Real estate has always been an industry that has adopted change. Real estate agents by their very nature are some of the early pioneers to adopt technology. Agents typically have an entrepreneurial spirit and are always looking for ways to make their marketing stand out. Agents are risk takers, because you have to invest so much of your time, energy, and money trying new things to make it in this business. Owners really have little idea how much Realtors spend on various advertising or technology platforms in hopes of finding better ways to sell homes.
SW Florida CyberStar Attending Conference on Real Estate Change
This is why we are traveling to Las Vegas in September. I will be attending and speaking at the CyberStars annual convention. The CyberStars are a network of 225+ top technology-oriented real estate professionals from the U.S., Canada and Australia. Their purpose is to share ideas, tips and techniques with each other, to conduct information-sharing sessions at various state, national and franchise conventions and to benefit from numerous referrals sent within the CyberStars® network.
The Ellis Team has attended CyberStars conventions for years and brought back some of the most exciting marketing ideas the SW Florida real estate market has ever seen. While the Cyberstars are one of the best groups, there are others, and we highly encourage agents to attend events and bring back ideas. It makes us all better.
Years ago we had a slogan that said we were the most copied team in real estate. That’s probably true as we introduce ideas to the market and other agents copy them. We always felt we could innovate faster than others could copy, and most agents won’t or can’t copy everything you do anyway.
The truth is, some of these ideas we’ve copied from other agents nationwide. If an idea is successful and helps sell homes, chances are others are going to try it too. If it works in one market, it’ll probably work in another.
It’s also important to stay on top of emerging trends and discuss their implications with other top producing agents who are dealing with the same thing. There are some looming changes on the horizon and we look forward to exchanging thoughts on how we’re going to deal with them.
Among the changes we see coming are further Dodd-Frank rules and regulations affecting lending. Companies are also deliberating on the value of sending listing data to portals that assemble that data and sell back to agents and companies. If that data isn’t accurate and up to date, why are agents buying back data that is created at the MLS level anyway?
The closing process is changing. Recently RE/MAX Realty Group switched to a system called Dot Loop whereby everything is paperless. We really love it. Contracts can be created and digitally signed online now, and the entire sales and closing process has sped up and been more efficient.
We’ve also joined a new referral system for top agents around the world called Agent Bridge. This system was developed by a top producing agent we know in CA and does some things other referral systems cannot. We’ve already placed some referrals with this system so it’s benefiting our clients from day 1.
In a month or so we’ll report back on what we learn at the convention. Rest assured, if there’s a new and exciting technology or idea, we’re going to look into it. Not every new idea works. We’ve tried several over the years, so we’re selective. We’re also excited about some of the new changes coming to the industry, and we think you will be too when you see them.
Good luck and happy buying/selling!