I met the future of real estate agents today, and I have to say that I am impressed.
First a little background on why I would say that. By the way, that statement was made 10 years ago in 2011. Yet the issues that I describe below are still rampant today.
Much of the problem that I have seen agents have with tech stems from two areas. One, the computers and phones that most of them are using are too old.
And two, the other area is that many the agents are simply not up to speed on how to use a computer, or even more than 25% of what their smart phones can do. Concepts like opening a browser, tabbed browsers, un-blocking pop ups, updating Windows, drag and drop, right clicking and much more are simply foreign to almost all of them.
Much of the dissatisfaction with tech tools can be laid squarely at the feet of old or outdated equipment and agents who have not kept their tech skills up with the times. Once I help them understand how to use their computers and phones as more than email machines, I can then show them how to run the tech instead of having the tech be an obstacle.
So that’s the background. Now, let me tell you about the agent I met today, and why I believe that she represents the future. We have an old belief in real estate that teachers and those from the caring professions often make the best agents because of their ability to relate to home buyers and sellers. They seem to be able to connect with their clients on a deeper level and can demonstrate empathy better than agents from other backgrounds. But, as is often the case, “relationships people” can often have trouble with systems and the discipline that it takes to work the systems, software and hardware that we find ourselves using these days.
The woman I met today was (and still holds) an RN. With ER experience. Think about that for a moment. What greater stress is there than caring for people in a life or death situation? (And we wig out over multiple offers!) Yet she was warm, friendly, intelligent and engaging. And young.
She also had total command of how to use real estate tech. She breezed through the instruction on how to use tech tools. She has been in the business for only a few weeks and has yet to open her first escrow, but I sense in her the makings of a great real estate agent. (For much of my 35 years in the business I was responsible for finding and training agents, so I think that I know a good agent when I see one)
Ten years later – She became Rookie of the Year in her first year for her company and is still a top producing agent as of this writing in 2021.
To the agents who have excellent people skills, but poor tech skills, I can only say that it’s time to up your game, because I am certain that there are more like this agent out there, and they will be a force to reckon with as they learn how to find clients using social media with their modern computers and phones and their up to date tech skills…coupled with their excellent people skills.
If it is your plan to be in business five years from now, what are you doing to upgrade your infrastructure and your skills? Or are you just going to fade away…?
