In today's world the search technology benefits the client, and the efficiency technology (like CRMs) benefit the brokerage. The problem is, cost of brokerage fees haven't changed. There is clearly much more room for improvement.
There is definitely a strong argument for the value of experience when disrupting an old industry. The main reason real estate has thwarted off technology for so long is that regulation and entrenched practices are set up to keep super-disruptive technology at bay.
This is why I think it is going to take a company with both human agents and software developers to make any real change. It has to be disrupted from the inside out, making experience all the more important.
I totally agree. It's not that new tools need to be made for the existing brokers, but new companies need to completely redefine what a "real estate agent" looks like and does. Only then will then will regulation come close to catching up with most industries.
One of the main problems with so many companies selling to agents (most of whom don't know how to effectively use the tech they are paying for) is that the increased spending of agents only solidifies higher broker fees for the average home buyer...