Whether it’s refining your business model, mastering new technologies, or discovering strategies to capitalize on the next market surge, Inman Connect New York will prepare you to take bold steps forward. The Next Chapter is about to begin. Be part of it. Join us and thousands of real estate leaders Jan. 22-24, 2025.
It’s undeniable that real estate is an industry driven by technology.
According to a recent report by the NAR, 95 percent of homebuyers use digital tools at some stage in their home search process.
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Zillow’s 2006 launch undoubtedly transformed the industry, with similar website and valuation tools maintaining their strong footholds among consumers to this day.
In 2024, both buyers and sellers rely on technology to streamline the homebuying experience in every stage of the process: from initial searches for properties right down to the sale transactions themselves.
As proptech advances and demographics shift with Gen Z entering the homebuying market, we can only expect technology’s role in residential real estate to expand.
AI tools with machine learning capabilities are improving daily, and savvy brokerages are already integrating AI-assisted technology into their operations.
As the role of technology in our careers grows larger and larger, it’s natural to question: Is the role of the agent losing its value? Will agents become obsolete?
In short, no
Real estate has always been, and will remain, a business predicated on relationships.
Trust, integrity and human connection remain as important today as they were in the pre-Zillow dark ages of real estate.
Sure, today’s homebuyers are privy to more information than they ever have been. They can research neighborhoods or school districts or their commute time online. They can virtually tour their dream home in their pajamas.
But when it comes to making the most important purchase of their lives, the vast majority of consumers want a tactile experience including face-to-face interaction with — and support from — a real live human who has expertise.
In a 2019 Homes.com survey, 9 out of 10 Gen Z consumers surveyed said they intended to use an agent in their first home purchase, rather than conducting a purely tech-assisted purchase.
The reasons cited in the survey included an agent’s experience, knowledge of the local market and negotiation skills. But the top reason cited was a seasoned agent’s ability to understand the needs and wants of their Gen Z clients.
This is truly where the agent’s advantage lies
Our edge over AI will always lie in our ability to analyze, interpret, intuit and empathize with our clients, to truly understand their values and their priorities.
Good agents are like matchmakers: they know that a perfect match on paper may not be what’s truly best for their clients.
Nurturing relationships and building trust will remain an agent’s greatest asset well into the future, but the modern agent must also embrace technology to get ahead in real estate in 2025.
Proptech can and should be utilized towards the ultimate end of enhancing these IRL relationships and interactions i.e. leveraging technology to attract leads, or improving online communication with new and existing clients through automated processes. Utilizing systems that track client search phrases can help agents anticipate their needs and wants, for example, making the homebuying process more efficient.
Staying on top of the latest tech trends can feel overwhelming when it seems like proptech is moving at such a breakneck pace. Inman Connect makes it easy.
Join us at an Inman Connect New York in January to learn how integrating tech trends will improve your real estate business moving forward. Our expert-led sessions are easily digestible and full of actionable takeaways that are high-impact and easy to implement.
Register today and step into the future of real estate, where the latest in technology merges with human connection to power growth.
Also, check out all of our upcoming 2025 events here.