1. Cyberspace Transforms Auto Retailing. … Car sales are a long, long way from real estate sales. … But an article in the December 30, 1997, Wall Street Journal raised some intriguing questions about how the Internet can transform the sales process. … Referring to a dealer in Massillon, Ohio, the Journal stated, "Because he pays less for advertising and commissions, Mr. Waikem (the dealer) can sell cars for less on-line, to the chagrin of competitors and even his own showroom salespeople." … Who will drive real estate transactions online? … Asset managers? REITs? Service providers? Listing services?

2. Web Success--Online Construction Bids. … John Bowen of Levin Management Corp., which manages shopping centers in the Southeast, uses The Electronic Bluebook to find local contractors. … "Within the contractor’s advertisement is a fax button. I enter a job description, location and other information. I hit the send button and a fax is sent directly to the fax machine in the contractor’s office … If the contractor is interested in bidding the project, as many are, they either call by phone or send a fax, or respond by e-mail, if they are online. All in all it works very well and saves a lot of time." … For John’s e-mail address, go to the address below. … Do you have a Web Success story? … How have you used the Internet to save time, make money or build your brand identity? … Send me e-mail.

3. New and Notable. … The Rouse Company, which owns and operates retail, office and industrial properties across the U.S., publishes the Rouse Retail Barometer, based upon the performance of its 8,600 tenants. … Belz Enterprises, based in Memphis, develops and manages industrial, retail, office and corporate properties, mostly in the South. … IDI, Industrial Developments International, develops industrial warehouse/distribution facilities nationwide

Net Properties Management in Boston, MA, manages shopping centers and office buildings for the Net Realty Holding Trust. … HCV Pacific acquires and develops resort, commercial and residential properties in the Western U.S from its San Francisco headquarters. … Codding Enterprises, based in Santa Rosa, CA, is a developer of shopping centers and office properties primarily in Northern California. … Stemmons Software markets software for residential property management and accounting. … For hyperlinks to all sites mentioned, go to:

4. PikeNet Discussion Forum. … Just before the Holidays, I launched the PikeNet Discussion Forum. … From the e-mail correspondence that I receive, I know that there is a great need to exchange information among real estate professionals. … So post your questions and comments. … I’ll add topics to make the postings as meaningful as possible. … You’ll find interesting threads on corporate benchmarking, plotting map locations and percentage lease rates. … You’ll also find a posting in the Jobs category and a question on electric deregulation in the Property Management section. … Click the Discussion Forum Channel on the PikeNet home page or use the link below:

PikeNet Message Board

5. Knowledge Base--Add a "Signature" to your e-mail. … If the Internet is all about communications, make it easy for people to call you back! … It’s easy to add a "signature" automatically to the end of each e-mail containing your name, company and phone number. … I’ve posted details on how to configure Outlook, Eudora and Netscape Mail. … For step-by-step instructions, go to the PikeNet Knowledge Base, select the "Web Related" section and click the appropriate question. … Or use the link below.

http://www.pikenet.com/
pike?func=showPublicPage&page=questions/question_web

6. Sponsor: Inman Commercial. … "To get commercial real estate professionals to your Web site each day, give them the Internet’s only 'real time' real estate news--Inman Commercial. Your site’s news pages are customized with your logo and news from veteran journalists like Adam Feuerstein and Warren Lutz. … To increase your web traffic, repeat visits and the time that professionals spend on your site, get Inman Commercial." Call 1-800-775-4662, Ext. 128, or email us at service@inman.com.

http://db.inman.com/inman/inf/inman/comm.cfm

7. Promote Your Company at PikeNet. … Be a Featured Site, which means that your URL is one click away from the PikeNet home page. … Or sponsor a PikeNet Dispatch, sending your URL to almost 5,000 professionals. … Soon you’ll be able to have your banner appear every time a visitor chooses a certain Category. … For complete details on how PikeNet can help market your service or product, click "Media Kit" at the bottom of the home page.

http://www.pikenet.com/advertising/advertising.html

8. Cancelling and Subscribing. … If you would like to be added to this mailing list, send e-mail with the word "subscribe" in the title to Peter Pike . Please include your name and your company name in the body of the message.

-- Peter Pike