Social Networking, Streaming Video, Transparency…What’s Next?
By Anthony Longo 19 12 2006
RISMEDIA, December 19, 2006—Change, as they say, is the only constant. And it’s certainly no different in the real estate industry. Since his concise analysis of the real estate industry in his 1997 book, Real Estate Confronts Reality, Stefan Swanepoel has risen over the years to visionary status, according to many in the industry. His 13th book, The Swanepoel Trends Report, published earlier this year, offers important and insightful forecasting of the issues that stand to most impact the real estate industry. Here, Swanepoel prognosticates on the year ahead.
Maria Patterson: How would you categorize the year 2006?
Stefan Swanepoel: A new beginning for the Internet. Once hailed as the “silver bullet,” thereafter ridiculed as “overrated,” the Internet has returned in a stronger and more sincere showing than in its decade-long real estate history.
The online buyer is here, the means to provide more extensive and better services via the Internet is here. I even think that a few of the future long-term winners are also here today and that over the course of the next few years they will solidify their position as dominant players.
No matter which model you look at, almost all of them are changing the traditional rules of finding, connecting, serving and staying in contact with the home buyers and sellers of tomorrow. The foundation for change has been poured and the time has come to build a new industry. Continued…
Source: RISMedia
Just love his stuff. Stefan is always right on the money when it comes to predicting changes. Just read his latest 2007 Real estate trends report. Do yourself a favor a get it. Its a awesome read. I got mine copy at http://www.retrends.com