Real estate has changed so much over the last 50 years; from the “good ole boy” handshake to the 21 page contract and the 10-15 page listing packet. With every step of the way agents have had to learn and revise the way they think when it comes to managing their business.
Just like “paper trail” change for agents, the way we sell real estate now has been a huge game changer for our industry. We have gone from meeting our clients face-to-face to sign documents (this is still the best practice), to the fax machine and now the email scanner to send clients their documents to sign. We now send email or text alerts to our buyers and sellers on properties instead of hand delivering the information.
The number one thing that has changed the Real Estate profession forever is “Technology.”
Love it or hate it, technology has an ever evolving and business changing roll on our industry and that will never go away. The internet changed the face of real estate early in the 1990’s.  Since then syndications of MLS material, social media and blogging have catapulted the way real estate works on an hourly basis. Not only do the agents themselves have to keep up with the latest and greatest, but the brokerages have to stay “in the know” on all technology as well.
When surveying previous clients on how they chose their Realtor, many answer the same way. They want a “tech savvy” agent who promotes their properties anywhere and everywhere. They want their agent at their “mobile” fingertips so that they are able to reach them 24/7.
So, are you the agent or brokerage of the future?
As an agent and/or brokerage it is our responsibility to research what technology works for each client/agent/brokerage. There are so many platforms to choose from and many scams to catch the eye of the agents to attempt to get them to pay for more services that are sometimes even free. This is where the brokerages come in. All brokerages should be helpful and knowledgeable on internet and social media scams.
Training the agents on the rules and regulations of what they are publishing and where to publish them is a good aspect to have in place. To cultivate a “new breed of agent” each brokerage should set out to give the best training they can to their agents. Knowledge is key when it comes to technology.
 

According to The Enterprise Network Agent Survey, the top 3 assets a brokerage can offer an agent: Marketing Tools, Agent Websites and Training.

 
Even showing the oldest agent the simplest steps can prove to their clients “they still have it.”  Agents have shown that they love the training but often feel lost when it comes to putting what they’ve learned into practice. You can’t hold each agents hand through each process, but having a solid training program in place will ensure that you’re cultivating a “new breed of agents” within your brokerage. You’ll be there to answer their questions, re-teach steps, listen to their needs and have a system for following up.
Not every agent is going to get what social media is or even want to participate, especially the seasoned agents. Out of the surveyed agents, 64.1% said they spend 0-5 hours a week on social media. Some younger agents may prefer to only text/facebook/email their clients, however 90% of the general public still want the phone call or the actual presence of their Realtor. Mobile technology and social media is still scary for some agents, but it leads the future on how clients find the properties, agents and brokerages. The bandwagon of the internet from the 1990’s has become the mobile and social media bullet train of the future for real estate.
Let the agents, no matter the age, teach one another the best practices of real estate. When agents work together, things get accomplished. Different generations can teach one another the skills sets they’ve acquired and, when they put them into practice, the cultivating of a new breed of agent comes to life. No matter if you’ve been in the business 50 years or just 5 days.
 
Written by:
Charity Middleton, Realtor
Murney Associates, Realtors

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