Is the Real Estate Industry Going to Be Different When We Recover From the Current Downturn?

It depends on who answers the question. Traditional real estate agents want to preserve the status quo; new entrants are trying to create a new game; and consumers want the best of both worlds: full service at discount prices. However, there is little doubt that the economic downturn is exacerbating the situation, but the reality is that it is only the tip of the iceberg. Prior to the downturn our industry was in the midst of a major transformation, as changes in consumer behavior and new technologies were driving innovations that we had not seen during the last 50 years. The truth is that consumer behavior impacts technology and technology impacts consumer behavior and as such cannot be ignored.
The economic downturn is going (and will continue) to impact consumer behavior. Our clients (and fellow neighbors) are experiencing the effects of the worst financial and economic crises since the depression of the '20s. The impact of these times upon our ways of thinking and behaving are impossible to determine, but a few patterns are emerging, among others:
1. Say goodbye to the equity-rich syndrome so prevalent a few years ago. Welcome equity preservation. Buyers and sellers will look at every single aspect of the process and seek ways to minimize transaction costs. Is the existing commission structure going to survive? It will not unless the role of the agent is changed. People are willing to pay for "value-added" support, but it will be up to the new breed of agents to convince the consumers.
2. Say goodbye to leveraging. Leveraging your life will no longer be possible as financing in every sense of the word will be available only to those who have the ability to serve the debt regardless of how low the rates are. How will this impact the number of agents? This translates into fewer agents, but those remaining will have a bigger slice of the pie.
3. Say goodbye to part-time agents. The days of part-time agents are gone, and this will benefit those individuals who are fully dedicated to the profession. This may be a good opportunity to raise entry barriers. Like in any profession, there are good agents and bad agents. However, it is too easy to obtain a real estate license, and traces of unethical behavior that are now found everywhere must be eliminated. This is the time to do it.
4. Welcome back savings. Saving will no longer be looked at as the exception, and people in general will have to work harder to earn less. The wounds of this economic downturn will be deep and will take time to heal. Living within your means will be the rule and not the exception. Consumers will be looking at every single economic and financial decision in their lives with a new set of glasses.
But in addition to the impact of the downturn on consumer behavior, the technologies around all aspects of our lives will continue to drive behavioral changes that will significantly impact the way real estate is transacted.
1. The Internet has leveled the playing field by making available to the consumer information and data previously controlled and limited by the agents. Consumers and agents will have equal access to the information, (which) will shift the control of the process to the consumers. Consumers will have instant access to property values and the tools to find the best deals in real estate.
2. The Internet will bring down transactional costs. Advances in technology and the ever-increasing sophistication of consumers are destined to change the way homes are bought and sold. Did the industry fail to recognize changes in the behavior and expectations of homeowners and investors? Today's consumers are tech-savvy, more independent, more sophisticated, more knowledgeable and want to be in control. They want to have choices. These choices will include but will not be limited to full service real estate, discount real estate and flat fee MLS options.
Almost every traditional brokerage house has a Web site that is mostly used to provide photographs and summarized property information. This is a step in the right direction, but not quite what the consumer wants.
Consumers want access to the same information and tools that professionals have. They want a buy-and-sell process that is easier, smarter, faster and cheaper. Consumers know that the Internet has made it possible to have access to information and resources that in the past only were available to professionals.
The Internet has also made it possible to provide these services at a fraction of the cost. Technology-based models are not a substitute for good judgment, but they are more efficient and transparent. These efficiencies result in lower cost of representation, and access to information and know-how that is completely unbiased and independent of the value of a property. Put another way, technology drives down the cost of representation.
The challenges in front of us are big and many. However, the future is as equally bright as the past. Those that understand the impact of the new technology on the consumer behavior will excel; others will fail, And do not blame it on the economy!
Mr. Iraola is a co founder and CEO of Homekeys.com a developer, integrator and provider of state of the art web-based information tools and services for the real estate industry.
Mr. Iraola currently serves on the Board of Directors of Central Hudson Energy Group Inc. (NYSE:CHG). He previuosly served on the Boards of Phelps Dodge Corporation , Southern Copper Co. and SWM.

What goes up must go down

According to the associated press December ended as the worse year for the real estate market in the South Florida in the last 3 decades.
Real estate is a local business and we need to be careful with "satistics". You simply cannot generalize. The glass is half empty for some and half full for others.
Homekeys offers real estate services in 67 Florida counties and what we see is different from County to County. If you travel through the tri-county area Dade, Broward and West Palm, you will see more for sale signs than ever before. but that is not the case in other Regions . It is a fact that the tri-county area has become one the most difficult places to sale a house. But like anything else, all that goes up must come down and that does not exempt real estate. We have been through similar difficult periods in prior decades and eventually the market will sort itself out.
Homekeys offers the widest range of choices and savings for buyers and sellers.
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Selling Direct by Owner is Increasing in Popularity

Trying to differentiate one real estate company from another, could be a difficult task. They all seem to offer the same products, for a similar price. Web based companies are starting to break the mold. Perfect examples of it can be found at Homekeys. Their theory is to offer maximum exposure and complete service; all these for a low set fee. And this seems to be the trend that real estate is moving to. Sellers are realizing that paying 6% commission is too high for the amount of actual work that is put on a listing. Companies like Homekeys have recognized that issue and are aggressively marketing their “for sale direct” program. This means you get all the benefits of a realtor, plus all the exposure of a web based company for a ¼ of the realtor’s fee.
At the end of the day, what really matters is that your property is price properly and that it receives maximum exposure. And in today's environment you do not have to pay 6 plus % to sell your property.

Technology must reduce real estate transaction costs

We don’t believe it is enough to use technology simply to generate traffic for real estate and mortgage professionals and perpetuate the role of the traditional intermediaries. This provides consumers with access to better information for decision making purposes but total transaction costs basically remain the same. It does nothing to change the agent centricity of the current real estate business model. The real estate professional remains in control of what for most people are the two most important financial decisions in their lifetime. The only thing that changes is who enjoys the lead generation revenues.

At Homekeys we develop and use technology to transform the way real estate has been transacted during the last 50 years. Homekeys redistributes the “value chain revenues” and allows consumers to significantly reduce transaction costs. They are provided with the information, tools and resources necessary to control the transaction and save significant money. The more the consumers choose to do, the more they save.

We believe that to truly be customer-centric in today’s real estate market, consumer empowerment should extend well beyond access to property value estimates, comps and county data, it means enabling consumers that take on a more active role to translate that labor into savings. The more significant the role, the more the reciprocal savings.

What do you think?

It is worth it to fix your home for sale

Sellers who anticipate losing money if they sell their home may wonder why they should spend a dime fixing the place up for sale. Isn't this throwing good money after bad? Even sellers with plenty of equity in their homes often figure the way to get the most out of the sale is to cut sale costs to a minimum.
This attitude is directly contrary to the notion that the way to make the most money on the sale of a home is by pricing the property appropriately for the market, and by making cost-effective improvements that will result in a higher sale price in a shorter time.
Job applicants don't show up for an important interview in tattered old clothes if they want to make a good impression, particularly if there were plenty of other qualified applicants. Likewise, if you wanted to get top dollar from the sale of a car you would have the car detailed so that it looked its best. The same principal applies to selling single-family homes.
Today, the housing market have plenty of homes for sale and far too few buyers. For years, buyers competed with one another in order to buy a house. Now, in general, sellers are being forced to compete with other sellers in order to get their home sold.
Consider the competitive nature of the market when deciding if you're going to improve your home before selling it, and how much you'll invest. Keep in mind that the point of fixing up a home to sell is to maximize your return from the sale. Don't waste money on improvements that have little or no value to buyers.
Ask your real estate agent to walk through your home with you for the purpose of determining what fix-up projects you should ideally complete before marketing the property. For example, you might be inclined to replace worn-out carpet. Your agent, however, might advise otherwise, a buyer looking for an older home, prefer hardwood floors, your agent may recommend refinishing the hardwood floor that is hidden underneath the carpet instead of changing the carpet.
The best houses in the best condition and offered for the best price usually sell quickly. A fast sale is important to some sellers in this market. The sooner your home is sold, the sooner you stop paying mortgage payments, property taxes and various maintenance costs.