When Liz Chace and I opened Residential Properties Ltd. in November 1981, everyone thought we were crazy. Interest rates were 17 percent and real estate offices were hidden on the upper floors of office buildings downtown, all owned and operated by men.
Agents smoked at their desks waiting for the Sunday Providence Journal to be published so they could check the new listings for the week. There were no cellphones, so administrative assistants took messages on pink pads titled "While you were out. …" No one expected you to call back until the next business day.
It is hard to believe how much has changed in 34 years. The Internet has revolutionized the way we buy and sell real estate, reshaping how information is delivered to the consumer and how we all manage our daily lives. The one thing that remains constant is our vision to market real estate in a way that will get the properties noticed.
Investing in Residential Properties' technology infrastructure, an in-house video department, telephony, and email gives my agents the tools they need to help their clients realize their goals, whether buying or selling.
Younger agents have an advantage having grown up with many of these tools, and we spend quite a bit of time getting our seasoned agents up to speed.
In order to succeed in the technology age, you need to be open to change. Future success is going to depend on how quickly you can adapt. •