Transparency and You: What to Know About this Important Market Shift

Remember the days when availability, pricing, market trends, and histories used to be available almost exclusively to the professional real estate industry alone? In today's real estate market, you are no longer 'gatekeeper' to this coveted 'information key.' Today, we'll take a closer look at transparency in the industry, and how the Internet is changing the market.

Out of the Darkness

No longer in the dark, telling clients not to worry about the nitty-gritty, behind-the-scenes details of the MLS and other essential processes is not an option. The Internet has opened the eyes of clients to what previously went on behind the closed doors of the industry.

Today, 80 percent of shoppers begin their real estate transaction online. In years previous, coveted information was compiled by real estate professionals. This development offers today's clients access to information that was once almost exclusively in the hands of real estate pros.

Into the Light

With the Internet putting information in the hands of consumers, informed buyers and sellers are asking, "Why do I need you?" For skilled agents, this is a boon in disguise, as less-than-stellar agents only willing to exert minimal effort for commissions are sure to be systemically cleansed from the industry, strengthening the profession.

Looking to the Future

As the real estate industry further jettisons into the coming "Era of Transparency," those striving for real estate career success must come out of hiding, educating their clients on the ins and outs of transactions, and why they are uniquely skilled and valuable to clients in accomplishing transaction tasks. Those that do not will be sidestepped by clients in an era of alternatives that do not involve an agent.

To view the original article, visit the Properties Online blog.