BC Cloutier takes an analytical look at our wired society.
The effect of technological evolution is anything but an equal opportunity phenomenon. Broadcasting, especially radio, has been negatively impacted -- as have landline telephone companies and traditional ‘cable’ operators.
On the other hand, home buyers and sellers are presented with a wealth of new tools to use in saving time, money, and effort in the process of upgrading, downsizing, or acquiring a vacation or retirement property. Estimates vary, but hardly anyone will dispute that close to 90% of all property transactions at the least start on the Internet -- and many are conducted primarily in the electronic realm through much of the process. That is particularly true for Naples home sales given the large number of vacation homeowners who reside elsewhere.
We carry a dazzling access to information in our phones and pads -- to the extent of being able to determine in seconds the properties on the market within a stated perimeter -- even in a neighborhood one has never before visited! In seconds -- facts and figures that only a few years ago would have consumed several hours of office time appear before our eyes on a device half the size of a paperback book.
That’s great for establishing perspective -- but experienced buyers advise resisting the temptation to knock on doors to make a deal on the spot. Remember, the other side of the transaction is also well equipped, so an astute agent is perhaps a more critical component to a happy ending than ever before.
The best professionals make it look easy. It’s their mission to make the buyer’s experience a pleasant one from beginning to end. A dedocated agemt will navigate a labyrinth of specialized tools behind the scenes, preparing a tour of available properties, searching for the most favorable financing terms, framing offers and contingencies, and accommodating requests for listings that include (or exclude) the most minute buyer’s preference.
Do use the Internet and your mobile devices to the full extent of your comfort zone. Use that knowledge and information in conjunction with the resources of a real estate professional and you’ll surely conclude that there has never been a better time to engage in property transactions.
This weekend (November 1-3, 2013) in Naples: Art in the Park launches its new season on Park Street (next to the Von LIebig Center) all day Saturday. 239-262-6517. The Gulfshore Playhouse opens with “Something Intangible” at the Norris Center in Cambier Park. 239-261-7529. Great restaurant experience: Seasons 52. Late afternoon cocktails in the open air: Brio The Tuscan Grill at Waterside.
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