WILL ESTATE AGENTS BE REPLACED BY A.I.?

The days of fax machines, smoking in offices and relying solely on the local newspaper for advertising are long gone, with agents having to adapt, evolve and move with the times. Smartphones, technology and online advertising now play an integral role, with agents having to strike a fine balance between new and old; keeping alive the best of traditional estate agency while embracing modern, innovative approaches too.

The main differences between then and now are mostly to do with the invention of the Internet and IT and their integration within our business and our lives. We now heavily rely on digital marketing and don’t rely on newspaper advertisement at all.

Quite a few things have changed for better – the choice of agents for the customer is much wider. Now customers are able to use many more different estate agent brands, styles and business models than in the 1980s. Not many things have changed for worse, we believe, we can now look after more customers to a higher standard more of the time.

Nowadays, the market dictates everything and it is the most adaptable of agents that will survive and thrive in this climate. The market is far more competitive than it used to be. The need to adapt is absolute. We have a responsibility to evolve our own businesses if we want them to remain profitable and successful. Ultimately we will all be (if we’re not already) ‘hybrids’ – offering a blend of technological and personal solutions.

In 20 years’ time where will estate agency be? We foresee even greater legislative obligations. We anticipate an increased role for technology, making all of our lives faster and ultimately more convenient. One thing we mustn’t forget is that human factor will always be needed in estate agency, no A.I. technology and branding will ever replace human intelligence and service.