The e-PRO is not a typical designation, nor is it merely a niche-definer. The agents who are called e-PROs will be firmly vaulted over an increasingly wide chasm separating the technology-enabled agents from the unable.

The e-PRO won't polarize the industry in an us-against-them sort of way, but there will be a hierarchy of agents with the Internet-enabled firmly occupying the top rung. The effects of the e-PRO will be felt in a very deliberate way, because the designation is part of a grand plan to accomplish several objectives simultaneously - to restore the importance of the Realtor to the transaction, to raise the image of the Realtor, and to provide a greater army with which to close ranks to retain the power in the transaction.

The ones who become e-PROs will be rewarded with access to the services, promotional efforts, privileges and operating platforms sponsored by the N.A.R. The ones who don't cross the technology chasm will eventually be handicapped enough that they may drop out of the profession altogether.

The National Association of REALTORS' only designation is designed to attract agents to the Internet and enable them to do business there, and the sooner the better. With a number of initiatives announced this year, the N.A.R. has made it absolutely clear that it believes that the future of the real estate industry and the hold that Realtors will have on it lies within the Internet. These initiatives include:

The creation of the RETS standard.

The N.A.R., equity partner Homestore and its subsidiary, Wyldfyre, along with leading MLS information system provider VistaInfo, Inc, contributed the technology to create the first Internet language standard for adoption by the real estate industry. VistaInfo subsequently announced the creation of the first National Internet MLS platform, to serve MLSs across the country with Web enablement, using the RETS standard. RETS will enable any MLS, any service provider, and any broker or agent to share information via any server across the nation and the world.

The building of the Real Estate Transaction Platform using the RETS standard.

The online system is designed to facilitate and streamline the steps involved in closing the purchase or sale of a home by enabling real estate brokers, lenders, and other service providers to contribute their pieces of the transaction online to a Realtor-controlled platform. Early investors of the broker-driven initiative include Fannie Mae, GMAC Real Estate, Prudential, RE/MAX, RE Formsnet, and Verisign.

The creation of FireTap Communications, a joint venture of the N.A.R. and Homestore.

FireTap will provide a full breadth of telecommunications business solutions including high-speed connections, and residential and home office communications services to consumers. But for Realtors, the clue will be in the servicing of MLS and Realtor organizations with "a comprehensive array of broadband products and services including high-speed Internet access utilizing DSL, wireless, cable modem and fiber network technology; a range of local and long distance phone connectivity; Internet Service Provider (ISP) access and hosting services; and digital television and entertainment services."

None of these initiatives would have much hope of success without the wired Realtor, who is also the designated customer for many of these services, as well as the beneficiary of these initiatives.

Although the N.A.R. would never come out and say so, the Realtor of today is a bit of an embarrassment. The nature of the business - easy entry, self-employment - allows Realtors to sometimes hold themselves back, but they are also being held back by antiquated communication systems. Some of these are the life's blood of local Realtor organizations and their MLS subsidiaries or partners, who use the revenues from software sales and dues to operate. But these systems are no longer cost-effective or efficient. Many MLSs are too small or too underfunded to graduate from legacy-bound information systems to Internet-ready overlays. Others are afraid of the Internet will somehow destroy the rules and customs that the MLSs enforce to retain cooperation among competing brokers. Others fear that their listings, a valuable commodity, will be homogenized and that the Realtor will be devalued. Some officers are simply afraid for their jobs.

The solution is a national platform where the MLSs can save face, save some of their jobs, and provide the Internet services their members need, all while protecting the sanctity of the broker-owned listing. VistaInfo, Inc. is willing to step in and do the dirty work so that the MLSs who wish to continue offering the time-intensive, and unprofitable job of gathering and maintaining historical and tax roll data can do so, and the ones who wish not to can delegate the task without fear of being disintermediated. As a result, VistaInfo could emerge as the most powerful ally to the N.A.R. and Homestore in real estate - the keepers of the true data.

The N.A.R. has to also be concerned by the growing chasm between their membership and the Internet consumer, which the Internet-dumb Realtor is incapable of serving. Not only is there an age differential of almost 20 years, but an attitude chasm exists also. The Internet homebuyer is younger (early 30s,) has a higher income ($69,900), and buys more home than his/her offline counterpart. Average Realtors are in their late forties, and have a median income of $38,000.

According to separate surveys by Realtor.com and John L. Scott Realtors, about 70 percent of home buyers used the Internet to find a property, an agent, a loan or sought other information online during the home buying experience. As these consumers look online for services, they may find alternatives to doing business with aging N.A.R. members who don't answer their email inquiries or feel blurry faxed photos should suffice. With 75 percent of home buyers expecting their agent to be Internet-savvy, according to the N.A.R., that is not a chance the trade organization cares to take.

On one side of the chasm is the Realtor who can use the resources of the Internet. On the other side will be the agents who can't.

"We are talking about a change of behavior from traditional real estate," says Michael Russer, e-PRO architect. "We are dealing with a different consumer who has an advantage on the Internet.

"Everything we have been taught in the traditional space, will work against you online," warns Russer. "The e-PRO creates the bridge from where agents are to where they need to be. It also gives them a criteria where they can self-identify if this is the right way to go for them. If not, they have a face-saving way to exit the business."

Published: June 8, 2000

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Blanche is a renowned author of five real estate books. Her newest, Bubbles, Booms and Busts: Make Money In Any Real Estate Market, McGraw-Hill, was rave-reviewed by The New York Times. She was also selected from hundreds of real estate experts to contribute to Donald Trump's book, Trump: The Best Real Estate Advice I Ever Received: 100 Top Experts Share Their Strategies, Rutledge Hill Press, and is featured on page 68. Order Now Review - Honors In 2006, Blanche was selected among scores of candidates to author two consumer real estate guidebooks for the National Association of Realtors: The NAR Guide to Home Buying, and The NAR Guide to Home Selling, Wiley & Sons. She is currently planning two new books for the NAR and its members.       Known for her keen insight into real estate industry issues and for her ability to make complex subjects easy to understand, Blanche is a sought-after keynote and continuing education speaker. Real estate organizations from MLSs, to brokerages, to franchisors, to associations hire her to provide up-to-the-minute analysis of real estate industry news and advice on how to improve revenues. Her passionate delivery, peppered with stinging wit, is a huge hit with audiences and fans. Don Klein, CEO Greater Nashville Association of Realtors, Blanche Evans, Richard Courtney, president 2007, GRAR "The GNAR membership meeting last week featured Blanche Evans as the keynote speaker. Her comments and insights resonated extremely well with those in attendance and we have had many requests for copies of her PowerPoint Presentation. She was a terrific part of the membership meeting and convention program!" - Don Klein, CEO Greater Nashville Association of Realtors Coverage from WSMV, Nashville - 8-14-2007 That Interview Guy - Get Inside The Head Of Today's Generation 2007 AE Institute Session - To purchase 2006 AE Institute Session - Parts 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 HouseValues Mastermind call - Parts 1 2 Blanche's fireside chat with Jeremy Conaway, HAR - Click here. For more articles by Blanche, click here.