I was at the NAR conference last month. I am a newbie to the real estate space so it was a great opportunity for me to learn more about the service providers in this industry and to chat with agents and brokers. My background is in technology so I spent a lot of time learning more about the latest and greatest tools that are out there for real estate professionals.
I'll bet if I walked the show floor some 10 years ago, I would not be seeing the number of vendors promoting some type of computer technology, hardware, online databases and multimedia products. And looking at the session topics, I'm sure the whole idea of social media would have made most brokers and agents heads spin back then. But welcome to 2008 and the onslaught of technology - where the NAR session on Blogging 101 was packed and had to be repeated the next day because of all the interest. And like Carrie in Sex in the City writes - "Will technology really help you sell more?"
If you ask the more seasoned top producers (like I did), the answer would be "No". They know how to sell, they know how to reach the buyers and sellers, and they don't need all these fancy tools that are out there now to help them do any more business. It's all about the relationships they tell me.
If you ask those that have less experience, the answer is "If you don't embrace technology, you won't survive in this business."
I guess there is no right or wrong answer here - but after attending many sessions and talking to many people, my conclusion is - "It certainly can't hurt".
Do you need a Web site in this day and age? Probably. It just makes sense given that the highest majority of buyers now are Gen X and Gen Y and guess what, they know what a computer is and they know how to surf the Internet. You know the number - 84% of home buyers begin their search on the Internet.
Do you need all this social media stuff? Blogging, twittering, Facebook-ing? It may help you get exposure to more people, but like the more seasoned pros would tell me, it doesn't necessarily help you build that one-on-one relationship that will help you get referrals and gain repeat business. If you have the time, go for it - but I wouldn't expect to measure the return on your efforts.
Do you need more ways to expose your listings to more people - Yes. Because it will help you sell more? Maybe, but primarily because you are demonstrating to your seller that you are doing all you can to actively promote their property. YouTube, GoogleBase, Trulia, Zillow, Oodle, Yahoo, Homescape and the list goes on.
You can do it yourself or certainly go the free route - it's all about putting a dollar value on your time.
Photography and videos - Yes. The stats are out there - 12% increase in perceived value with photography and almost a 6% increase in perceived value by using a video. There are so many inexpensive options out there that can give you a quality product - and quite frankly, your sellers should be demanding it.
Lead management systems, contact management systems? In this market, would be a luxury to have. I wonder how well these particular vendors did at this year's show.
All in all, embracing technology is probably a good thing. And if you invest your time and efforts wisely in the right technologies, chances are that you will become more efficient and more effective over the long haul - and yes, that will probably translate for more sales.
For about 40 years, Kerry Borgne has decorated his home for the holidays - the past 30 years have been at their current residence at 1948 Washington St, Birmingham, Michigan. Kerry made Snoopy characters himself along with a friend and Jan's sister. Jan Borgne, Kerry's wife, said they were out a good part of the morning after the big winter storm this week shoveling the snow off all the decorations. 
