With so much attention focused on the Internet, Realtors know they should be ready and able to serve the Internet Empowered Consumer (IEC) . Many are turning to the N.A.R.'s new e-PRO certification program for a quick training primer, or to add new skills if they are already Internet-ready. But the e-PRO course isn't designed for everyone. Is going e-PRO the right thing for you?

Before you embark on any journey, you may consider such things as the time and expense, and weigh that against what you hope to gain from the experience. The e-PRO certification is a journey, too. It will take you across a great chasm separating the Internet-enabled agent from the unable. You can make the choice whether or not you want to cross the bridge, but first, take a look at the vast gulf dividing agents and see which side you want to be on.

The Great Internet Divide

The e-PRO is not a typical certification, nor is it a niche-definer, but its impact will be felt enough to produce a shake-out establishing a new hierarchy among real estate 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 certification is part of a grand plan by the The National Association of REALTORS® (NAR) to accomplish several objectives simultaneously - to restore the Realtor to the center of the transaction and to raise the image of the Realtor through improved, updated skills.

The NAR's only certification 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 RETS (Real Estate Transaction Standard – based on the new XML Web 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 direct beneficiary (and customer) for many of these services. Without being Internet-enabled, Realtors are on the outside looking in. The Realtors who become e-PROs will be rewarded with access to the N.A.R.-sponsored operating platforms and services that will result in promotional and operational benefits and privileges.

To put it bluntly, the agents who don't cross the Internet chasm will eventually be handicapped enough that they may be forced to drop out of the profession altogether.

The Divide Between Agents and Consumers

The N.A.R. is also concerned by the growing chasm between the Internet capabilities of its membership and the Internet Empowered Consumer. Over 40 percent of homebuyers are turning to the Internet, says the NAR, and as many as 90 percent in the "wired cities" such as Seattle, according to survey information compiled by John L. Scott Realtors. Yet, only approximately ten percent of Realtors actively use the Internet, according to research performed by Thomas Wiesel Partners.

Not only is there an age differential of almost 20 years between the online home buyer and the average Realtor, but an attitude gulf 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 about $38,000.

Many Realtors have been slow to catch on that the IEC operates differently from the traditional real estate consumer. They have a unique set of behaviors and expectations that are in direct contrast with what Realtors have been taught. IECs like to be in control and expect online Realtors to be as Internet-savvy as they are. Seventy-five percent of online buyers say that they believe it is important for their agents to be Internet-savvy. As IECs look online for real estate services, they will have little patience with Realtors who don't answer their email inquiries in a timely fashion or prefer faxing blurry property information to digitalizing and emailing photos and feature sheets.

The course is set. The N.A.R. wants to do everything possible to bridge the Internet chasm for its members. The only question that remains is should you become an e-PRO?

Should You Become An e-PRO?

The e-PRO course is designed to accommodate as many interested, motivated Realtors as possible, but only you can make the decision if it is the right thing for you to do.

The best way to find out is to ask yourself a few honest questions.

How much longer do you expect to be in the business?

If you think you are going to be in business for more than three to five years, the e-PRO will differentiate you in the eyes of the IEC and prepare you for the online transaction to come. The course will help you understand the nuances of working online. If you are a top producer with a huge referral base, you can estimate at least three years of continued referrals before the IEC base is going to affect them. If you are going to retire in three to five years, you probably don't need to become an e-PRO.

Do I you want to stay in the people business?

The very nature of e-PRO and its approach to the Internet will put you more in the people business than ever before. That is because it is easier to create powerful, profitable relationshipos online than on the phone or in person.

Do I want to become a techo-wizard?

No. Ironically, it may be the techno-wizards out there who may have the most difficulty seeing the Internet's full potential. Techno-wizards enjoy playing with technology, and that is what excites them, but technology can distract agents from what makes the real estate industry really tick - working with people. The e-PRO course is not about technology, but new ways to leverage your already powerful people skills.

Am I change-adverse or do I embrace change?

This is the one question that will determine who will likely make it and who won’t. separates the wheat from the chaff. No matter what you learn from e-PRO course or from any other source, for that matter, if you are adverse to change and/or don't have a high tolerance for change, then the e-PRO is not for you. In fact, the real estate industry is no longer for you either. If you think you are going to get into any business and not face change, you'll be disappointed — accelerating Internet-driven change is affecting every industry . If you can change your attitude and see change as an exciting strategic advantage and an opportunity to move further ahead in your career, then e-PRO is definitely for you. Ride the crest of the wave of change. When you can do that, everything is an exciting possibility.

How do I deal with change?

You have to meet change head on, because either you or your negative attitude toward change has to go away. The Internet is profoundly affecting every field of endeavor. Using the Internet has become an important life skill, so the only solution regarding the Internet is engaging change in a positive way. Undergoing change is stressful, but that is neither good nor bad. We need a certain amount of stress to function properly. Stress can positively affect evolution, invention, motivation, and hundreds of other human aspects, so if you are resistant to change, you are going counter to the most basic survival technique. Things don't stay the same. If you don't adapt or anticipate change, you become extinct. That is what you are facing right now - the extinction of the non-Internet-enabled agent.

Many agents believe that the Internet is a tool for the young. But some of the most successful online agents are in their 60s. According to the Internet Standard, the fastest growing Internet population is not the young, but the over-50 crowd. So age has nothing to do with the Internet, but it has everything to do with your attitude, your perspective and how good of a people person you are.

Published: August 9, 2000

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