Placester, one of the nation’s leading online real estate marketing software companies, announced today their entire host of websites will be exponentially more secure thanks to the addition of secure sockets layer (SSL) certificates.
Launched in 2011 and boasting a client network of over 400,000 agents, the Boston, Massachusetts-based Placester builds software to help real estate agents grow and improve their presence online. Currently they serve two in five realtors across the country.
The company’s keystone product is their fully customizable websites, which include IDX search as well as access to marketing analytics. They also offer customer relationship management and email marketing tools.
Placester’s services come in multiple pricing tiers – including free version for members of the National Association of Realtors.
The addition of SSL certificates to every Placester site–an increasingly common technology on the internet that ensures information transfer between a web server and browser is encrypted–will keep agent communication with and potential clients private and secure from potential hackers or eavesdroppers.
“Online security means more today than it ever has for real estate professionals, because websites are an agent’s digital front door to customers,” said Rishi Dean, vice president of product at Placester. “One of the most important methods of securing data on the web is SSL, and we’re thrilled to extend this feature to our consumer-facing products to help protect our customers’ businesses.”
For agents that built their site through Placester–and may not be the most tech savvy and able to encrypt communications themselves–this is excellent news and will provide clients a greater peace of mind.
Some web browsers like Google Chrome also now warn users when they’re entering a site without an SSL certificate–easily identifiable by the “https” that proceeds the web address in the browser’s top bar (compared to “http,” which is not secure). A site not having the SSL certificate–and the client receiving a warning about the site’s security–could potential deter prospective buyers or renters from searching through that site’s listings or sending over any personal information.
With the new update, all Placester sites will switch over to SSL certificate websites by default And in an age when hacks happen with increasing frequency, that’s good news for real estate agents, brokers, and clients alike.
