In Gear for the New Year?

      Last month, the National Association of Realtors released its 2012 Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers. Two things jumped out at me when I read the summary report: today’s typical buyer is a 42 year old; and 96 percent of buyers under 44—almost all—used the Internet during the home buying process.

      Consider these buyers the vanguard, and we’ve entered the era when the average home buyer came of age in a consumer culture defined by its evolving digital technologies. They are well versed in all the tools and technologies which redefined our mobile society and real estate searches and services over the past two decades. And, they will quickly lose patience and move on from anyone they turn to for advice or assistance who lacks that core competency.

As the real estate market emerges from the doldrums of recent years, the “typical” buyer will expect a variety of tech enabled services in every phase of the home buying or selling process. Pressed for time, they’ll use online photo and video tours to winnow their options. In a similar way, social networking—either your online presence, neighborhood blog or recommendations from their own circle of friends— will identify the real estate candidates to help them through the emotional buying or selling process. 

As they preview properties, online presence can be the make or break factor determining who gets that first call. Sure they want a look at likely homes,and to calculate costs of ownership. They’ll also want to tour the neighborhood, with a map showing location and nearby amenities, recreational facilities, commute times and critical reports on the local school system before they initiate contact.

Once engaged, they’ll expect all communications channels to be open, with texting the first preference. They’ll use email less so, and voice calling when a more detailed response is required. For those out of state, video conferencing and virtual meetings will serve to familiarize them with you, and facilitate the process. In fact, live open houses, and virtual closings will eventually seem routine. 

When visiting homes or an area, they’ll expect you can provide information on the spot, via smartphone or tablet, on any home or property you pass. If you can’t summon the answers, they use theirs....leaving them wondering why they’re riding around with you.

Ebook readers, these consumers already understand digital forms and documents, and the convenience of electronic signatures. Once they’re under contract, texted updates should suffice, but they’ll also want the option of monitoring progress toward closing on their own, through a secure transaction management system.

Success in real estate is still built on personal relationships, but the tools and client expectations have changed. Today’s typical buyers came of age in a digital world, it’s shaped their world view, how they interact and communicate. Everything you’ve read is already available. With technology, availability becomes necessity, for those in the know.

Good Luck in the New Year!

Dress Up Tours, Presentations With Multimedia Content

         This month’s buying guide in Realtor magazine online will take a look at multimedia solutions and services—tools you can use to jazz up  presentations and property tours.

          When you rely on the templates and content provided in any of these solutions, you can end up with multimedia vignettes which look something like what all your peers are producing. But, search beyond what’s included with any respective software or service, you can achieve a more distinctive look with a variety of content available online.

There’s wasn’t space in the guide to address clip art and content sources, so I’ll expound a little here. Online you’ll find abundant sources of content of all types: photos, video and animation clips, music tracks, even buttons and icons you can incorporate into your web designs.

In the broadest sense, across all categories, there’s two categories: royalty free content you can freely use, without restriction, and content which carries some form of license agreement. This can be a mere acknowledgement, giving credit to the creator, or it can also mean you must pay a fee for  specified use of that content. In either case respect the creators’ wishes, and protect your interests. Always read the Terms of Use or License Agreement and abide by its stipulations.

Quality varies greatly, but take time to look around and you’ll find what you need.

Simply search or “google” what you want. You’ll be impressed with what’s  available, to give your presentations or sites a more distinctive look.

To get you started, here’s links to just a few examples of all that is available: RealtyClipArt; the Open ClipArt Library; Vector4Free; Vector.US; Animation Factory; IconFinder; FotoSearch; iStock Photo; RoyaltyFreeMusic; and SoundIdeas.

That next computer....

It’s a means, not an end.

With buyer’s guides to computers, smartphones and tablets all updated for 2012 , and having just revised my ebook on essential mobile technology for real state), I’ll take a breather here to offer some straightforward advice on that next computer.

It should be whatever makes sense for you

That can mean any and all of the above, or just the one device which makes sense for you. They are, after all, all computers.

If budget is tight, add one device; if not,build an integrated workflow so all your devices work together seamlessly and information created on one is available in a familiar format on others. Depending on your technical prowess, that may mean sticking with one operating system, or mixing and matching as you like.

If I had to prioritize for real estate, I’d say start with a smartphone. If you’re not already carrying an Android or iPhone device, migrating to one of these will bring you the most productive benefits. You can get a decent camera, and navigation services to boot, making you a more portable professional. With the right real estate apps—well you’ve got that mobile office in hand. 

(A word on smartphones for Windows loyalists. If you’re thinking smartphone, you might want to wait a few weeks and see what Windows 8, and the compatible version of Windows Phone, means in terms of your choices)

Got a smartphone? Then the next recommendation I’d make is a tablet. It gives you everything you have in a smartphone, save calling, in a format that’s larger so easier to use, view and share. Again the choices: Windows 8(shortly), Ipad or one of the Android devices—that’s up to you. Sample them all and go with your gut.

Finally that “real “computer, the more traditional mobile or desktop system. That should be your next investment only if your present system is so old it’s slowing you down, dragging across the web. Otherwise, you and your clients will be better served with a more mobile solution. You’ll see productive gains immediately.

Across the board. what’s the best choice?

The one that works for you. 

People can get very snobbish about the technology they use. It’s not the brand, but what the brand delivers for you that matters. In every class of computer, the smart choice is the one you’re most comfortable using, with software and apps to empower your career.

Remember, any computer is just a means to more responsive service, more productive use of your time.