The advancement of technology over the past 15 years has meant huge changes for the traditionally customer focused business of real estate. With 86% of potential buyers using the internet to search for houses, a large proportion of them millennials, real estate agencies have needed to become tech savvy to meet the shift in industry and stay ahead of the game.
Going mobile to meet the market
Connecting with customers is a significant part of a real estate agent’s job and technology has provided ways to make this more efficient. Today a mobile friendly website, an efficient customer relationship management (CRM) system and email marketing are, at the very least, essential online tools needed to being able to store information and interact with potential vendors and buyers.
To be industry competitive and get maximum exposure for smartphone, laptop and tablet users, real estate agencies really need to be completely mobile so people can access information anywhere at anytime. Moving property transactions to the Cloud is also becoming a cost effective way of doing business and linking all parties involved.
The upshot is, people are so used to being able to get online for any information, that if you don’t have the technology to give them what they’re looking for or a cool new experience, then you run the risk of them potentially going elsewhere, it’s as simple as that.
Real estate technology is the future
Some think that technology will impact the industry to the point that real estate agents are no longer needed. While others believe there will always be a human element because buying or selling a house is such a huge financial and emotional investment. The jury is still out on whether either of these schools of thought is correct, but in the meantime real estate technology is certainly an area where there are exciting possibilities.
Take virtual reality (VR), for example, a fledgling industry with huge potential for giving a buyer a fully immersive experience from the comfort of their living room. Many real estate agencies already use 3D walkthroughs to showcase properties, so making the jump to VR isn’t too far fetched a concept, and it’s already happening.
Virtual staging technologies such as roOomy and Virtual Xperience are leading the way for VR being the future of the real estate market.
Accessible online tools
While the agency you work for may not be quite at the stage of VR in their property marketing, there are plenty of online tools that can make your job a lot easier, especially when it comes to lead generation apps.
Attracting quality leads is crucial in the real estate agent industry, so registering with a mobile-friendly online platform like Bricks + Agent, that can deliver leads to your inbox and saves potential vendors time and energy, is always going to be a win.
To register agents simply create their best profile with a photo, website URL, and video introduction. After setting preferences, a newsfeed of pre-qualified vendors is sent to the agent’s inbox. All they then have to do is bid for properties they like the look of, and if the agent ticks all their boxes, vendors will be in contact to discuss their listing. It’s a simple way of matching agents with vendors without all the run around.
Unlike our competitors, Bricks + Agent don’t take a cut of an agent’s commission, or make them pay for signup or annual fees, we simply charge a one off fee of $49.95 plus GST to bid on a vendor’s property. An agent can bid on as many properties as he or she likes.
With technology moving the real estate industry forward in leaps and bounds, getting onboard with Bricks + Agent is a smart choice. Register for free today and start using real estate technology to your advantage.
