Subscribe and receive email notifications of new blog posts.
RSS Feed
- 2026 | 43 Posts
- 2025 | 96 Posts
- 2024 | 114 Posts
- 2023 | 143 Posts
- 2022 | 188 Posts
- 2021 | 204 Posts
- 2020 | 190 Posts
- 2019 | 118 Posts
- 2018 | 122 Posts
- 2017 | 164 Posts
- 2016 | 95 Posts
- 2015 | 68 Posts
16
Lessons Learned From The Pandemic Era
With the pandemic state of emergency officially in the rearview mirror here in the U.S., it's time to look back and think about what we've learned from this experience as real estate trailblazers. The industry as a whole has much to be proud of in how it adapted to unprecedented circumstances while delivering great service.
For years now, many people all around the world have looked forward to returning to normal. But it's crucial to realize that not everything will go back to the way it was. That's especially true in real estate. Due to the scope and pace of change the field absorbed, some of the changes are certainly going to be permanent.
Luckily, there are many positive lessons to take forward into the future.
Let's consider a few of them right now.
"The Way Things Have Always Been" Aren't How They Have to Be
In the early days of the pandemic, real estate agents and brokers alike were called on to re-imagine their work from the ground up. Without swift and deep change, it would soon become impossible to serve clients. Weeks or months might elapse, and only the most successful firms could afford to absorb that kind of wait.
Rather than sit on their hands, real estate experts from coast to coast went full steam ahead on change.
In the process, they challenged three widely held ideas that had never faced scrutiny before:
- Buyers would only purchase a property they had walked through in person
- "Closing day" meant a marathon session of signing paperwork face to face
- "Open house" could only cater to people within about 30 miles of a home
All of these proved to be untrue — and many of them changed completely in a matter of weeks.
- Open Houses Can Now Be Virtual
Conventional face-to-face open houses are seeing more demand, and they may soon be nearly as popular as they once were. But the requirement to drive to a home and see it in person doesn't meet all buyers' needs. Buyers who may be moving from out of state (or outside the country!) love virtual open houses. Agents are wise to continue doing them and making the videos available through social media. - Savvy Buyers Are Operating at a Distance
In the post-pandemic world, most buyers still want to see the home they'll bid on, but if they can't get there in person, that's fine. The onus falls on you as the real estate agent to have even better photographs — outdoor, indoor, and in multiple lighting conditions — as well as videos whenever possible. Agents shouldn't be quick to put their Zoom accounts on pause, as you'll probably do at least one virtual walkthrough every month. - Closing Day Never Needed to Be a Hassle
A big part of the experience of closing on a home, especially for the first time, is the mystique around closing day. In hindsight, though, we can see how the mythology of closing day may have led it to be a little bit less efficient than it could be. Going forward, more buyers will be looking for a streamlined closing. Real estate agents would do well to have a network of title companies, real estate attorneys, and more to refer out to.
Looking Ahead, Artificial Intelligence Is the Future of Real Estate
As we look forward to the future, artificial intelligence seems to be taking the world by storm. Yet, for all of its strengths, it has a high error rate when it tries to take over relationship functions for humans. Successful real estate agents will use AI as an adjunct to their inimitable skills, helping them serve more customers faster.
Let's consider some of AI's most valuable uses:
- Maintaining Awareness Within Your Network
With a real estate CRM like DeltaNET, you have more power than ever before to keep an eye on your prospects, leads, current customers, and past customers. DeltaNET watches for fresh interactions with your online brand, including your real estate website, and lets you know when it's the right moment to follow up. - Consistent, High-Quality Communication
Real estate agents can transform their social media following and email marketing list into true business value faster than members of any other profession. An AI-driven approach to outreach enables you to deliver content built around followers' interests while scaling up from dozens to hundreds to thousands of messages weekly. - Facilitating Tours and Events
Capturing contact details and following up is crucial at any stage of buying and selling. When you integrate your virtual tours and open houses into a communications strategy infused with AI, you ensure you'll always get the insights you need to keep people (even "no-shows") in your funnel.
Contact us to discover more about how AI and machine learning can help you excel.
