Last week, the National Association of REALTORS® (NAR) published its 2025 Technology Survey. It asked Realtors®, who are real estate agents who are also NAR members, about the new technologies they've been using over the last year. Many non-NAR members in the sector will likely be using similar devices, systems and techniques.
e-Signature
It's a bit of a stretch to call e-signatures new technology. The legislation that makes them legally enforceable is the Electronic Signatures in Global and National Commerce (ESIGN) Act, which dates back to 2000. And that built on 20th-century legislation: the Uniform Electronic Transactions Act (UETA) of 1999. Still, they're new in that few consumers used them before 2020.
Docusign is a market leader in the technology. On its website, it says that these laws mean, "A contract relating to a transaction cannot be denied legal effect solely because an electronic signature or record was used in its formation." In other words, an e-signature is as legally binding as a handwritten signature on a contract.
When necessary, an e-signature can be notarized online using an electronic or digital notary. Adobe explains how: "A digital notary works mostly like a traditional one, only online. An electronic notary service connects you with a secretary of state-certified professional notary through a video conference call. During the session, you’ll prove your identities and authenticate the document before signing and certifying it digitally."
However, most home buyers and sellers still seem to prefer a traditional closing meeting rather than a remote one. So, only some documents used when buying or selling a home tend to bear e-signatures.
Social Media and Drone Usage
Three in four of the survey's respondents use social media and drone photographs or videos for marketing purposes. How effective the social media element is will depend on how many followers an agent or his or her brokerage has.
Ryan Serhant was a star of the Million Dollar Listings New York TV show, and therefore has many followers: 3 million on Instagram, 174,000 on X (formerly Twitter), and 860,000 on Facebook. If he lists your home and puts it on social media, he can very quickly expand your pool of potential buyers.
However, the same may be much less true of your local agent. Still, who knows? "It only takes one," as they say in the property market.
Drone photographs and video footage can be a double-edged sword. A sequence that emphasizes the size of your spacious home, enormous pool and huge manicured compound before it sweeps on down to your private beach and jetty on the sea or a lake, can have potential buyers salivating. But if it shows a modest home on a small plot with neighbors so close you can hear them breathing, drone footage might not be doing you any favors. Your agent should be keen to use a drone if she thinks it will help your sale.
AI-Generated Content
Nearly half of respondents (48%) were using AI to do things such as write home descriptions. You should probably ask to check the text before it's published because AI famously suffers from "hallucinations," which can lead to errors or misleading information.
Of course, plenty of home buyers who have visited listings based on traditionally written descriptions have wondered whether real estate agents suffer from hallucinations. And at least AI often gets the spelling, grammar and syntax right.
Virtual Tours
The use of virtual tours was another technology that took off during the pandemic. Home buyers could do video tours from the comfort of their couches.
These can help buyers compile a short list of the properties they wish to view. Sometimes, an agent may be willing to conduct a live remote tour, showing you each room using a smartphone's camera. But, more commonly, you can access a standard tour on the agent's website or via YouTube. Search online for the property's address and click the Video tab.
Customer Relationship Management
Big companies have been using customer relationship management (CRM) systems for more than 25 years. But smaller companies, such as brokerages, can now afford scaled-down versions. And 21% of respondents said they used it.
Salesforce defines CRM as " ... a system for managing all of your company’s interactions with current and potential customers. The goal is simple: improve relationships to grow your business. CRM technology helps companies stay connected to customers, streamline processes, and improve profitability."
So, an agent will tell his CRM system all about a buyer's needs along with personal information he's gleaned. When an appropriate new listing becomes available, the system will prompt the agent to call, even dialing the number for him.
It may also pop a screen on his monitor, reminding him of personal information he's gathered from you. So, don't be surprised if he asks about your sick aunt, your daughter's last soccer game or your son's college grades. He may well care about these things, but he's also growing a bond with you and building your loyalty.
New Tech Sells
Realtors are using other tech to enhance sales, but in much smaller numbers. Fewer than 10% employ chatbots and predictive analysis. And only 4% use virtual reality for immersive walkthoughs.
Still, real estate professionals are clearly embracing new technologies to benefit clients by selling homes more quickly and at better prices. That it could improve their profitability, too, makes it a win-win.
