The connections between real estate industry professionals are what has made this industry strong and viable.  Through various associations, meetings, and MLS systems this industry has created a strong value proposition for consumers by offering well educated, well connected professionals who are able to be an advocate for the consumer with their unique connections and access to knowledge.

With the boon of the Internet era the real estate industry has become less and less connected.  The Internet makes it easier to disseminate information than ever before.  With the movement and flow of information through different channels one on one personal conversations are less able to take place.  Learning finer details of personal experiences and having a group of like minded professionals from which to learn and grow has become less and less common.  The connections today are less personal and less frequent.  This lack of connecting is creating greater and social gaps in the real estate community.

As technology advances consumers become more savvy and demanding.  The National Realtors Association holds that 7 out of 10 home buyers use the Internet to start their search. Today they demand greater access to information in ever changing forms.  Real estate sales professionals have until very recently lagged behind the technological advances that would enable them to better deliver information.  

While real estate sales people were trying to hold on to their data, they at the same time became less and less connected.  Into the void between colleagues and the gap in information demand an deliver came highly funded lead aggregation companies targeting the consumer, and further distancing the professional.  These companies are highly funded and have an ability to push aside the average sales person simply due to their ability to outspend the individual in technological adoption.  The are providing the data to consumers, and collecting referral fee's for access to consumers.

This disconnect has left the real estate sales person, alone, disconnected, and weak in the face of large highly funded lead aggregation operations.  Whereas currently the information the real estate professional provides to the market place is taken by others not directly contributing to the industry and using it to put themselves between the real estate professional and the very consumers the professional is trying to reach

Access to home listings was once through the real estate brokerage and sales person, today listings are readily available from a number of different sources.  Many players are taking advantage of large capitol are now providing access to estimates of home values, demographic data, and other information that is drawing consumers.

The ActiveRain Real Estate Network seeks to correct the disconnects.  The Network does this by connecting the parties that keep this industry running to each other, and reconnecting consumers to those professionals without a middleman.

ActiveRain reconnects real estate professionals across the industry.  By helping reconnect these individuals ActiveRain will help provide both industry professionals and their clients with a stronger value proposition.  ActiveRAin will enable individuals in the industry to grow stronger through helping to combine the resources of the entire group.

Tools that ActiveRain Provides to do this are varied and growing.  Right now they include:

• The collective dissemination and education from personal experiences.
• Facilitating more frequent and fulfilling connections both on-line and off-line for the strengthening of business relationships.
• Providing a channel through which to disseminate information directly through to consumers, bypassing the barriers put in place by large lead aggregation companies
• Filling in the gaps in connections that have left this industry weak and subject to proliferation.
• Enabling the real estate professional through technologies that help them to collect information and channel it directly to consumers.
• Helping the professional by marketing their contributions directly to the consumer.

The industry has been and is changing rapidly.  As the real estate industry changes consumers need more and more educated individuals to help guide them and avoid the pitfalls of home buying and selling.  Right now there is a lot to be gained from learning from, and becoming connected to like minded colleagues.  This type of support will help individuals gain a competitive advantage.  In addition through direct contributions members of the ActiveRain Real Estate Network, will bypass companies acting as middlemen and achieve direct and closer connections to their clients.