Labels and generalizations are often slapped onto Gen X and Gen Y real estate buyers and sellers. Internet "gurus" and coaches alike dictate the standards by which Gen X and Gen Y buyers and sellers will hop in a real estate agent’s pocket. All you need to do is get plugged into social networking and become active in the Re.net and you will have the younger generation’s business.

Bzzz … wrong.

There are no slang terms or pop culture knowledge that is going to make a real estate agent become a trusted advisor. Regardless of the fact that Gen Y was born with a keyboard at their fingertips and Gen X is a "me" generation, it doesn’t mean we don’t want knowledgeable market professionals. It means we want high-touch, service and attention.

Is that so hard to understand?

Some real estate professionals get it. They use the Internet as a vehicle to generate business and communicate their value proposition. They get away from the lip service "I am the top producer" and prove their knowledge through actual, up-to-date local information. They also answer questions without the propaganda.

If you are selling real estate, listen to that bell that rings loud and clear. Consumers are tired of the old messaging. They are looking for specific information and they are looking to get it from a local professional. They want action-oriented results–those days of posturing are over.

Make no mistake–relationships are still important to Gen X and Gen Y buyers. Knowledge is still important. Honesty and integrity are vital. We might blog, text and get involved in forums, we might join social networks and "add friends."

But at the end of the day, we know what’s real and what isn’t. The relationship might begin online, but at some point in time, there is an offline engagement. We do actually hold many face-to-face conversations, and we do have true flesh and blood relationships.

If you want to win our business: engage in interesting dicussion online, gain our trust and then invite us for a personal meeting to further the relationship and start the real estate process. 

The Internet is a tool.

If you enjoyed this post, you’ll want to read:

• The path to progressive real estate search is through the eyes of a consumer
• Real estate buyers and sellers hang at online water coolers
• I am a consumer, service me now

Posted by Rebecca D. Levinson

This entry was posted on Friday, July 18th, 2008 at 3:45 pm and is filed under Buyer and Seller Advice. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.