What’s Next for Real Estate Agents

Ask yourself these questions. If real estate agent sales did not exist the way it exists today, how would you continue selling real estate?  What would you do differently?  What would you add to your business?  And how would you differentiate yourself from every other agent or brokerage?

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Many agents need to take a moment and really think about these questions.  So many of us have not changed and continue to do business as usual.  It’s time to basically, put yourself out of business and rebuild your business model to remain relevant.   We are so good at continuing to do what we have always done. If you keep doing what you have always done and if you continue to do business as usual, one day you will wake up and be out of business.  In Illinois our business models changed overnight on March 15^th, when our governor implemented a stay at home order.  We went from in person home viewings and open houses, to virtual home viewings and virtual open houses over night.  although real estate agents were deemed an essential business, there are some scenarios where we don’t have the ability to show homes in person.  Therefore, we had to change.

I have the privilege of speaking to real estate agents via virtual events and training as an educator and many agents are discouraged.  I always ask, what have you done to remain relevant?  So many agent have given up! We don’t know how to have a conversation with our buyers and sellers to help understand our new normal.   If you take a moment and think, you will actually realize that although our world changed overnight, many of the tools we are using were always available.  We can do business, although, the way we do business has changed.  Our business model will be different, at least for the next year.  If you think about what’s available, you will realize that we’ve had the ability to have virtual businesses, we just didn’t take advantage of adding these tools into our businesses.  As of today, we have the ability to:

1. Sign documents with Digital Signatures
2. File our documents in online filing cabinets
3. Hire a Virtual Notary
4. Create Video with a mobile device
5. Become our own broadcaster
6. Communicate via online meet up groups
7. Communicate via social media
8. Watching Live Television on YouTubeTV
9. And do not forget on demand video Netflix, Hulu and Disney+
10. Consume live broadcasts on Instagram, YouTube, Facebook Live and now LinkedIn
11. Create a Podcast in minutes
12. Re-purpose video content and so much more

I must say, I am so privileged to have worked in technology for as long as I can remember.  From the early 90’s, I’ve always worked in the technology arena.  I began my technology career at a small business that sold and taught technology to some of the largest businesses in the United States including McDonald’s Corporation and Boston Chicken.

From there I went on to work for NEC Technologies, where I eventually managed demo equipment from plasma tv’s, projectors and flat screen computer monitors in the U.S and Canada.  NEC Technologies was one of the first companies to stream full screen virtual meetings in the 90’s. After that experience, I went on to produce a non-profit television program that was syndicated to channel 9, TLN, and Belize.  I have worked behind the scenes operating television cameras, editing video on an Avid computer and adobe editing tools.

Because of these opportunities, I have a working knowledge of camera equipment, radio equipment, lighting and editing software.  Today, I am the Real Estate Minute on WBBM for my local association.  I am so grateful, that I am tech savvy.

If you did not have the opportunity to use technology over the past 30 years, 20 years or the last 10 years,  there is hope for you.  Keep selling real estate.  If you are not tech savvy, the time is now, to take advantage of learning how to insert new technologies into your real estate business.