The Use of Technology Survey was conducted in the third quarter of 2008. The purpose of the survey was to determine and track current trends in technology used by REALTORS®. The survey asked REALTORS® questions on topics ranging from their computer and technology usage to their Internet needs and usage within their real estate business.

Snapshot of Members Use of Technology

•   99 percent of REALTORS® have a high-speed Internet
    connection at home.
•   33 percent use a laptop or tablet computer in the field,
    up from 27 percent last year. Seven out of ten of those
    who use their laptop in the field (70 percent) cite the main
    reason for doing so was to conduct listing presentations 
    (up from 58 percent a year ago)
•   27 percent indicated that a hands-free cell phone was
     their most important business upgrade in the last 12
     months. Only 13 percent said they purchased a new
     computer, down from 20 percent in the prior year. In fact,
     31 percent of respondents said they had not made an
     important real estate business purchase in the same
     time period, up from 22 percent a year earlier.
•   45 percent said that their use of technology gives them a
     competitive edge over other agents in the field when asked
     how technology helps them in their real estate business.
•    68 percent of REALTORS® turn to Zillow.com, 32 percent 
     turn to Craigslist.org, and 26 percent turn to Yahoo! Real
     Estate to get information about real estate.
•    60 percent “Showcase” or pay for upgraded listings on
     Realtor.com, up from 48 percent in 2007.
•   11 percent of respondents send their clients an electronic
     newsletter, while 7 percent of REALTORS® say they
     participate in online real estate forums or blogs.
•   48 percent of REALTORS® business originated from the 
     Internet in 2008 on average, compared to 44 percent in 2007.
•   58 percent say that keeping up with email is one of the 
    biggest technological challenge they face in the real estate
    marketplace today.

The Internet – Useful Tool for REALTORS®

The top business uses of the Internet for REALTORS® include e-mail (93 percent), checks listings online (90 percent), MLS access (89 percent), access to brokerage Web site (59 percent) and WINForms® (55 percent). Since most have a high-speed connection in their homes, the Internet has evolved into a crucial tool for REALTORS®. REALTORS® are doing more than ever on the Internet such as marketing, maintaining their Web sites, posting their listings, and communicating with clients. As a result they are generating more business from the Internet than ever before.

Advances in Communication

REALTORS® are also turning to high-tech instruments such as handheld Internet devices, Email, and Web sites to communicate with their clients. With 22 percent of REALTORS® said they own a handheld wireless Internet device for their real estate business and the reason for doing so is to respond to clients quicker, 32 percent of respondents said they answered clients emails instantly and another 34 percent within 30 minutes to one hour. REALTORS® are also making use of their personal Web sites to be available to their clients. More than three-quarters (77 percent) of REALTORS® who have personal Web sites include an IDX feed to display listings, along with other features such as virtual tours (53 percent), contact me options (42 percent) and interactive maps such as Google Maps (33 percent).

REALTORS® Are Evolving

In a time where high-speed internet use is virtually universal and clients demand both information and expertise from their real estate professionals, REALTORS® are stepping up their game by utilizing and integrating the web into their real estate business and the real estate transaction. REALTORS® are striving to meet the demands of their clientele by delivering an unmatched customer experience as well as stay on the cutting-edge in terms of their use of technology, the vast Internet resources available, and software tools at their fingertips. As REALTORS® move forward with respect to technology, it will remain challenging for some REALTORS® to keep up with the latest trends, but will offer an opportunity for greater productivity and efficiency in the real estate transaction as well as contributing to the value a REALTOR® adds to the real estate transaction.