Technology changes real estate agent's role

• Agents including Lori Reiland set up custom searches for clients
• They help with photography, marketing and tap into referral networks for repairs and other needs
• They assist with negotiating, financing options and knowledge of the local market

In days of old, Lori Reiland was in the field with clients 70 percent of her business time and on the computer 30 percent. Now, said the associate broker with the Peoria office of Russ Lyon Sotheby's International Realty, those percentages have flipped.

"We spend much of our day on the computer, making sure that the information is presented accurately and attractively," said Reiland, a longtime West Valley resident. "The clients find their own homes many times, so we just help them through the process."

When she started in the business more than two decades ago, the local association of Realtors published a monthly book with all listings for its members. Because of this exclusivity, the only way a client could find out what was for sale was to hire an agent or physically drive an area of interest in search of sale signs.

"We were the keeper of the keys and the information, and our job was to show homes and find the right home," Reiland said.

When the Internet took hold in the late 1990s, real-estate information became more timely and accurate for brokers and agents but was still not widely available to the public. That a home was under contract, for instance, was immediately known to professionals, but the information was not available to the general public. Much selling time actually was lost just sorting this out with clients.

"In today's market, the information is so widely disseminated that anyone can find a home," she said, noting that this information, provided by participating brokers, is distributed through the Arizona Regional Multiple Listing Service.

ARMLS disseminates this information to several websites, such as Realtor.com. Another Digital Age tool she and her associates use regularly is the Cromford Report, a daily update on pricing and market news for the Phoenix area.

The industry-changing reality: Clients shop in their pajamas, in their bathing suits or on a plane.

"As a Realtor, much of my time is now spent setting up custom searches and portals for my clients so that they are getting the listings sent to them immediately upon the property hitting the market," she said. "Many of the best homes are the ones that sell quickly, so this instant information is important."

"We have become more of an advocate for our clients, helping to get them through the homebuying process with ease and knowledge," she said.

As a result of technology, she said she can do more value-adds for her clients, including arranging professional photography, focusing on an Internet-intensive marketing plan and building a referral network of insurance companies, painters, cleaners and other vendors to assist when needed.

In addition, digital signatures help to ensure authenticity when a client is out of town or unavailable to meet for signings, e-mail helps to offer clients market updates and presentation software facilitates sales.

As the West Valley grows, agents must become more knowledgeable about a wider variety of neighborhoods, learning and visiting new model centers to be the source of knowledge for clients interested in a particular neighborhood, she said.

"In the old days when we had to search through a book, we were unable to be as versatile as we are today," Reiland said. "Today, the tools and the information are constantly changing, and we have to be able to change with the times to be successful in any market."

Brown is a Valley-based freelancer (www.azwriter.com).