Souless

I'll admit it; I stopped at McDonald's on my way to San Leandro. Having decided that I can no longer stomach $6 iced teas (it's a tea bag and water for Christ's sake), I pulled off the highway and into the parking lot to secure a cheap refill. ($1.69 for a LARGE iced tea, thank you very much.)

I should preface this story by explaining that I worked at McDonald's in Sacramento as a high school student . . .

spending the better part of my junior and senior years manning the drive-thru from 3:00 to 9:00pm, Monday through Thursday (even then, I was a multitasker). Which is why I know the average customer will spend an extra 10 minutes in the drive-thru line as opposed to ordering over the counter. Suffice it to say, I'm not a snob when it comes to the Golden Arches - far from it - they still make the best fries in the fast-food industry.

Even so, with the exception of stopping for McFlurry's on the way home from swim lessons with my young boys (now grown men), I haven't set foot in a McDonald's in at least a decade. Consequently, I was surprised to see that this particular location was run by three people in total (although I shouldn't have been). Gone are the days of multiple cashiers, managers, and line cooks. Instead, automation has replaced the crew of eager, young kids that earned their stripes (and their spending money) wearing polyester uniforms that retained the scent of grease long after your removed them.  

Instead of being greeted with "Welcome to McDonald's, what can I get for you?" you now walk up to a screen, place your order on a touch pad, and pay for it with the tap of a phone. A few moments later, the food and drink(s) appear, courtesy of an expediter. It's efficient to be sure, but it's also incredibly soulless (but then again, so is the food).

Watching the world convert to AI wherever possible, and working at a company that prides itself on being "tech driven," I'm happy to utilize the tools COMPASS has developed, recognizing only too well the value that artificial intelligence has to play in an increasingly complicated transaction. But, I am also keenly aware that real estate is still being sold one house at a time. For all the websites and speedy information that can now be delivered and disseminated, buying a home still requires Buyers to cross the threshold and get a feel for the property, at least, I hope, for the foreseeable future.

Is there a world in which potential Buyers walk into an Amazon store, slip on a pair of goggles and tour the house "virtually?" Perhaps, but at the same time, it's critically important for Buyers to physically visit the home, check out the neighbors on either side of the property, get a sense of the street and the greater community, and understand both the scale and the layout of the home in real time. While virtual Agents may be on the horizon, I'm not sure a robot can replace our skill sets just yet. (Although yesterday, while scrubbing down a deck full of plum pits and rotting fruit, I longed for a replacement to do the dirty work at hand.)

Moreover, while AI can easily (and far more quickly) summarize the disclosures, it can't discuss with you what those findings mean or how they'll impact the purchase. It can't judge the emotional value of a property, nor measure your level of interest. It can't share anecdotal experiences or brainstorm how best to address any new information that surfaces during escrow. In short, AI isn't human, and for all the challenges buying a home can bring, a home purchase is, if nothing else, an incredibly "human" experience, made more difficult because it is usually overlaid with people's hopes, desires, and dreams . . . .

Certainly, we can use AI to write marketing copy, organize our files, manage lists, and truth-be-told, write a blog . . .(although I'd have to start paying a therapist instead to work through my "issues"). But when I begin to list the tasks a Realtor performs over the space of a week, it includes everything from picking out tile, running to Home Depot, hanging wallpaper, planting beds, meeting up with inspectors, collecting bids, setting calendars, drafting contracts, watering lawns, building property-specific websites, pulling out garbage cans, ordering lights, selecting finishes, meeting clients for showings, arranging listing appointments, holding hands with anxious Sellers and Buyers, and yes, frequently picking up a broom and a mop (that McDonald's training has come in handy). In fact, the best part of real estate is that no two days are ever alike; our weeks are filled with new and interesting challenges, much of it old-fashioned, hands-on, down-and-dirty work! (And you thought real estate was glamorous.)

Moreover, unlike logging onto an airline website and selecting from identical seats (I prefer an aisle), no two houses are ever the same, which makes our job essentially a treasure hunt, not to mention a match-making expedition. The butcher, the baker, the candlestick maker: Realtors® are the ultimate "before-and-after specialists," transformers, problem-solvers, and resources for all things involving the home. (Please reach out.)

In a world where it's nearly impossible to get a real, live, human being on the other end of a phone, Realtors® remain committed to personal service and excellence. More often than not, we're answering your call. AI or not, our goal is to achieve your objectives with care, due diligence, and a whole lotta soul.

How can we help you?