Is The Phone Call Dead in Real Estate?
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Has texting finally tossed out the telephone in real estate transactions? I have noticed myself using my phone a whole lot less to talk these these days. First of all, you can never reach anyone. I keep calm when calls drop off and think, gosh darn it, I should have sent a text message. So I found this article on TechCrunch, one of my fave blogs (now owned by AOL) interesting. The founder of TechCrunch was turned off by a phone call from her bank offering a 401K plan. She would have preferred a tweet or email. I feel Alexia’s pain: I seldom call friends and relatives who do not text or email. I’ll think about calling them, but then something happens or I get an email and the thought is lost. My son tells me the financial services industry is terribly limited in what they can text or email, thanks to the SEC which has been on major PMS ever since the Madoff scandal. Anyhow, look at this quote:
According to Nielsen data, voice usage has been dropping in every age group except for those past the of age of 54. Text is just easier.
How does this translate to the real estate industry? Clearly, more agents tweet and they almost all email rather than gab on the phone. (Well, some still gab on the phone and fail to clean up their voicemail. But we love them anyhow!) Look at Erin Mathews: her office tweets price changes and real estate news daily. I think tweeting has many fabulous uses in the real estate world, for both buyers and sellers. I think all agents should tweet — tweet price reductions, great finds, and open house information.
But is the phone really that dead? Do you use the phone still in your real estate transactions? Could it be that the technology is owning us — we cannot hear on the dang things sometimes, so instead of developing and providing more clarity, the telecommunications industry moves us to another vehicle, and encourages us to text?
3 Comments
OMG what a timely topic. The answer is a resounding loud and clear YES, but like email and the "interweb" the blue hairs don't get it. I predict within 2 years they will be saying hello as you walk into Wal Mart.
Here are some other things that are dead (or dying) in the real estate market.
– Handwritten contracts
– Thinking you will sell a house at an Open House
– Thinking that email or the internet does not effect "your market"
– Hamburger Man
– Cold calling or door knocking
– A Realtor's photo on ANYTHING
– Taking a overpriced listing "just to get the listing"
I could go on and on, instead I will just give a thumbs up to gal pal Candy. As always you are spot on.
OMG what a timely topic. The answer is a resounding loud and clear YES, but like email and the "interweb" the blue hairs don't get it. I predict within 2 years they will be saying hello as you walk into Wal Mart.
Here are some other things that are dead (or dying) in the real estate market.
– Handwritten contracts
– Thinking you will sell a house at an Open House
– Thinking that email or the internet does not effect "your market"
– Hamburger Man
– Cold calling or door knocking
– A Realtor's photo on ANYTHING
– Taking a overpriced listing "just to get the listing"
I could go on and on, instead I will just give a thumbs up to gal pal Candy. As always you are spot on.
OMG what a timely topic. The answer is a resounding loud and clear YES, but like email and the "interweb" the blue hairs don't get it. I predict within 2 years they will be saying hello as you walk into Wal Mart.
Here are some other things that are dead (or dying) in the real estate market.
– Handwritten contracts
– Thinking you will sell a house at an Open House
– Thinking that email or the internet does not effect "your market"
– Hamburger Man
– Cold calling or door knocking
– A Realtor's photo on ANYTHING
– Taking a overpriced listing "just to get the listing"
I could go on and on, instead I will just give a thumbs up to gal pal Candy. As always you are spot on.