Technology has changed so much since the 80’s! While we may not have flying cars, or live on the Moon or Mars quite yet, a lot of our world would look and sound like a sci-fi novel to people just a few decades ago.
They probably couldn’t have even imagined the basic things buyers, sellers, and agents see in the process of buying and selling real estate!
For a little fun, perspective, and appreciation for how far things have come, let’s take a look at 8 sentences that buyers and sellers would’ve had no clue what their agent meant, if they said them back in the 80’s:
Back in the 80’s people never would’ve dreamed you could eventually type in the address of your house on a computer and find out the (alleged… and probably inaccurate) value of your home!
Half the reason agents used to have buyers hop in their cars when showing houses in the 80’s was probably to avoid having their clients get lost between houses. Agents used to rely on knowing streets off the top of their head, or a trusty book of maps they’d whip out.
Electronic signatures aren’t that new, but there are still people who are amazed you can sign a contract on the computer… and plenty of people who can’t figure out how to do it!
Back in the 80’s, buyers were lucky to see one grainy picture of the front of a house for sale on the pages of a book published bi-weekly with new listings. Now buyers can get a detailed look at the pedestal sink in the half bath, if they click to the third picture of it.
If 37+ pictures of the inside wouldn’t be enough to amaze 80’s buyers and sellers, hiring someone to hover a small aircraft over houses to take pictures would!
Good wall space has always been a deciding factor on where to locate a TV. But considering the size and shape of TVs back then, an 80’s buyer would’ve had a hard time envisioning their TV on a wall, instead of on the floor in front of one.
QR codes may look like the graphics (and quality) of an 80’s video game, but 80’s homesellers would never have expected the high-tech marketing for their homes that’s available to today’s sellers!
A truly advanced (and wealthy!) agent back in the 80s might have had a brick-like mobile phone, but it was a rare sight. If you wanted to reach your agent, you had to hope they were sitting at their desk by the phone when you called, or you’d have to leave a message and wait until they got back to the office. Now you wouldn’t dream of hiring an agent without a cellphone, and the ability to call, text, or email you throughout the day!
But, while a lot of things have changed since the 80’s, one thing that hasn’t changed is an agent’s drive to protect your best interests…
If you are preparing your house for sale, click here to learn how to do it without spending too much.
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