We recently completed our 500th residential real estate sale in Palo Alto. This milestone, which to our knowledge has not been achieved by any other Realtor or Realtor team, has caused us to look back over the years and reminisce about the people and the homes we represented, and to reflect on how the business of real estate has changed over the years.
At the core of our business philosophy is our desire to serve our clients with passion, creativity, energy and integrity. While business practices have evolved, this cardinal principle has not changed. Our clients energize and inspire us. They are the visionaries and creators of life changing technology and medical advances. It is a privilege to help them with their housing needs and through the process to learn from them.
Technology has revolutionized the real estate business. When we both started in 1987, Realtors controlled the information, access to it and to the homes. We received bi-monthly books organized by neighborhood, supplemented by a data terminal in the office that was used for twice daily updates that were then clipped to a board so that all the agents could share (and remember) the activity. Today clients receive the data via the internet at their offices or their homes round the clock and round the world! As good as this sounds, you can’t beat having a real estate agent in front of you who can explain everything that you need to know about how to buy or sell a property. Real estate agents from somewhere like Forest Hill Real Estate Brokerage would be a good place to start looking if you would like as much information in this area as you can possibly get as sometimes messages across technology can get lost in communication or transaction. There are still so many advantages to having estate agents but the increase of popularity in technology will only advance its use in the real estate industry.
Information is everywhere and our role has evolved from “provider” to “interpreter” and facilitating its use and application. The easy availability of information has increased the velocity of business and has required thoughtful discipline and management in addition to high energy and focus! Our team approach has allowed us to create roles to ensure that all transactions go smoothly, quickly and so that no detail is overlooked. We even have measures in place so that we can consolidate our system information using google contacts sync systems and other app linking software to keep our workflow efficient, meaning we have more time for our clients.
Embracing the change resulting from the easy availability of information has allowed us to serve as trusted advisors to our clients. In spite of volumes of data and photographs, capturing the essence of a home remains a personal experience. We believe that listening and observation are our strongest sales “tools” and they provide the insight we need to help our buyer clients find their “dream home”. Our clients tell their stories best.
We remember presenting offers to traveling sellers and requesting telegram confirmations because this was the fastest “delivery method”. Today we use scanners and electronic signatures. Remember when to view a property that was available someone had to come into the office and get the lists before choosing a location and then booking a tour? Nowadays they can view the latest condos for sale in northern va online, and if there’s a video tour available they can see the whole property without even having to visit it themselves. Remember when a phone was used for talking? Today we take pictures and notes from our phones and text them to clients wanting more information about their home or a particular detail. Can’t be present for an inspection appointment – no problem Facetime – allowing virtual presence and communication with the inspector.
So, as we mark this milestone, we say thank you to all of our clients who have not only chosen us to represent them, but have transformed our lives in meaningful and exciting ways!