We can buy anything online. Groceries are no longer the drag they used to be, thankfully. I don’t even know what year’s top 20 they’re playing in the bread aisle at the store, which is probably best for everyone’s mental and emotional health. Buying clothes for the kids and your in-laws have also been completely simplified, the click of a button and everyone’s birthday or holiday gifts have been ordered and can be delivered to their door for minimal interaction. These are seemingly a win in every column. With the rise of the online shopping experience, you can even have a car delivered to your driveway without so much as getting off the couch, and you’ve already seen every detail of the vehicle, even the tiny scratch, thanks to the digital tour the car company put on their website. The same goes for the arduous task of selling your own vehicle. They come and pick it up from your driveway. While there are so many advantages to this, there are still drawbacks, especially when we consider real estate and how essential human connection is during this process.
The Uber effect, as the digitization of the world is being called, shows us how adaptation to a more digital world, especially with the remnants of a pandemic lingering among us, simplifies the world we live in. Nevertheless, most people feel that real estate agents are essential during the purchase or sale of a home. Even generation Z agrees that an agent is necessary, and they’re the most digitized group that’s come into adulthood in recent times, being born when the internet was readily available in every home. Another important point is that a real estate agent understands your sense of urgency, wants, or specific lifestyle needs, the nuances that come with your purchase or sale, in ways a computer never could. While automation has its positives, it has propelled us into a time where real estate has had to quickly adapt to new technologies. With those changes in real estate, we evolved into being seemingly more productive, while maintaining that real estate is a very stable investment class and could be made better when we integrate the technology with the experience of a professional.
The reality is that we get to help people find their homes, connecting to them, orchestrating with them these genuine moments of joy. Seeing all of their hard work pay off and bring to fruition their dream home. Technology is something that supports this transaction and shouldn’t dominate it, leaving no question that the real estate industry is helped by these advancements, but not created by them. The National Association of Realtors reported that 50% of homebuyers found the home they purchased on the internet. Meaning the factor of technology pushed these people, but the real estate professionals, that acted as teachers and counselors throughout the process helped with the understanding and tangibility of the purchase or transaction experience. By using technology, we can open doors that would’ve never been present before, generating business, quickly responding to people based on insights gathered by our software. This could also help us keep up with our past clients, sending them current market trends and valuations for their properties. This would mean we’re top of mind in case they decide they’re going to be on the market to buy another property or sell the one you helped them purchase. In the same way, certain systems can help us keep track of, and better anticipate, our clients’ needs, allowing us to provide an even better and more personalized experience. Technology cannot supplant us, we can harness what’s available to us and ensure it seals the deal and facilitates our customers’ experiences, while we guide them through the real world.
Leave a Comment