Technology in real estate is here to stay; Zillow, realtor.com and many other companies have helped elevate what used to be a paper-heavy, old-fashioned industry into the 21st century of technology. The biggest brokerages in the country have adopted all sorts of technology to help innovate their processes and attract tech-savvy homebuyers. Hundreds of real estate tech startups are working to help drive the adoption of technology across the industry, and the agents who want to succeed must embrace technology instead of fighting it.
Whether you are failing to adopt social media to build your brand or simply not adapting to the mobile-first homebuyer, agents across the board are making similar mistakes. Here are three of the most common reasons for these errors. Don’t catch yourself using one of these all-too-common excuses:
1. “We’ve always done it this way.”
If Henry Ford has asked people about how to make transportation faster, they would have asked him for a faster horse. Just because things are done one way, that doesn’t mean that there can’t be a better alternative.
Don’t let your brokerage get stuck in its ways. I doubt your clients will ever be upset that you made their homebuying experiences easier by leveraging mobile technology and software to make the process smooth. Changing things up can bring a breath of fresh air to the office, and more importantly, technology can allow you to be more efficient at what you do best: making buyers and sellers happy.
2. “I want to use technology; I just don’t have time.”
I’m sure you’ve all heard the expression “time is money.” This might be true, especially for Realtors who work toward deadlines and are rarely ever stationary for more than an hour at a time. But investing your precious time in technology will produce a gracious return: more time!
I can speak from my experience working at a real estate tech company; we try to make it as easy as possible for Realtors to get started taking their brand mobile. Tech companies want to make it easy for you to succeed with their products, and the helping hand is always outstretched when you need it. Use all of the resources these companies provide, and you’ll be amazed at how tech-savvy you become.
3. “Technology is for young folks; I have been doing this job for 20 years!”
This point is similar to the first point, but I’m speaking directly to the seasoned vets here. I don’t think that the top 5 percent of Realtors in the nation had trouble adopting technology in their business, but maybe that’s why they are on top?
If you’re looking to succeed in real estate, you need to be on top of your game. Much like being a doctor or airline pilot, being a Realtor means staying up-to-date with the industry and staying caught up with the latest technology.
Imagine if your airline pilot didn’t know how to fly a jet because when he learned, we were all flying prop planes! In the same way, millennials will value your experience when looking for a Realtor — but they want someone who is tech-savvy just like they are. Staying tech-savvy will not only help you connect with the next generation of homebuyers, but it will also save your most precious resource: time.
Kevin Hopp is the vice president of customer success at Dizzle.
