San Diego Coastal Real Estate Resource

Top 7th In Finding Your REALTOR – Technology

by Jeffrey on January 26, 2010

in First Time Buyer, Looking for a REALTOR?, Real Estate, Tech

Part 7: The Importance Of Technology in Real Estate – A Critical Choice

I can’t think of another industry quite as slow to embrace technology in making the consumer experience better. Even today, many real estate agents don’t make the use of smart phones, electronic contracts, texting, and electronic signatures. Yes, those tools are costly, but in a profession defending commission levels, there needs to be expenses associated with providing an excellent real estate experience.

In my mind here are some things one should consider as basic tools when considering working with a real estate agent.

Smart phone to answer e-mail and text on the fly. Do you want to wait for an e-mail response when the agent finally gets back to his trusty Dell running Windows 98 in his cubicle?
Enough ability to set you up on an automated update from the local multiple listing service. As you may or may not know, the only complete database is the MLS, many Sellers choose not to have their properties republished on Trulia, Zillow, Realtor.com, etc. When you become a serious Buyer you will want to have your property data come directly from the MLS, you will then get everything that is in the database, and it will not have a time lag of one to three days.
Provide some basis 3rd party market statistics on the local market. Too many agents fly by the seat of their pants when asked about market conditions – they should be able to provide you some third party data less the spin.

So what other technologies make your experience easier as a Consumer?

Provide Contracts, addendums, and disclosures in electronic format via WinForms6 Professional. Forms can be e-mail, printed, electronically signed, electronically archived and are easier to read than the old NCR “press hard” hand written copies which no one can really read. Sample Form.
Provide the ability to sign contracts, addendums, and disclosures using digital signature technology. Do you want to drive across town when you can sign quickly and safely from your computer?
Provide on-line storage of transaction file for 24/7 access via any computer. View more on RELAY.
Provide weekly e-mail market statistics reports of markets you are interested in. Sign Up Now.
Have portable printer and scanner for document preparation and deliver in the filed.
Have wireless access for laptop for MLS access, contract preparation, and transaction management.
Ability to provide MLS data via preferred method, traditional search or RSS Feed which can be read in Google Reader or via smart phone internet browsers.
Sophisticated software to monitor acceptance, contingency dates, and transaction management.
Ability to send quickly shot video tours for new listings to Clients via e-mail or YouTube account. Ability to post pictures quickly for viewing on the web.
Voice mail which is transcribed to e-mail for the ability to return important calls quickly.
Texting or Twitter abilities – or other preferred methods of communication.
Streaming video capabilities if you cannot be at home inspection to see in real time.