2020 Hindsight: Game-Changing Tech and Tools from the Last Decade

The New Year is a great time to look back and remember how far we've come. We've put together a list of some of the most game-changing tech that was born this last decade as well as some that could prove big in the next decade. How has this technology changed the way you do business?

Game-Changing Tech

The arrival and advancement of this technology has changed the way real estate agents generate, work, and convert leads in their day-to-day business.

4G / 4G LTE

Introduced commercially in 2010, 4G and 4G LTE made mobile internet download and connection speeds faster, making it easier for on-the-go agents to keep important business functions running while away from the office.

Vacation Rental Programs

While they existed prior to 2010, vacation rental programs like Airbnb exploded in popularity in recent years, making it easier for homeowners to earn money from their home or investment properties. This has created a new market of buyers who specifically look for homes with rentable components when looking at real estate.

Virtual Assistants/Artificial Intelligence

This last decade also saw the rise of several highly popular virtual assistants such as Siri (2011), Alexa (2014), and Google Assistant (2016). These programs enable hands-free note taking, research, and reminders, changing the way agents interact with their technology.

Social Media

In the 2000s, people had one or two social networks. In the 2010s, many popular social networks like Snapchat (2011), Pinterest (2010), Instagram (2010) and IGTV (2018) were born. This created a shift where people consistently used three to five social networks, changing how real estate agents connect with past contacts and new leads.

Smartphone Evolution

While we had smartphones before 2010, it was in the last decade that they went from really cool toys to indispensible business tools. They replaced traditional cameras, GPS devices, notepads, and more.

Tech with Staying Power

Just because a piece of new technology didn't revolutionize the industry, doesn't mean it hasn't had an impact. Here are some developments that are most likely here to stay.

Drone Photography

Taking aerial photos of your listings has never been easier thanks to commercial drones, which exploded in popularity around 2014.

Wearable Tech

Not all wearable tech is destined to stick around. Smart glasses failed to make a big name for themselves in the 2010s, but smart watches have proven themselves to be a big business asset.

Smart Home Tech

Many buyers consider smart home tech, such as mobile-accessible thermostats, video doorbells, and smart appliances a big plus when looking at homes. This technology will likely be adopted in more and more homes in years to come.

Mobile First/Responsive Websites

Back in 2010, websites were still designed primarily for desktop. Then designers started designing separate, mobile versions of their primary website. Finally, in 2019, Google switched to mobile-first indexing, causing designers to change their priorities again. As a result, most websites will be designed with mobile users as the top priority in the 2020s.

Tech of the Future

There have also been some incredible technological innovations that haven't gotten up to full steam yet. These tech innovations from the 2010s could end up being big in the 2020s.

Virtual Reality

Virtual reality programs like Oculus (2012) have found a steady foothold in the gaming industry, but still have plenty of potential to expand into the real estate sector. In the 2020s, we could see more and more agents making immersive listing tours available via virtual reality.

Self-Driving Cars

Once designers and lawmakers figure out the moral dilemmas involved with self-driving cars, these could enable real estate agents to reclaim large portions of time as they make their way from listings, appointments, and closings across town.

Real-time Language Translators

The last few years have seen notable advancements in real time language translating devices. Such tools can break down language barriers currently existing between agents and their clients and create more opportunities for business growth.

As we creep closer and closer to a new decade, make sure you're partnering with companies you can count on. We don't compete against you by buying and selling real estate, and we believe that buyers and sellers should work with local real estate agents. To learn how we support local agents, visit Homes.com/always.

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