Technology is changing the way we do our real estate business so rapidly, that many times we are contravening the regulations of our boards and associations. Unfortunately this leaves those on the leading edge vulnerable to "attacks" of fellow agents whereby the board or association is compelled to act to be seen to be enforcing the rules - at great cost to the accused agent!

A recent example concerns delivering listing information on the internet. Many of us have signed MLS Online Access Agreements which contain clauses such as: "Under no circumstances shall the Member store or retain in machine readable form or otherwise nor shall the Member provide facilities for the saving or reproducing in machine readable form or otherwise any MLS Information or establish a permanent file of MLS Information or statistical information for any purpose whatsoever."

Do you send listings by fax? Does your fax machine store in memory if you get a busy signal? You are breaking the rules. Does your board or association sell you software that allows you to store listing information on your hard drive or on a floppy? You are breaking the rules by definition.

Do you put that listing information in an e mail to send to a client? Make it available thru your web site perhaps using an autoresponder as a response to a visitor's request for specific info? Fax on Demand perhaps?

Agents have been ordered to "cease and desist" as a result of complaints by competitors - and the matter goes to various committees for, months perhaps.

This is especially a concern when using the internet, as the majority of agents are still not "net wise" and those boards and committees looking at complaints have little understanding of what is actually happening. Worse yet, many agents still believe anyone who wants info by e mail must be a flake anyways - and "why can't you just phone them?"

Another agent was forced to stop taking referrals - even though they were from a registered broker - because those referrals were coming from an internet site that was outside of the agent's province (happened in Canada). I still can't figure that one out! How is that different than getting a phone call from an agent in another state/province/country with a referral?

I would appreciate hearing your thoughts on this subject - and any experiences you may have had.

Dear Doug,
I found what you had to say very intersting and you had a valid point. Many real estate agents that do not adapt to technology will be left in the dust. I am the only one in my town using an e-mail address in my ads. The old "I have a telephone, they can call me" is so true to some people's thinking. But let me tell you if a customer is as busy as we are and he can send a question or referral to me at midnight over e-mail, he will do it. He won't wait until morning and maybe change his mind. Well, thanks for listening!

I agree Dawn,

If a customer is on the net, they already know about the benefits of e mail. I believe they like to be serviced thru the net as well to validate their own feelings that the net is an exciting and valuable place.

They would like an "online shopping experience". If we don't provide that (individually as well as as industry) someone else will!

Just having an email address is not enough either. You have to actually check and respond to your email daily. The negative view of "non-responders" is growing, and you are probably better off not advertising an email address if you do not use it properly. I know a lot of agents are off my referral list and the lists of others because they would not respond to a referral sent by email.


[This message has been edited by doug (edited 02-07-99).]

Amen Doug!

Richard Carnell, fellow e-team member from Owen Sound, while replying to an ad inquiry, was quick to get enough information from the caller to contact me this afternoon to alert me by e-mail of their return to Windsor this evening.

I had answered his e-mail promptly and was able to contact the customer this evening and hopefully Richard and I will be sharing in the enormous benefits of e-mail and being responsive to the many opportunities presenting themselves through the 'net.

THANK YOU RICHARD!

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