I recently came across the following on John A Keith's bostonreb.com blog that I though worth sharing

Your Real Estate agent is really old

Interesting statistic I just read: ... the median age for agents is 51 versus 32 for the median age of first-time buyers, there is a considerable gap between how each group communicates. Only 23 percent of the brokers surveyed reported having wireless e-mail. This means that 77 percent of the agents are unable to respond to their e-mails while they are out in the field.

That's insane.

What do you think? Do you think it's important for a real estate agent to be older - does age imply "wisdom" and/or "experience"? Would you use an agent who was the same age as you, or, younger, even if the person had three or four years' of experience?

The part about the wireless email is ridiculous. Certainly, it's not true in major US cities. But I don't doubt it's true, overall.

Actually, it might be a low percentage, even in cities such as Boston (but not New York). I see a lot of agents using regular cellphones, not Palms or BlackBerrys.

I would give up a couple of toes before I'd give up my BlackBerry.

Source: Get rich in a niche - By Bernice Ross, Inman News

Comment by Glenn | 01/14/08 at 12:22 pm

On of the basics of real estate is that it more about people than actual real estate.

When I am in the field with a client, I think my time should be devoted to that client and not answering my cellphone and responding to e-mails.

Maybe the e-mailer, text messenger needs to ask themselves, "If am a customer, would I want the full attention of the real estate agent?"

BTW, I will be 60 shortly. And yes, I do use technology more than some of my younger colleagues. No I don't use a crackberry, but do use a WIFI card for communication when out in the field while waiting for a client or after working with a client.

___________________________________________________________

I would have to agree with Glenn regarding the basics of a real estate professional, or for that matter any true professional.

Imagine for a moment you were negotiating the purchase of a new car, be it a mini-van or a high end Benz. And during this every time the sales agent's personal phone rang he or she picked it up and talked for 2, 3 or even 5 minutes. Or perhaps their crackberry as some have referred to them rang and they stopped to read the message. Now I ask, who or what in the case of the phone do you think the sales agent felt was more deserving of their time? You, a ready, willing and able buyer prepared to close a transaction at that very moment, or that phone?

Top producers in this or any business are not slaves to their phones.... though I do admit that I do program my client's phone numbers into my cell phone and give them priority over unknown numbers. A professional will let the caller go to voice mail informing the them that their call is very important, that you may be on the line or with another client and will return ALL calls between a given set of hours. And do follow through with this promise.

When I meet a client for the first time I like to demonstrate to them that they are at that moment "my only client" by taking my phone and "turning it off". Though if I am expecting an important call, I might put the phone into vibrate informing the client that if a certain caller calls that I might have to take a moment of their time. One always has fires that need to be put out.

In short, you do not need to be older to show respect, but but it does appear that one does need to be at least old enough to understand the differences.

Bart