"DIRECT HUMAN INTERACTION"...The Importance of HUMAN Connection In Real Estate

Hi James: I agree and that is why I beleive we have an opportunity here to take back the respect and the reliance on our experetise--but only if we get involved directly and with vigor--It will be interesting to see if we get any good suggestions here as to just how we do it...If we can get the attention back on the needed guidance that we can supply better than anyone else, we, as real estate professionals will be in a much better position going forward. Thanks for taking the time to read and comment!

Hi Joyce: I think it has been a rough ride for brokerage--but we must recognize our part in it: We have not been forthcoming enough with the public on just what it is that we do. It is very hard to tell people how hard we work so we need to demonstrate it in our day to day interactions with them. This is not a simple thing to do but I feel that we are on the leading edge of something new here and we need to take this opportunity to create videos and do other interactive things that show us in the light that we need to be seen in. It may be that we start doing seminars to the public--there is huge interest in real estate--why not use that to our advantage by collectively offering those who are interested a new way to understand what they can do to make the best real estate decisions--this time from the "horses mouth", so to speak. I am open to hearing all the other ideas that are out there--something has to stick!

Hi Alexandria: Very good point---glad to hear we are on the same wave-length! I just attended a "Give-Back" seminar that was held here in Southampton Village and it was for our company and a handful of agents who appeared on a panel of agents who are in line with the same thinking--Give-back, or interact with the community: These were agents who volunteer and are on the board of a day-school for the neediest of children in our area (no one seems to understand that there are very needy families here in the Hamptons), an agent who has been a board member and President at one time for the "Fresh Air Fund", a 120 year old place for disabled children in New York City who get a free vacation here in the Hamptons very year;  An agent who is a volunteer coach in a local high school in Bridgehampton; an agent who is a Colonial in the Air Force and he does volunteer helicopter rescues at sea and for accident victims here, who are taken to Stoney Brook Hospital many miles away, and an agent who has been a volunteer in many of the local charitable groups here. It was fascinating to watch as the whole idea of Direct Human Interaction was displayed right there in front to me--making a terrific point! What a great "from the Heart" experience!!

Thank you Ritchie!

Hi John: 

I think the public is ready for the interaction that has been missing for so long! I know that I am suddenly seeing more people coming into the office just to connect with an agent--It's not overwhelming on any level but it is happening and I think we will see more and more of that as we get our sea-legs back where it comes to direct human interaction. Thanks for your input and your informative comment!

Hi Kathy: I can't tell you how many agents do not even come into the office anymore!! There is a sense of defeat in many of them and I think they can't face spending their time in an office when that is exactly what is needed now....I have noticed that more and more people are coming into the office again, much like they used to do. They seem to want to meet agents rather than select them from the internet. Thanks for reading and commenting, Kathy!

Hi Carol: I agree completely! There was nothing standing in the way of a take-over of the entire industry!! Z knew what they were doing and from a technology standpoint, maybe they were right on the money--But real estate is a very personal thing and to go after the whole brokerage business and try to control it all from the Internet is so irrational when you really think about it! 

It has made a life altering change to the way we do business and now we see why the governmental controls were put in place in the first place--licensing and all the training and classes required in order to protect the public from nefarious dealings! Now this!! ...and NAR did let it happen. I hear the State governments are really up set with those who have given the listings over to the Zs, Ts etc....

Hi Jeff: Thank you so much! ..And it is refreshing when someone takes the time too listen and talk when we have something as important as this stuff!! I am finding that the interest in real estate in general has always been over the top when it comes to the public---they always seem fascinated with real estate!! So that is factored in when we bring up Zillow---It is on my mind most of the time and when I mention the topic to almost anyone they respond! Their ears perk up and before you know it they are in a full and open discussion about the problems that are being caused with these websites invading the real estate world--and they are not in the business! But they have homes and so it is of major importance to most people...Thanks so much for reading and commenting, Jeff! 

Hi Debb and Bernie: ...So glad you liked it--it was one of those things that just popped into my mind the other day and I wrote it as I see it--the Internet is a devastating thing to most industries right now---why should real estate (especially real estate!) be exempt from it? Watch and see--we had better do something about the influence soon or we will all be selling apples on the street corner! I can't believe that we are on the threshold of brokerage being pase'!! Thanks for reading and commenting--good input!

HI John: I completely agree! Insensitivity is a BIG problem wherever you look in our culture today and it is making me very nervous for all of humanity. Technology has taken it's toll on so many people--and even me!__I was on the phone with Verizon yesterday handling a problem with my phone--It was not something that could be handled easily, but it was something that somehow my phone wanted me to get involved with and I don't have time for all the apps and other things that my phone has so I try to uninstall--Well you would have thought I had done something to a strangers phone "Oh no, you can't get rid of that or your phone won't work!" was what I was hearing and it drove me to the point that I just want to throw my phone away! I was not a pleasant customer to be dealing with--and I am normally very callm...So I see that was just a minor thing; imagine a major disruption in ones life! Technology can take over very easily and it is a real problem to those of who don't use it all the time--Just another disruption in our lives that takes us further away from what really matters. I wasted 2 hours on the phone dealing with this issue--when I could have been working with people!! Thanks for your input, John. I appreciate it!

Comment from one of my fellow agents, Adam Hofer. He gives some really good advice and observations here:

Hi Paula 

 

This is great article, and so true. I was raised in a very traditional manner, I’ve been in sales for nearly 18 years now and was classically trained. However, my peers, who will inevitably be my clients for many decades to come, are glued to technology. It is definitely frustrating at times because people lose sight of the “value” of having and agent because they “think” they can find out all the info themselves. However, the reality is, they can’t, and after try and fail, they won’t, and then, they will start to realize the value of using an agent. Here’s my point; 

We (realtors) need to ride this out. Currently we need to spend less time getting angry about the Zillow’s and the VRBO of the world and learn how to adapt and use them to our advantage until our customers get frustrated with it and start to realize what we already know-you maintain the human element. Once a customer realizes that Zillow doesn’t tell you if there’s a garbage dump 100 yards behind that beautiful home you found online, or an Indian burial ground underneath the historic home they fell in love with, or that even though it’s an acre there’s no way you’ll get approval for a pool, people will start to revert back to relying on the experts. We all know what little attention span these younger, technology driven people have , do you really think they can coordinate themselves seeing six houses in an afternoon with 6 different brokers?? 

I don’t, and those are just some of the reasons we just need to stay confident in what we do and the value we add, continue to promote that and just let things take its course. Furthermore, I feel we are even more protected at the level of which we operate. The lower priced home market definitely has a lot to worry about, but with the high net worth individuals, they do need someone to talk to.

As you already know I spent many many years in the car business in which I already experienced the same cycle. Yes, you can get a LOT of info online about buying a car, which is good, but many of the dealerships that were trying to figure out ways to replace salespeople all together a few years ago have either failed or realized that it was probably a better idea to utilize technology as best they can but still make having well trained salespeople paramount, and at the highest level, like Land Rover, the client has not embraced technology nearly as much as that of a Honda buyer might, they still want to talk to and be able to work directly with “their guy”.

In conclusion, take advantage of any of the technology you can, embrace the things that work in your favor, don’t panic, and this too shall pass. In the meantime we look for the perfect balance between technology and human element to sell as many homes as we possibly can!!!