Man vs. Machine – It is the age-old question. Can a machine replace a person? People and computers have worked together to make most tasks simpler and faster. People have invented brilliant machines and programs to boost our productivity, and in return raise our profits. Machines can process information faster. They can solve problems and provide specific and up-to-date solutions. So is it safe to say that machines have replaced the real estate agent? Does it mean that we don't need real live agents anymore being that technology can do a lot of the job?
Absolutely not! These machines still need human input. Any computer savvy real estate agent or his assistant can manage all of his properties online, freeing the agents’ time for meetings with prospective clients, showing properties, etc. It is also a great way to ‘weed out’ the serious buyers over the ‘browsers’. While the ‘browsers’ are content to stay at home viewing all of the wonderful information you have on the internet, the serious buyer is already hooked on his dream home and is making an appointment.
There are many ways to advertise your property online, detailed descriptions, photos, virtual tours, videos and the like. The serious buyer will still want to see the property in person while the ‘browser’ will be satisfied with the online information and browse to their hearts content. Finding a home has never been as easy as it is today. Everything is right at the tip of our fingers. With just a few clicks, we can browse different price ranges, styles, square footage, room counts, lot sizes, and neighborhoods; we can even narrow our search to minute details in seconds. We can submit pre-approval applications and even estimate what our payments might be.
There are many areas where a realtor humbles technology. One of those areas that a machine cannot compete with is that the realtor knows all of the intricate details of a property. The computer can only pull all related key words that you put into the search. The realtor is physically acquainted with the property. They can also explain all of your possible mortgage options, property taxes, and any repairs that the home may need. These things are usually not disclosed online. A realtor can also orchestrate negotiations for the price which technology, even as advanced as it is cannot do.
Lastly, a realtor is there to help you with the entire home buying process. Testimonials tell us that there are a lot of challenges in home buying. A realtor is there to understand, encourage, and support us with all of the paper work, legal terms, financing, closing, etc. They are essential in making our dream home a reality. In short, with a realtor we can prepare, save, and complete our home purchase.
So even with the rise of technology, a real estate agent is still more effective than a computer. Of course, the use of both is most effective. Realtors should partner with technology to manage their listings and time so that they can serve homebuyers in the most time and cost efficient way. This would definitely boost the agents’ success.
It is vital for realtors in this day and age to be fully armed with the latest in technology. The problem is that most realtors do not have the time to educate themselves in the ever-changing ways of technology. The realtor has to manage his time effectively and be "out there" showing homes, talking to clients, building relationships and selling homes!
This is where a virtual office assistant can be a major help. Virtual assistants have many areas of expertise in the real estate field. They can take the stress out of your time management by taking your calls, managing your online portfolio, social media marketing, preparing BPO reports, managing your bills and reimbursements, home repairs, preparing spreadsheets, presentations, reports and many other tasks that you just do not have time for.
A virtual assistant can do just about any task that you need done, with less overhead cost than an in office assistant. To find out more about what a virtual assistant can do to help you achieve your goals, please feel free to contact us.
You need to be a member of REO Pro Network to add comments!
Comments
Thanks for your thoughts Antionette. I'm sure that you agree that technology does remove more possible human error in real estate transactions and helps in streamlining and protecting the home buyer more so than in the past.
Agents are still needed. People still want the real connection to a human to be able to discuss legal matters. Consumers can't just be signing documents on the internet without putting themselves at risk. That's what the Realtor's education is all about to provide to the consumer. The problem is, that the government/banks came in and screwed up everything to where all information out there is uncertain and confusing making consumers weary about making any moves. None of these entities want to throw in the towel and just say they don't have a clue about real estate specially when they hire these 3rd party vendors that have no real estate licenses and are telling us how to do our jobs. Instead all they think about, how to come up with a new strategy to screw more homeowner out of their home or equity. Honestly, I still have always believed that from the beginning of the collapse, Fannie/Freddie should have instructed the banks to automatically just reduced principles by 50% so that homeowner could stay in their homes instead of having a butch of distressed homes and ghost towns all over the place. Though GREED always seems to take presidents within politicians/law makers that is now even destroys our very own NATIONAL ASSOCIATION we are supposed to be counting own and pay HUGE YEARLY MEMBERSHIP FEE'S? You see a lot of unethical agent practices and they don't really do anything about it. Sure they do a seminars here and there about illegal issues and or maybe prompt the MLS board about something but the truth is these warnings go in one ear and out the other because these agents still go unpunished and continue play the games.