Silicon Valley REALTORS® continue to stay on target with the latest technology in real estate. As members of the Silicon Valley Association of REALTORS® (SILVAR) recently learned, keeping up with the latest tech trends has become increasingly important in enhancing the way REALTORS® do business and their relationship with their clients.
California Association of REALTORS® manager of Technology Training Programs Chris Tellez recently told SILVAR brokers and managers that learning the latest techniques and tools can bring value to the real estate transaction. According to the 2011 National Association of REALTORS® Member Profile, nearly all members surveyed reported daily use of email, and nearly eight out of 10 reported using smartphones. More than 50 percent of REALTORS® said they have their own website and use social media tools on a regular basis. Tellez said these findings illustrate social media is no longer a fad; it is becoming a natural part of doing business.
Tellez said brokers/managers need to help agents understand the importance of using social media in marketing. Those who have not should start accepting social media because "the train has left the station," said Tellez.
Social media allows agents to share information about the real estate market and personalizes an agent/company for its consumers. Partnering agents so they can mentor each other and encouraging agents to take social media training courses are just a couple of ways to get agents involved in social media.
Tellez said the three top social media tools are Facebook, YouTube and blogging. Facebook has over 900 million active users and is estimated to have one billion users by the end of summer. Four billion videos are viewed daily on YouTube. Over 300 million people view more than 2.5 billion pages of blogs each month. These tools can feed into a company or agent's website.
"We are bound to see deeper social media integration in every aspect of business, not only in real estate, but in other industries, as well," said SILVAR president Suzanne Yost.
Yost said in keeping up with the latest innovations, SILVAR offers Authentisign software as a member benefit. With this software, REALTORS® and clients can log into a secure website using a specially created identity to review and sign contract documents. Electronic signatures have been allowed since 2000, when Congress enacted the Electronic Signatures in Global and National Commerce Act (ESIGN).
"Once all parties have signed where indicated, everyone automatically receives an electronic copy of the document with all required signatures," said Yost. "It's quick, easy and one of the technological innovations that has facilitated the real estate transaction for our clients."
Other tech innovations Tellez mentioned include tablets and a variety of real estate web applications. Tellez noted REALTORS® have quickly adopted the iPad because it is useful in house presentations and allows agents to share information with clients. Cloud storage is another technology trend that keeps documents organized and available anytime. It also enables sharing of individual files or whole folders
The Silicon Valley Association of REALTORS® (SILVAR) is a professional trade organization representing over 4,000 REALTORS® and Affiliate members engaged in the real estate business on the Peninsula and in the South Bay. SILVAR promotes the highest ethical standards of real estate practice, serves as an advocate for homeownership and homeowners, and represents the interests of property owners in Silicon Valley.
The term "REALTOR®" is a registered collective membership mark which identifies a real estate professional who is a member of the National Association of REALTORS® and who subscribes to its strict Code of Ethics.
Variations of this article have appeared in local area newspapers.
For further information, please email or call the SILVAR office at (408) 200-0100.