The home buying process can be tedious. Trying to find the home that fits your needs can be an arduous task of getting in and out of the car as you travel from one for sale home to the next.

But what if you could literally drive by a for-sale house and hear it speak to you? Sounds like a Disney movie? Actually the talking house does exist.

"The marketing program utilizes a radio transmitter device that would be installed at the Realtor's listings," says Mark Goulais of Talking House.

Then when a potential buyer drives by a house that has a Talking House transmitter the buyer can tune their radio to a specified station and get information on the home without ever getting out of the car.

"It basically allows the agent to talk about the house 24 hours a day, seven days a week to anybody who pulls up front," says Goulais.

The device allows agents to record a five-minute message that continually repeats and then is transmitted using ActRadio technology. The messages can be changed as often as needed and are recorded on a computer chip for clarity.

The Talking House transmitter is about the size of a four-pound VCR. The transmitter must be plugged into an electrical outlet in the home sale home. It can then broadcast up to 300 feet, thus reaching the far side of the street in 99 percent of all residences. The transmitters are approved by the FCC, and no special license or permission is required. The broadcast will not interfere with other radio stations or television transmissions.

"Much like your favorite radio station, when you tune into it, odds are you're not catching the song at the very beginning. So, the same kind of premise, this thing's always going. So people will listen to the end of it, to the beginning of it, and then through the message to get all the details," explains Goulais.

At a time when the market is storing more inventory and home sales are staying on the market longer, this may be a good option for sellers.

"For a seller, there's more than a for sale sign working to sell the home. Typically a seller has a limited number of things that helps get the home sold. Of course, everybody uses MLS, everybody puts a for sale sign in the yard, some agents will go to maybe adding a flyer box or an 800 number where people might feel more apt to dial," says Goulais.

The talking house helps attract buyers who might not otherwise be tempted by simply the curb appeal of a home.

"When [buyers] tune in they're going to hear the agent tell about the hidden features of the home, really getting those folks motivated, to find out how they can make an appointment to come see the house, learn some of the details that normally they wouldn't know by looking at it from the outside. So it's a great way to educate the buyer about what the property has, the key features of the home," says Goulais.

The Talking House marketing program is sold to real estate agents. An individual transmitter can cost between $250 to $350, however, once purchased the device can be reused on home after home.

"You are increasing exposure and motivating people to act rather than just relying on the outside look of the house," explains Goulais.

For more information visit www.talkinghouse.com.

Published: January 3, 2005

Use of this article without permission is a violation of federal copyright laws.

Phoebe Chongchua is an award-winning journalist, an author, customer service trainer/speaker, and founder of Setting the Service Standard, a customer service training and consulting program offered by Live Fit Enterprises (LFE) based in San Diego, California. She is the publisher of Live Fit Magazine, an online publication that features information on real estate/finance, physical fitness, travel, and philanthropy. Her company, LFE, specializes in media services including marketing, PR, writing, commercials, corporate videos, customer service training, and keynotes & seminars. Visit her magazine website: www.LiveFitMagazine.com. Phoebe's articles, feature stories, and columns appear in various publications including The Coast News, Del Mar Village Voice, Rancho Santa Fe Review, and Today's Local News in San Diego, as well as numerous Internet sites. She holds a California real estate license. Phoebe worked for KGTV/10News in San Diego as a Newscaster, Reporter and Community Affairs Specialist for more than a decade. Phoebe's writing is also featured in Donald Trump's book: The Best Real Estate Advice I Ever Received and The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Buying Foreclosures. She is the author of If the Trash Stinks, TAKE IT OUT! 14 Worriless Principles for Your Success. Contact Phoebe at (858) 259-3646 or . Visit PhoebeChongchua.com for more information.