While so many businesses may be fighting the encroachment of technology, the world of real estate has continued to be one of the early adaptors. In fact, in the early days of cell phones real estate agents were among the early users who embraced them. They knew that with the advent of cell phones and then laptops that real estate agents could be even more mobile than ever. Plus, they were always in touch with the back office to stay current with sales going down. The software evolution has not slowed this business down.
Getting Wired in the Back Office
Every broker office has a back office that is essential to their business. This is the heart of the operations, with an immense amount of paperwork being generated and distributed to the right places. Signatures are tracked down, government forms filled out and deadlines met. As the technology to make this flow faster and easier came along, so did the back office’s ability to stay on top of it. Today’s real estate offices are tech savvy and wired for tomorrow. It is always connected to the broker and agent’s smartphone, keeping them up to date on every aspect of the sale as it moves forward.
Moving Sales Online
In addition, there are websites for finding the right home such as the giant of the industry Zillow for listings of everything from mansions to tiny condos. With the advent of the smartphone, these sites are online and mobile, making it easier to look in the area you want to live, find what is for sale and book a tour the same day.
When Buying Isn’t an Option
Of course, sometimes it isn’t a home to buy you need, but rather an apartment to rent. The days of hunting through the newspaper’s classifieds are behind us here. In fact, listings of apartments online have been so successful that these days the classified section of a newspaper is almost non-existent. If you want a new apartment sites like CraigsList and of course Zillow are the place to go.
Where to Now?
Many are talking about 3D being the next big tool in the technology toolbox for real estate. We already have avatars that will walk you through an entire home online, right down to showing you the view from the front living room and helping you envision a new paint color. Taking the next step into a 3D experience of the home is just the beginning. As we move into a new age of technology you can be sure that your local real estate agent will be part of the next wave.
