PROPERTY AUSTRALIA

The Techno File    by Veronica Hicks

Most active real estate agents are well aware of the countless technological changes that are helping change the face of their industry.

In recent years, we have seen a shift of Richter scale proportions in the way that properties are advertised. Realtors have diverted a significant amount of their annual budget away from traditional newspaper promotion and put it online. The internet offers incredible opportunities, when compared directly to print. As properties are bought and sold, the listings can be updated so that prospective clients can view an agent’s entire inventory on their website. With print deadlines and distribution issues, the properties listed in a newspaper advertisement could well be last week’s news by the time it hits the news stands.

Agents are now practically available round the clock. They are the proud owners of just about every communication tool known to humankind. They are constantly looking for new apps for their smartphones, and investing in the latest bluetooth technology to ensure that they are always ‘in the office’. An incredible number of agents are becoming increasingly tech savvy, and many already regard emails and texts as quaint – almost the equivalent of old-fashioned letter writing!

Laptops are still holding their own, but it’s surely only a matter of time before tablet computers and other handheld devices are part of the everyday toolkit for every modern real estate agent. Portable printers and scanners too are making a splash as wireless technology makes them increasingly easy to transport and use.

With remarkable advances in digital technology, those interior photos of properties now look as if they have been taken by a latter day Ansel Adams. Thanks to the current wave of very affordable, top quality cameras, poorly lit and badly composed photographs are fast becoming a thing of the past.

Going back to the internet, it’s not just advertising that’s been revolutionized by the world wide web. An increasing number of agents are turning the ‘net for social networking, whether that be through popular sites such as Facebook, or by ‘Tweeting’. And it certainly seems to be paying off.

Another huge change is the voracity with which the industry has taken to blogging. This form of, often uncensored, communication has really taken off in recent years and it seems that almost everyone working in the property market has got an opinion that they want to share with the world. And in return, the public are joining in too, and blogs can be found covering all conceivable subjects, including exposes on individual towns and neighborhoods – all very handy information for home seekers and real estate agents alike.

About the Author

Veronica Hicks and the professionals at CondosEtc.com specialize in Orange County CA Condominiums. Browse all listings for Laguna Beach condos.
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