Property Lines

Straight Talk on Real Estate & Technology

How to Handle Real Estate Data Overload

12/12/07 | Kathy Drewien | Category: Atlanta Real Estate, Technology & Real Estate

This morning, I was reading a blog post from Chris McKeever, Center for Realtor Technology in which he stated:

…as a consumer, part of how I would choose an agent is that they can outperform me on finding the perfect property by having access to more area knowledge, refined searching techniques and experience I just can’t gain through even the best website. Just cause I use one website to search, doesn’t mean that is the broker/agent I have decided to use.

In his post, Chris makes a good point that an individual agent, or broker, is going to be hard-pressed to compete on technology with the big boys with deep pockets. On the other hand, the big boys with deep pockets are aggregating data on a national level. Real estate is, and always will be, a local issue. 

So, it doesn't really matter what website works for your personal search for Atlanta real estate. Ultimately, if you choose to work with an Atlanta Realtor, you want someone whose knowledge and expertise moves beyond the aggregated data.

You also want the Realtor to incorporate technology into their business model to enhance the exchange of that knowledge at a personal level. Do they respond to email in minutes, the same day, weeks later or never? Can they text listing information in a mobile format? Do they have an online network of specialists, vendors and colleagues who are also technologically proficient?

One place to start your search for tech-savvy Realtors with in-depth knowledge of the local market is the CyberStars network.  The Allen F. Hainge CyberStars® is an international organization of over 200 top Real Estate professionals who are committed to providing the highest level of service and expertise in the industry, while using technology to provide the highest level of customer service.

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Read Comments

  1. Posted by Knox BardeenNo Gravatar on 01.08.08 8:42 am

    This topic is something I ponder almost every day. The internet is making it much easier for consumers to search for real estate. I think this is a good thing for both consumers and real estate agents. A consumer who has unlimited access to home search sites (MLS, FMLS etc.) is a more informed house hunter.

    The next wave of real estate professional shouldn’t fear the consumer that has this power, they should embrace them. The online search for a home is only the beginning of a real estate transaction. The real estate pro now can excel (read:earn their commission) by using their extreme local market knowledge, top-notch negotiating skills and 21st century technological know-how to make the real estate transaction smooth, quicker and best of all financially lucrative for the consumer.

  2. Posted by Kathy DrewienNo Gravatar on 01.09.08 3:35 pm

    Thanks, Knox, for your great comment. The consumer is always in command of obtaining a host of information online. Real estate experts are now free to provide a full analysis of that data in a meaningful way - one client at a time - instead of gathering all that data and emailing it to the masses.

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