AUTOMATED SYSTEMS AND TECHNOLOGY FOR REAL ESTATE AGENTS

It is apparent that in order to survive and thrive in the real estate industry today, agents and brokers must embrace every facet of technology and remain on top of the need to continually upgrade their systems. Beyond being necessary to our industry it is a melding with current societal standards.

Buyers have access to enormous amounts of real estate data, therefore they will quickly dismiss any agent who responds with a shrug and "I don't know". When it comes to estate agents digital sign uses of technology, agents are competing with a fresh group of highly skilled professionals from other industries that have joined the independent sales sector as real estate agents. They come to the real estate industry already using and understanding contact management systems, PDA's, virtual office, Microsoft products, Apple products, recorders, cameras, and scanners.

The agents' client base also expects to receive a fax via email, auto email alerts of new listings, instant CMA's emailed over, and more. Technology is not only for a competitive factor; it is primarily a convenience factor for our clients. Once agents learn and embrace the new systems they will inherit a convenience factor that will save them time as well as increase their client base. Per the National Association of Realtors Center of Realtor Technology 2007 report, over 75% of real estate agents report that they enter their own listings into the MLS. How much time for additional tasks does that allow agents?

The Center of Realtor Technology 2007 survey reports the highest percentage of technology devices used by agents are: cell phone (with no email or internet) 72%, digital camera 92%, and desktop computers 79%. These percentages seemingly reflect that real estate agents over prioritize purchasing and learning to use a digital camera rather than expanding cell phone Internet tools and use of laptop computers. The majority of listing photo's would be better left to a professional who can truly maximize the home, therefore making the most of internet traffic. Let's see: enter MLS on their own, take pictures, upload pictures, produce flyers estate agents digital sign etc on their own. We can only hope the real estate agents prospecting does not suffer and that the agents marketing is automated through services such as Quantummail.

The introduction of ZipForm to the real estate industry has greatly improved transmittal time of transactions. Agents will benefit from fully utilizing all of the tools made available through ZipForm. Further training, including electronic signatures, storing and editing templates and more; will be provided at this years National Association of Realtors national conference and Expo in Orlando Florida this November.