It’s no surprise that today’s real estate market has been sizzling hot. In fact, it’s not unusual to see a “Sold” sign on a home that you never even knew was on the market. More and more buyers seem to be purchasing homes that don’t even make it on to the Multiple Listing Service (MLS). Sellers are simply opting for “broker exclusives” with no online marketing of their home and foregoing those once-ubiquitous “For Sale” signs.
It’s definitely the proverbial seller’s market, but many buyers and renters are scratching their heads trying to figure out just how to get in on those unlisted deals without having to call every broker in town in the hopes of reaching that broker who gets an exclusive listing for the perfect home.
That’s where Brydgit comes in. An innovative real estate startup aimed at connecting serious buyers and renters with brokers, Brydgit is a novel way to access listings that may not be publicized or ever hit the market. “We are helping buyers and renters get access to all these off-market and office exclusive deals that are not advertised without spending hours scouring the internet and wasting precious time making calls that go nowhere,” said Elizabeth Stadtmauer, co-founder of Brydgit. “It also helps brokers expand their buyer pool while making it easy for them to make a full commission.” It’s a veritable win-win for buyers, brokers and sellers in today’s unprecedented real estate market.
An accountant by trade, Stadtmauer always loved real estate, maintaining a sales license and even working in property management. She worked with a team of real estate and technology professionals to come up with the idea for this innovative platform. They all had been hearing from friends and colleagues about the challenges of their home searches. Much of the conversations centered on their dismay at discovering how many times they missed out on potential homes that they didn’t even know were for sale.
In the last few years, it has become the norm for buyers and renters to call individual brokers just to see if they have properties in a specific area. But, as Stadtmauer points out, a buyer can’t possibly contact every single broker just to find out what properties they have that are not listed. Additionally, if you are working with one broker, you will never see the off-market listings from all other brokers. On the flip side, because these types of listings are not publicized, brokers aren’t able to advertise their listings to attract all the potential serious buyers out there.
But Brydgit makes the whole process effortless and private. When buyers and renters register with Brydgit, they are asked just a few simple questions including their email address, which neighborhoods they are considering, how many bedrooms and bathrooms they want, and of course, a desired price range.
On the broker side of the platform, agents enter only the details of their off-market listing (without the specific location) and can then see how many buyers are interested in their particular listing. Brokers purchase the contact information—which is the email address—of the buyers and renters whose criteria match their listing and contact them directly. “It’s basically buyers and renters allowing themselves to be accessed by all the brokers who have listings they would seriously consider, and brokers getting access to all active, serious buyers and renters,” said Stadtmauer.
Buyers and renters who have been finding it to be a difficult market will discover how much easier and quicker it is to find a home through Brydgit. “It’s a win-win because here the buyer is getting access to something they would not normally have access to and the broker is getting access to a buyer they may not have known, making it easier to get a full commission.”
Brydgit is currently available in several areas of both New Jersey and New York. Services are available in Teaneck, Bergenfield, New Milford, Englewood, Fair Lawn, Paramus, Tenafly, Fort Lee, the Five Towns and West Hempstead.
To learn more or to sign up with Brydgit visit: www.brydgit.com or email [email protected]