We've all heard it before--content is king when it comes to building a successful online presence. It's not just any content, though. The information you share has to rise above the typical noise on social media, websites, and other channels. What you share, above all, must be useful.

What's "useful" to today's homebuyer? Let's turn to recent statistics to find out. According to NAR's 2013 Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers, 12 percent of all buyers overall cite that saving for a down payment is difficult. This difficulty is far greater for first-time buyers who lack existing equity to roll into a down payment. Would-be buyers who are unaware that programs exist to help them with their down payment may well sideline their dreams of owning a home. By sharing vital information on down payment assistance programs, agents can convert those sidelined prospects into home owners.

Down Payment Resource (DPR) is a powerful tool agents can use to do just that. DPR integrates with your MLS to provide information about down payment assistance programs in your area. It takes active residential listings and processes them against a database of all the programs that exist in a market. It then matches the properties that are eligible, based on location and list price, to all of the programs for which it would qualify.

Down Payment Resource isn't just an aggregator of information--it can also act as a valuable marketing partner. Two-thirds of agents say that with DPR they are able to convert sidelined prospects into qualified homebuyers. The following easy-to-use tools can help agents capture more of these consumers and increase their chances of homeownership.

IDX

Marketing with Down Payment Resource begins on your agent website. DPR's IDX feature flags listings in your website's IDX search, alerting buyers to properties that are eligible for down payment assistance. Visitors can click the DPR icon to be taken to Down Payment Resource's public portal to learn more about the programs that the selected property is eligible for. This portal is designed to pique interest at every step, encouraging consumers to reach out to the agent.

The IDX feature provides impressive lead generation results--far more than any other solution, in fact. Five to six percent of homebuyers who click the DPR icon will submit their contact info to request help. The most successful agent websites average an astonishing 19 percent click-to-lead conversion rate.

Personal Marketing Tool

Your website isn't the only place that you can generate and capture leads with DPR. By including a unique link to your email (or sharing it on social media), you can lead potential homebuyers to a short, eight question survey that they can complete to see if they are eligible for down payment assistance.

Once prospects complete the information requested, the they can submit their contact information to receive further details. Then a confirmation page is emailed to them letting them know that their info has been sent to you and that you will be in touch soon. The tool functions as an educational opportunity for your prospects that keeps you at the center of the transaction with easy to follow next steps.

Pricing Widget

Listing agents can benefit from DPR, too. Down Payment Resource offers a pricing widget that can help you determine the ideal sales price for your listings.

A home's sale price can affect its eligibility for homebuyer programs, and even slight price difference can trigger eligibility changes. By using the widget to play around with numbers, agents can find the optimal price for a home in order to maximize the number of assistance programs that it qualifies for. Listing agents can then leverage that number in marketing efforts to attract more buyers.

Because DPR provides vital information on down payment assistance programs, it is one of the most powerful lead generation tools agents can use. It creates opportunities for homeownership that didn't exist before and brings value to both real estate professionals and the communities they serve.

Next Steps

• Find out if your MLS supports DPR
• Learn more about Down Payment Resource in our Directory
• Explore more Public Service Apps
• Read more about Mortgage issues