Technology today advances at an unbelievable rate. We all see it every time we step into an electronic or mobile device store. Have you ever had that feeling that whatever you have now is and has been obsolete for some time?
The real estate industry has been fundamentally changed by technology like the rest of society. Because of the nature of our business and the need to communicate, document, store and transfer images or documents we have a NEED to be aware of trends and the latest technology. If you are planning on buying, or more importantly selling a property soon, you should ask potential agents what technology they use. In full disclosure, I will not be getting into what technology The McKeever Harmon Group uses, but rather what technology potential agents should be using or have knowledge of.
Cell phones: Android or Apple? That's the major debate of our times but that't not what is of importance here! What is important, is a potential agent's ability to send or receive texts, images & have internet access. Believe it or not, some agents still use not so tech savvy flip phones. These agents are not likely to be communicating with you via text, they will not be able to look up info on homes, pull up GIS images for you while touring homes, and probably won't be able to respond to your emails until they can get past the dial-up process on their desktop! Yes, there is still dial-up internet!
Tablets: Well lets face it, if they have a flip phone there's almost zero chance of seeing them pull out a tablet!
Measuring devices: Many rooms are bigger than 12' but most agents don't need anything over 100'. So why not use a laser distance measuring device? A standard tape measure takes time, a clear path, and sometimes two sets of hands. A laser device is point and click, accurate, less messy and way quicker-- all for about a $50-$100 investment by the agent.
Cameras: Fire any agent who exclusively uses their cell phone camera for your home's pictures! Not every agent can or will pay for professional photos but they should be using a solid quality DSLR camera with either a regular or wide angle lens. With a decent tripod (and a DSLR) even an amateur can take some really great shots of your home!
Video: Video tours and click-through tours are the hot item in real estate today. You can see the click-through tours, whole home video tours, intro videos, short clips on Snapchat/Instagram or even live videos on Periscope or Facebook Live. By today's standards, you should expect some sort of video of your home when on the market even if shot and edited by amateurs.
Drones: Drones are the hot topic right now. Everyone wants a drone shot of their home, but honestly it is a waste of time and money if you don't have a large piece of property or a scenic shot. They can be stunning but if you have a small 900 sq. foot home in a tightly packed subdivision of similar homes it will lose its effect. You want your property to stand out to buyers, not show them how well it meshes with the neighborhood! Let them figure that out when they get to the house!
I hope you have found these technological guidelines helpful to you. Do your research and never be afraid to ask what technology your agent will be using to help you! If they aren't up-to-date on the latest technological standards & trends your home buying or selling process may not be as quick & effortless as you would like. Remember, your agent works for you!!
Written by:
Keith McKeever
McKeever Harmon Group
Re/Max Preferred Choice
