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Assisting
in the buying and selling of real estate is a unique occupation. It has
its own qualifications, but utilizes many of the technologies other
professions use too. Recently, I was asked what technologies Realtors®
should be using right now and what the future might bring. My
observations on the present, as well as my peek into the future, are
presented below. What
Realtors® Should be Doing with Technology Now Cell
phones and pagers are important, but now mundane devices widely in use
by Realtors®. However, Realtors® should be more
technologically current, and can be, by meeting two criteria: 1) Being
readily available and in constant communications with buyers, sellers
and 3rd parties related to the real estate transaction, and
2) Being aware and knowledgeable of the Internet information sources
consumers utilize in connection with researching cities, neighborhoods,
schools and homes, as well as researching loans and insurance. Meeting
the first criterion goes far beyond having a cell phone and pager (or a
cell phone with a built-in pager). It requires using electronic mail
(email) on a day in and day out basis. Simply checking email every few
days is not sufficient. Email must be checked and responded to several
times a day! And, the Realtor® must have the best email
service available. That’s one that allows attached documents to be
sent and received, and an email provider (usually an ISP) that has
stable email servers ensuring that your email is delivered and received
without problems. In addition, if a service like America Online (AOL) is
used, make sure you are using the latest version of the software AOL
provides. Nothing is more frustrating than trying to email someone who
has an old version of AOL, such as 3.0, when you have 5.0. Of course, in
this example, the Realtor® shouldn’t be the one behind the
times with the older version of the software. With
regard to the second criterion – being knowledgeable of research
consumers are conducting – doesn’t require Realtors® to
buy any specialized equipment or technologies. All that is needed is a
PC, access to the Internet and time…time to "surf the Web"
and view the sites consumers peruse when they do their on-line research.
Today, Realtors® should be frequently visiting sites such as
Realtor.com, HomeAdvisor, CyberHomes and local sites that host home
listings and information about home buying and selling geared toward the
consumer. In short, Realtors® should be looking at, and
familiar with, the same information consumers are viewing. The
specialized sites that go beyond providing searchable listings and make
it easier for a consumer to possibly bypass a Realtor®
should also be viewed, even if they are considered a threat to Realtors®.
This includes CashatClosing.com, CashbackHomes.com, HomeGain.com, and
similar sites. Technology
education is important for Realtors®, especially for those
who don’t have time or don’t want to take the time to learn on their
own by spending hours in front of a computer learning by trial and
error. NAR’s e-Pro™ designation is an excellent way for Realtors®
to become proficient in using the World Wide Web and modern
technologies. Also, many local boards/associations as well as community
colleges and technical schools provide courses valuable for Realtors®,
but the later are not necessarily geared specifically to real estate
practitioners. In addition to classroom study, there are on-line (University.com)
and home study courses available which can train Realtors®
in the use of the Internet as a research resource. A Peek at the Future Realtors®
are mobile. They don’t sit behind a desk all day, connected to a
computer that is connected to the Internet. And when in the field,
it’s usually not convenient to hook up a laptop to a phone line in
order to send and receive information or look at the MLS database.
Therefore, wireless technologies will be big for Realtors®.
These technologies can connect Realtors® to information and
others they communicate with no matter where they are. Today,
Personal Digital Assistants (PDAs) such as the Palm Pilot, the
Cassiopeia and the H-P Jornada are being used by Realtors®
more and more as electronic calendars and calculators. Services are now
available that allow these devices to be used as pagers and for sending
and receiving email wirelessly. Soon, PDAs will receive downloaded
listing data from the MLS via wireless technology. We will even see the
day when MLSs are broadcasting listing and database updates over the
airwaves to be received by PDAs, laptops in the field, and desktop PCs
in the office. In short, Realtors® will be connected to
information and people real time and all the time, no matter where they
are. Technology
is not free. However, using appropriate technologies wisely can provide
a return on investment many fold. Many of today’s technologies can
make a Realtor® more productive and easier to communicate
with from a buyer’s and seller’s viewpoint. |
