We are in an interesting time, technologically. Almost everyone has access to a computer today, either through work or at home, or both. However, not everyone can be considered an expert at using their computer to access the internet. Some folks still hunt and peck across their keyboard, not sure exactly how to find just what they are looking for on the internet, while others can access the search engine, site, and info they want to find with a few clicks of their mouse. Not so long ago, it seemed that the Internet was something for kids to use in school or college, or that only the "younger" generation, or highly skilled professional knew how to utilize the Wide-World-Web, which was established as recently as 1990, but not used outside the High Energy Physics community until after 1995. Not so, today. Take a look at the Demographics of Internet Users from PEW Internet & American Life Project:

Amazingly, this technology that is only a little over 15 years old, is now utilized by 70% of all adults aged 18 or older.

Recently, we learned that it has been estimated that as many as 80% of new home buyers start searching on the internet before they ever step foot outside their home. It has also been estimated that if an internet savvy user doesn't find what they are looking for on a website within three clicks, they lose patience and go to another site. No waiting for beautiful pictures to download, or an opening video to run with birds singing in the background. Click, click, click, goodbye.

That's pretty quick. Especially when you consider that some websites make you click "enter" from their homepage just to get onto their actual website. You just can't afford to waste a click with an "enter" icon on your homepage these days!

So how do you design a site that is both efficient, for the highly skilled user, yet "user-friendly" enough for the tech-not? That is the dilemma we felt we were faced with when we recently re-designed our website, so we turned to Lavidge Interactive and asked them come up with the solution to our two-part problem:
1. Get our website visitors to the info they need within 2 to 3 clicks of the mouse.
2. Make the information easy enough to find so that even a first-time user can figure it out….in 2 to 3 clicks of the mouse.

It is very exciting to say, they did it! The new website was launched in July, and it has proven to be easy (and quick) to use, easy to manage, and favorably accepted by all of our new visitors! In addition to offering information on all of our current communities and the homes we are building there, we were also able to include a section for our inventory homes; homes that are already completed and ready for immediate move-in. This section allows visitors to not only see what is available and what it costs, but similar to the Multiple Listing Service, photos, floorplans, elevations, and compete listing information is also available. Now our visitors can pull up our site, and narrow their search to the location and home they like without wasting gas driving from one community to another.

Considering how quickly the internet has grown up and become an indispensible tool for people around the world, we are happy we have been able to show off a little of our "tech-savvy-ness" through this new site. We will continue to make improvements and additions to the site, but if you haven't seen it yet, log on to www.cachethomes.net and check us out!

Click, click, click…..Welcome to your new home!