Seriously...How Did We Sell Real Estate Before the Internet

Those of us who are addicted to the immediate gratification provided by a BlackBerry or other such device (okay, I admit it...I’m talking about myself), are especially consumed by the question of how we ever got thru life without such access.  I’ve taken my BlackBerry out to read emails on chairlifts in Colorado in the winter and on mountain hikes in the summer.  I’m not proud of this behavior...and my husband hates it!!  But, the internet and email have totally changed the real estate business (as it has every other business).

 A perfect example of the role of the internet in my business occurred a couple of weeks ago.  I had been “introduced’ to a buyer who currently resides in Geneva, Switzerland and plans on moving back to the Washington DC Metropolitan Area this summer.  We spent a few hours together when she was in town last summer, and then agreed to stay in touch.  I emailed occasionally, just to check in on her – but didn’t fill her inbox with listings.  Instead, about a month ago, I got an email from her pointing out a newly listed Montgomery County Maryland Home that she had found online and asking my opinion.  Like her, it’s a house that I had admired on paper, so I shared her enthusiasm and made a promise to visit and take additional photos for her to review. ...  which I did.  Within a week of her initial email to me, she became the proud contract owner of this home...and within a few more days, she had traveled from Geneva to attend the home inspection. 

This is a story that would NOT have happened prior to the advent of the internet.  First of all, I wasn’t even actively searching for this client...because I perceived that her interests were not that immediate.  Because she could “play” with online Washington DC area listings, she was able to identify this property on her own.  And then, because of the ease of sending photos online, she could “see” the property well enough to make an informed decision about whether or not it would suit her needs.  The in-person visit was, of course, crucial...but we never would have even gotten that far without the use of the internet.

 I may bite the bullet and leave my BlackBerry at home when I go skiing or on hikes...but I won’t apologize for the advantages of using online expertise to buy and sell real estate!

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