{"id":3405,"date":"2018-03-02T23:17:17","date_gmt":"2018-03-03T03:17:17","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/dankrell.com\/blog\/?p=3405"},"modified":"2021-11-23T17:17:17","modified_gmt":"2021-11-23T22:17:17","slug":"technology-new-real-estate","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dankrell.com\/blog\/2018\/03\/02\/technology-new-real-estate\/","title":{"rendered":"Technology is the new real estate"},"content":{"rendered":"

I recently wrote about companies<\/a> that are going through identity crises. Are they real estate companies or are they technology companies? Regardless, the big name real estate disruptors have changed the industry. They have given home buyers control of their home search. They have also given home sellers choices of real estate services and commissions. But the recent trend of real estate companies touting themselves as technology companies may be a signal that large real estate brokerages want more change. But are they mistaking the map for the territory?<\/p>\n

Are real estate brokers still interested in selling homes?<\/h2>\n
\"technology<\/a>
Technology (infographic from nar.realtor)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Last November, the real estate brokerage Compass made headlines because of its ability to raise massive capital investments. In a Compass press release<\/a>, the company announced raising $100 million in capital (Compass Raises $100 Million in New Investment Round; prnewswire.com; November 8, 2017). The colossal investment comes one year after raising $75 million in capital. The capital is to be used for expanding brokerage offices in new markets as well as \u201cbuilding new technology.\u201d<\/p>\n

Compass’ vision is to be \u201cthe world\u2019s largest real estate platform.\u201d The press release quoted an investor saying:<\/p>\n

\n

“Compass has proven that its technologically advanced platform is incredibly attractive to the industry\u2019s top agents…Their position at the intersection of technology and real estate gives them the unique opportunity to be the single largest holder of real estate data, ushering in a new realm of possibilities for agents and clients alike.”<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

In a similar move, RE\/MAX announced<\/a> this week of its purchase of booj<\/a>, a technology company. In a February 26th RE\/MAX press release, the acquisition is touted as means to \u201c\u2026deliver core technology solutions designed for and with RE\/MAX affiliates. The objective: technology platforms that create a distinct competitive edge for RE\/MAX brokerages and agents\u2026<\/em>\u201d (RE\/MAX Takes Bold Step to Provide Best-in-Class Technology; remax.com).<\/p>\n

Is the shift to\u00a0 being a technology company about revenue?<\/h2>\n

It would seem that recent industry moves may indicate that real estate brokers would prefer to be technology companies. However, the latest trend may be more about generating revenue, raising capital and investor relations than it is about selling homes.<\/p>\n

Lizette Chapman\u2019s report on the matter<\/a> is revealing (Tech Startup or Real-Estate Broker? Fidelity Values Compass at $2 Billion; bloomberg.com; November 8, 2017). Chapman likens Compass to Redfin saying that the company \u201cis almost certainly unprofitable<\/em>,\u201d although generating massive revenue. In her reporting, Chapman quoted a seasoned real estate agent who was briefly with Compass, \u201cThe technology was mostly marketing tools\u2026It was sleek, but I can\u2019t say it was different from anything else out there.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

Although many home buyers and sellers turn to the internet for housing information, they don\u2019t wholly rely on technology when choosing real estate services. According to the National Association of Realtors 2017 Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers<\/a> (nar.realtor), a majority of home buyers and sellers hired agents with whom they worked in the past, or were referred by friends and family.<\/p>\n

The problem with technology is that humans are the ghosts in the machine. The human element, contrary to technology, is erratic, messy, and highly subjective. The human element remains at the core of home buying and selling.<\/p>\n

Many consumers recognize that tech and the internet are tools that are often used as gimmicks to get their business. Technology is not a substitute for an experienced real estate professional who can also empathize along the home buying\/selling process. The turn to tech only underscores that residential real estate is still a personal business<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Choosing a real estate agent<\/h2>\n

Choosing a real estate agent is much like searching for a home.\u00a0 It is an objective and subjective process.<\/p>\n

The real estate agent is supposed to be a fiduciary<\/a> that is supposed to protect your rights and assets. \u00a0 A real estate agent is supposed to be honest<\/a> and act with integrity.\u00a0 They should act in your best interest.<\/p>\n

The quality of an agent is not dependent on the firm. Quality agents<\/a> are affiliated with almost all brokers. If you haven’t already, ask friends and family for their recommendations.<\/p>\n

Prepare questions to interview several agents.\u00a0 The purpose of the interview is to learn about the agent’s professionalism, training, and knowledge base.\u00a0 You get to hear about their experience, and get a feel how they interact with you.\u00a0 Besides asking about their experiences, ask how many years they have been selling homes, and if they full time agents.<\/p>\n

If you live in an area where agents are licensed in multiple jurisdictions, ask about their experience in the area you plan to buy\/sell. Just because they have a license to sell homes doesn’t mean they have extensive experience<\/a> in that jurisdiction.<\/p>\n

Original published at https:\/\/dankrell.com\/blog\/2018\/03\/02\/technology-new-real-estate\/<\/p>\n

By Dan Krell
\nCopyright \u00a9 2018<\/p>\n

If you like this post, do not copy; instead please:
\nlink to the article<\/a>,
\nlike it on facebook<\/a>
\nor re-tweet<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\"Protected<\/a>
\nDisclaimer<\/a>. This article is not intended to provide nor should it be relied upon for legal and financial advice. Readers should not rely solely on the information contained herein, as it does not purport to be comprehensive or render specific advice. Readers should consult with an attorney regarding local real estate laws and customs as they vary by state and jurisdiction. Using this article without permission is a violation of copyright laws.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

I recently wrote about companies that are going through identity crises. Are they real estate companies or are they technology companies? Regardless, the big name real estate disruptors have changed the industry. They have given home buyers control of their home search. They have also given home sellers choices of real estate services and commissions. … <\/p>\n

Continue reading “Technology is the new real estate”<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[403,233,13,66,680,164],"tags":[1088,892,804,797,828,997,491],"class_list":["post-3405","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-business","category-housing","category-real-estate","category-real-estate-brokerage","category-technology","category-trends-in-housing","tag-business","tag-housing","tag-internet","tag-real-estate","tag-real-estate-brokerage","tag-technology","tag-trends"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p1VZLf-SV","jetpack-related-posts":[],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/dankrell.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3405","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/dankrell.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/dankrell.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dankrell.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dankrell.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3405"}],"version-history":[{"count":9,"href":"https:\/\/dankrell.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3405\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":6259,"href":"https:\/\/dankrell.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3405\/revisions\/6259"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/dankrell.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3405"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dankrell.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=3405"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dankrell.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=3405"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}