We are all aware that technology and real estate seem to go hand-in-hand nowadays. There are virtual reality tours, artificial intelligence assistance, lead conversion, etc… but when does it become too much?

Sometimes technology can be more of a curse than a blessing. If your brokerage seems to fall into any of the categories below, it may be time to step away from the tablet and focus more on traditional means of real estate:

1. When it becomes too expensive.

If you can’t afford to buy the newest and hottest tech product – don’t. There is no need to break the bank if you don’t have to. Sure, it would be nice to have all the gadgets that big-name brokerages do, but sometimes that isn’t always the case. You shouldn’t have to pinch pennies just to have all the new technology trends – real estate transactions can function just fine without them.

2. When the tech products don’t complement each other.

Try to find tech products that play off each other. Think about Apple products: if you have an iPhone, MacBook, and iPad, they are all synced up with your information. But if you have an Andriod, MacBook, and Kindle… they don’t complement each other as well, and it is much harder to transfer your information across them. Real estate technology should be the same way. If buying the newest product makes it more difficult to access past information, then forgo it. The addition of new technology should always make your work easier, not harder.

3. When you start losing personal hospitality.

This is a big one. New technology is great in so many ways, but if you begin to lose your personal touch, it means something is wrong. Contemporary real estate calls for a strong balance between the two, and it is imperative to make sure that balance remains intact. If your brokerage seems cold, or your clients begin to feel as if they aren’t valued as much as they used to be, they’ll leave – no matter how technologically advanced you are.