In this exciting, rapidly changing landscape of technological advancements, will real estate agents become obsolete? Will camcorders, digital 35mm cameras, sophisticated computer presentation software, and the wonderful world of the Internet and World-Wide Web replace us? I don’t think so.

However, I think we will continue to see a decrease in the number of Realtors who consider real estate their primary source of income. Why? For two reasons: there are too many agents chasing too little business; and, many agents are not tapping into growing technological advancements. 

According to the California Association of Realtors (CAR) statistics division, total residential resales in the state peaked at 562,240 in 1988. In 1994, closed sales for the same category totaled 482,790, and 1995’s numbers are estimated at 430,000 — a drop of almost 24% since 1988. 

CAR membership has paralleled sales statistics, reaching its apex of 147, 500 in 1990 (this figure does not include affiliates, such as lenders and title companies). Looking at the housing market trend, is it any surprise that CAR currently has a roster of approximately 98,000? By year-end 1996, the total is projected to be 90,000.

Real estate agents may be becoming an endangered species, but don’t count on us being extinct anytime soon. Technology provides information — vast amounts of it. It does not, however, give enough detailed, specific facts to protect people from what they don’t know. Realtors who understand how to integrate these resources and utilize them for the benefit of their clients will continue to be successful. 

It is now possible for non-Realtors to do things that were outside the average person’s reach only five or ten years ago. Today, anyone with sufficient computer hardware and/or software can sit in front of the home computer and get data on properties anywhere in the world — including color pictures. You can tour an entire house on your computer or TV in the privacy of your living room. This is wonderful. Those in real estate who do not think so are at a major disadvantage. Technology, when used appropriately, can be everyone’s friend. I can imagine it won’t be long before we will be paying for real estate in cybercash!

I am writing this article on a notebook computer that I neither had nor knew how to use two years ago. But it is me, and not the computer, who is writing this. Similarly, viewing particulars about a listing on your computer....