Looking ahead at real estate tech trends

The last 10-15 years have been some of the most challenging and interesting in the history of the real estate industry. New technologies like the Internet, IDX, mobile, social media and more have changed the landscape and the way we live, communicate and do business. What if you had a crystal ball and could see what new technologies and real estate tech trends should you be aware of that might reshape the industry in the next 10-15 years?

You might not, but Craig Grant from The Real Estate Technology Institute, a speaker again this year at next month’s Triple Play Realtor® Convention in Atlantic City does. And he will be sharing his insights into what trends and emerging technology breakthroughs will rock the real estate world including wearable technology, 3D contour printing, virtual reality and the connected home.

“Green, 3D contour printing and the connected home are the next big trends in home building,” said Grant. “Your home will be more efficient and off the grid. Your refrigerator will be connected to the Internet and will let you know when you are low on milk. In fact, your home might be printed by a computer instead of built by laborers.”

Another emerging trend bound to explode is the focus on the cloud, big data and predicative analysis which means Realtors® will be collecting, storing and leveraging data about consumers more than ever before.

This leads to another trend that does not have favorable emotions for many, data security. As a small business owner, Realtors® typically do not have a dedicated IT staff or the knowledge to properly protect their digital information themselves.

“The [National Association of Realtors®] Code of Ethics sets Realtors® up for failure because it requires them to collect and store client data for up to five years. Most Realtors® are not taking the proper steps to secure their clients’ data and this is a dangerous scenario as they are prime targets for hackers,” Grant said.

National stories about hackers obtaining consumer data from large corporations like Target and Home Depot seem to be common place in the news cycle.

“The need to protect and secure stored information will be another big trend that affects our industry. Realtors® need to start taking data security seriously,” Grant added.

Grant will be presenting three programs at the Triple Play Realtor® Convention in Atlantic City, December 8-11. His sessions include: The Next Generation of Realtor® Tech Tools; How Smart is Your Smart Phone?; and Run Your Business on Google and the Cloud.