.iciworld.net