Factors Influencing the use of Information and Communication Technology in Real Estate Practice in Minna

Abstract

The study explored motivating factors influencing the use of ICT in Minna. The target population were registered Estate Surveyors and Valuers domiciled and operating within the Minna property market. The respondents were extracted from the 2011 NIESV membership Directory. Survey data from 15 estate firms were collected to analyze the vital motivating factors influencing the use of ICT in real estate practice. A five point Likert scale was used to examine their opinions and spearman rank correlation was used to test if there is any relationship between internal and external motivating factors. The result indicated that increased productivity of staff, enhanced quality of customer services, knowledge sharing factor, information accessibility, improved decision making and time saving are the most influencing motivating factors while competitors' pressure, availability of ICT infrastructure, management and business size, reduced overall cost are less influencing motivating factors. The study further revealed that internal motivating factors strengthened the use of ICT in their domain. There is negative correlation between the internal and external motivating factors. Niger state branch of NIESV and ESVARBON should recommend the use of ICT to all estate firms and estate surveyors and valuers. Also, the work concludes by recommending further conduct of comprehensive indigenous research and development (R&D) in ICT driven real estate practice in Minna by liaison with various educational institutions offering estate management in their domain in order to be abreast of global best practices.