Could this High Tech Real Estate Office be the Vision of the Future?

A new high tech café-style real estate office is springing up in Pennsylvania and Maryland to offer agents and brokers the latest in real estate technology with around-the-clock access to transaction documents, Inman says.

The cafe will be run by Jack Gaughen Realtor ERA, a brokerage that employs about 300 agents in 11 offices throughout the region. Many of those agents are already handling their business remotely, said Barbara Schmidt, the agency’s president. The cafe is just a logical extension of that business.

“If we are able to make this model work, we can increase our geographic footprint in other communities,” Schmidt said.

And it could also become the prototype for other offices like it around the county.

high tech

Real estate agents can use the high tech “mobile workspace” to access Wi-Fi, download apps and materials, and meet with clients in a professional environment. Presentation space will also be made available, with high-definition monitors.

“There are no assigned desks, just work spaces,” Schmidt said.

The firm will use HomeBase, an online transaction management system powered by Realogy that provides clients and agents access to real estate transaction documents at all times. Additionally, HomeBase inTouch turns online property inquiries into voice mails, which get sent to agents’ cellphones, enabling them to answer Web-initiated questions and never miss a beat.

The high tech cafe, in rural Stewartstown, Pa., is near the Maryland border. It opened March 14 and has a coffee bar, treats and community art inside.

“We can hold events that will affect families,” Schmidt said. “We can make it a community place.” And it sure sounds like it will be.

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