Consumers certainly are getting more options when it comes to searching for Real Estate Listings(see article below)
Let's face it, we as consumers have allowed google to affect nearly all aspects of our daily lives and continue to do so at an ever increasing rate. People cheerfully give google information that can create profiles for their spending and browsing habits. If you know were someone lived, where they went to school ,where they worked, when they bought there present house, what web sites they visited for personal, professional and online buying could you predict what price range neighbourhood ,and even to some degree even when someone would likely buy their next house, car or take their next vacation ?
In the possible near future scenario outlined above what would the role be for the realtor?
The standard reply might well be that people are always going to need someone to get there home on the syndication service to populate the listing on google maps (and or yahoo , msn bing etc )show the house to the prospective buyer, be the local expert, send them flowers after they move in etc.
But will the consumer need the traditional realtor in the near future?
Zillow or others offer sales information to the prospective buyer or seller so they can fill in the form for such offered by google or one of there affilates.Home seller than contacts realtor or other service provider to get there home listed on google maps complete with attached form to describe said home with link from tax assessment sales and or Zillow type provider to justify there price based on recent local sales.
Buyer prospect googles homes for sale google via local search takes buyer to homes in his area and likely price range based on buyers local search profile .If buyer is moving out of area no problem ,search adjustment done and noted with additional search\demographic information supplied to google in the process .
Buyer can now call his Realtor or call the home buyer directly to view home.
Offer Time: Forms for offer can be filled in online with extensive help menu, google offers link to local lawyers to have an offer emailed to for his or her legal opinion.
Or buyer can call his agent.
Again google makes a wee bit from referrals or an ad sense ad from the web page s google ties in home inspecters, movers, home stagers etc
How many of the traditional roles of the realtor can be automated or offered online? Even the customary sending of flowers from a realtor (which google could get a piece of) can be supplied or automated now or in the not too distant future.
Were does this leave the traditional realtor ,extinct or new role? Or a better question might, given the technological advances and ability for enterprising individuals to leverage technology how many realtors will the future scenario support and at what percentage rate per deal or remuneration model?
Were does this leave the consumer in the long run , saving money ,or a more impersonal life with the illusion of saving money?
By Mike Sachoff Real estate website Zillow.com told WebProNews today it has launched a free Zillow Android application. The Zillow Android app uses GPS technology to find and follow users on an aerial map, and displays "Zestimate" values, homes for sale, homes for rent and recently-sold data on the homes around them. Users can also search for homes, even they are not in the vicinity, by tapping the Android platform's voice search capabilities. By saying an address, neighborhood, ZIP code or city the app will automatically take the user there on the map. Key features of the Zillow Android app include: *Home details and historical data on 95 million homes in the U.S. *Curbside images of homes using Google StreetView *Multiple photos, home details, and contact information on homes for sale and rent *Users can filter their home searches by sale price, rental price, number of bedrooms, bathrooms and listing types "Since the launch of our highly successful successful Zillow iPhone App, which has been downloaded nearly one million times since April 2009, home shoppers have been asking us to build an app for the Android," said Spencer Rascoff, Zillow chief operating officer. "It's clear that people want access to all of Zillow's data and information like Zestimates, listing information, and prior sale price while they are out looking at homes or exploring neighborhoods. We saw this as a great opportunity to be on a platform with enormous potential for real estate and home shopping."
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