By Kathy Henne

Contributing columnist

The growth of information technology in real estate has provided benefits to both agents and consumers. Not only are buyers and sellers better informed, but the real estate agents are also able to offer a higher level of service.

When computers and the Internet first came to prominence and common use in real estate, the expectation of some was that the access to all that information would soon replace the need for representation in the sales transaction. Instead, there are many more agents practicing now. In the real estate industry, the number of agents, the use of technology, and economic growth have all increased together over the years.

Now consumers can view listings online, research neighborhood demographics, and even take virtual tours of homes 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. All of this creates more educated homeowners and buyers, who understand the benefits of representation.

With this information overload, the buyers and sellers need a real estate agent to translate all the data, as well as to assist with the complicated matters like fair market value, inspections, legal documents, negotiations, and more.

Real estate, like law or medicine, is not something you learn on Internet search engines like Google or Yahoo. Your agent will bring to you their years of knowledge and experience to help guide you through your real estate experience and bring it to a happy ending.

Contact the Kathy Henne Team Re/MAX by calling 937-778-3961