Do you have to be under 30 to use technology?

I would say overall that younger realtors are embrassing technoloy faster, but like you said there are a lot of older realtors who are also on board.  Maybe the point of the article is that you need to be more technologically advanced to make it in this market?  

hey- I am over 30 and I am very aware of the technology available and I utilize it to the max to get where I need to be and for the quality service for my sellers. I think that is a little insulting to be labeled for under 30 if you ask me.

42 - M - Loan Officer - Wired, N Wifi (gotta have it), Treo w online access, 3 blogs, Mac, Windows, Wireless Camera, iPod, etc.

 

OK, the under 30 thing is kind of stupid, but the age thing is playing a role in how people are doing things.  I have worked under 2 different companies flags in the real estate business, and made lots of friends.  I have tried to convince many many of them that they need to start blogging a little, to help support their websites and to get their names out there.  Some of them have no business right now, they go into their offices and complain about how slow things are, I talk to them and try to get them to do this, but they still do not do it.  It just so happens that all most all of these people are in their 50's and 60's  and feel intimidated.  I have even sat down with a few of them and helped them to get started, setup their account and everything, but still it does not happen. 

 

Oh, I am 38, I have a website, 3 blog platforms, a 1500 home farm which I mail to every 2 to 3 weeks, a 9 year old son with baseball 3 to 4 times a week, and a house which is about 1/10th of the way thought renovation.

I think Realtor.com magazine and their website are a bit out of touch in many respects.

Jim

I need to skip on over to Lenn Harley's blog and see if she has read this :hee hee:

I do see many people in the biz under thirty embracing the newest devices in technology.  They also know how to use them.  They know more about text messaging, SEO, lead capture and networking sites than I do.  I would love to see conversion rates for them also.  Grasping technology and wowing your client with it doesn't mean you can convert, sell and negotiate.

As far as AR goes, I would love to see the average age of everyone who has over 30K points.  I would wager that it is close to 40 or slightly above. 

Some great food for thought! 

Very good post Mike I am  way over 30 and know how to use technology. I am not a Realtor.

I am a 30 year old Loan Officer.  The majority of the successful agents I know and work with are over 30, and are heavily invested in technology.  So the answer is no!

Joe Harris

I have a friend who sold a property on 'Second Life' online! Okay she was 29. Pretty cool though...

At way over thirty,  I consider myself to be an early adopter for most technologies and have been cheerleading internet and computer applications in every industry I have passed through for more than twenty years. 

That said, however, I have to work at it.  The younger set grew up with these technologies and they are second nature for them.

I was interested in the recent interview with Steve Jobs and Bill Gates, which has been discussed in these forums, that both agreed that in the beginning they were generally the youngest people in the room at meetings.  Now they both say they are the oldest people in the room at the same sort of meetings.   

I guess I can see both sides of the discussion, Mike. 

Do you have to be over 30?
Wash your mouth out, young man!

I'm well over 30, and I've done our web site for years. I LOVE technology- my latest toy is a PDA phone which takes nice pictures (including panoramas) AND opens my lockboxes. It isn't however, so good at picking up a signal in my town with a lot of hills.

I'm 50 and have had my own website since 1999, am on my fourth Palm and 10th computer. I'm the "computer guy" in my office and have had my share of questions from the youngsters on technology.

I think Active Rain shows that age is not a good indicator of tech savvy. 

I'm slightly over 30 -- just had my 34th birthday -- so while I won't make the "30 under 30" list (do they ask for ID?), I've been embracing technology.  Got started in real estate 5 1/2 years ago so I was under 30 then.  I don't think that tech savvy is only for the young, though I do know some older agents who won't touch it, and others who have all the bells, whistles, and new gadgets.

"30 under 30" not sure that flys for me, I thought 40 was the new 30.

Hi Mike,

I am over 50 and I have been an agent for over 30 years. When I started in the business there were no such things as faxes and the contracts were written using carbon paper. As each new technology came along which could help me increase my business and be more productive, I embraced it. I have three computers, I do all of my listing presentations on my laptop using a Powerpoint presentation I created for myself, I have a fantastic web site, I blog on several sites, I do all of my own photography (digital of course), all photos are enhanced in photo editing software, I create all of my own virtual tours for each and every listing - they are real 360 spins and not just slide shows, I make CDs of my virtual tours to use as handouts (complete with custom labels), I have an e-fax account, I have an air card for my laptop, I do e-mail marketing, I have an e-Pro certification, I create most of my own advertising layouts which are sent out digitally and of course I have a smart phone but I do not have an assistant or children to help me with any of it. I could go on but whether your are under 30 or over 50, if you do not use technology you will not be able to compete. My sales are off the charts this year in a very slow market. I know the technologies I use help me be successful.

Sharon

Wow, I am glad you brought this up; when I am googled for Akron Ohio Homes for Sale, etc.. I am usually on page one and I am 57 and I did not pay anyone for this, I did it myself with hard work!...I, too, am kind of put off by those darn under 30 articles..let one of them take me on! I do know that some of the older folks in real estate have not kept up or just don't get it, but, that is good for us that do! I will take all their business, not maliciously, just doing good business. In fact, I try to help and answer any questions that my associates want to ask about the new way to do business.  Regards all, DavidC