As we look ahead to the new year, the conference served as a great inspiration for reflecting on how the industry has evolved in the last year and the shape it will take in 2022. In that light, here are a few of our takeaways from this year’s gathering.
Consumers Demand Flexibility from their Vendors
If there was any question that the pandemic has had a permanent impact on the way we all do business, NAR’s 2021 conference put that belief to rest. Even as communities continue to make great strides in dealing with COVID-19, consumers’ expectations influenced by the realities of the pandemic show no sign of going away.
If there is any good to come from the pandemic, it’s that the residential real estate industry proved its resilience in meeting those expectations. The industry’s tech providers in particular were quick on the uptake to adapt around the situation, introducing new features and options with a speed not seen previously. At this year’s event, this was made even more apparent as the industry’s tech leaders detailed how they’ve pivoted throughout the last year-and-a-half to adapt to the new normal.
At the ShowingTime booth, for example, we expanded on our consistent rollout of meaningful new features, integrations, products and updates – all of which we’ve introduced at a breakneck pace over the last several months. And as we recently announced, we’re not slowing down any time soon.
The ShowingTime booth attracted scores of attendees, including current ShowingTime users and those who have never utilized a ShowingTime service alike, to see what’s new and on the horizon.
The Industry is Optimistic
As we greeted many familiar faces in person for the first since before the pandemic, this year’s NAR conference offered us a unique opportunity to take the temperature on the industry’s perspective of where we’ve been – and where we’re going. We’re pleased to share that if our interactions are any indication, the industry is in great shape and is well prepared to handle any challenges that may come.
While some attendees told us that they’re taking an appropriately cautious approach in their planning for the year ahead, even those who will be doing so were eager to bring up trends and announcements that gave them reason to believe that the industry is heading in the right direction. That the conference could again be held in person was enough to inspire confidence that things are on the upswing, and that feeling came through in our interactions with attendees.
ShowingTime’s Director of Product Mike Caputo offered attendees a unique first look at some of the exciting new features and enhances to come for ShowingTime users in the forthcoming rollout of the next generation ShowingTime user experience.
Collaboration is More Essential than Ever
There’s no question about it, the residential real estate industry is built on relationships. While that reality was never in question, the topic of collaboration seemed to have greater significance this year than ever before. Given the vital importance of strong bonds in the industry, it’s no surprise that real estate professionals expect that same level of connection from their vendors as well, and the topic was a regular focus from both vendors and speakers.
We heartily agree that collaboration is the lifeblood of our industry, and our long history of working with our industry partners and clients to provide seamless integrations to make life simpler for professionals and their clients alike demonstrates that. We were pleased to share a few of the recent ways we’ve been working to strengthen our connection with the industry. For example, we recently introduced a ShowingTime-igloohome lockbox integration, which adds another industry leader to the impressive list of compatible lockbox providers that seamlessly integrate with ShowingTime’s showing services.
While we don’t know precisely what 2022 will bring for the industry at large, we came away from this year’s REALTORS® Conference & Expo with a great deal of excitement for the year ahead. We have valuable offerings in store for ShowingTime users, including a brand-new user experience we’re sure will come as a welcome introduction to a ShowingTime workflow we know is essential for helping move the residential real estate forward.
The industry has shown tremendous resilience and we’re proud to have played a role helping real estate professionals overcome challenges by offering industry leading technology solutions that adapt to the current environment. If you think your business can benefit from nimble technology to simplify showing management, streamline how offers are submitted and received, the utilization of market statistics or agent recruiting, click the button below to speak with our Sales Team and learn how our offerings can meet your needs.
