With the dawn of the Internet and the World Wide Web, searching for things has been literally on the tip of man's finger. Complemented by sophisticated gadgetry, we can easily navigate on the internet and communicate with others and even search for the necessary information that we need.
In connection to real state, when the idea of real estate brokers/agents came to life, internet connection and reliable search engines did not yet exist. Information about a certain property is not made accessible to all, especially for those who are from afar. Advertisements during those days were limited, thus making interactions between buyers and sellers mostly dependent on the actions and ability of a broker.
However things have changed and the world is getting smaller and smaller. Connections are built with just a click of mouse. The presence of online real state advertisements and even online bidding somehow suggest the lesser need of broker. Existence of commercial real estate web-based portals in a way claims the replacement of the era of printed advertisement.
Sites which promotes direct interaction between buyer and seller enables both parties to learn much more about the others' interests and needs thus making the transaction results easily known. A yes or no can be negotiated online without a middleman. With the continuous popularity of this web based real estate platform it somehow suggests that brokers as time passes by are becoming obsolete.
Be it as it may, there are still some important roles that computers cannot replace. The role which brokers take pride on is their ability to add value to their service in a personal level. It can also be reckoned that letting in an online prospect buyer into a property whom you rarely know may pose a threat to you and to the safety of your family.
In brief, the role of person as a broker or any other profession could not be easily replaced by computers. For gadgets and other forms of it lacks feeling and compassion. These characters set us apart from machines allowing us to thrive in any situation we are immersed into. For brokers though deemed to be obsolete, reinventing of their role would be the best thing to do. This would mean figuring out new approaches on how to add more value and making every transaction as quick as possible without sacrificing the quality of the service.
What is your opinion about the possibility of computers replacing brokers in time. Feel free to comment and share your ideas.