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With the availability of so much technology and a wealth of real estate information readily accessible on the Internet for buyers, what does that mean for real estate agents? Is it possible that all of this technological advancement could reduce the need for the agent, because it's easier than ever for buyers to become educated through Google University?

There are a number of reasons that real estate properties are often recommended as investments to interested individuals. For example, there is how real estate properties have a physical existence, meaning that there is a limit to how much their value can fall under normal circumstances, which can come as enormous reassurance to more cautious investors. Furthermore, real estate properties can increase their owners' wealth through a number of means, including but not limited to rent revenues and the increase in value that is the natural consequence of an economy doing well. Regardless, while people with high incomes tend to have the easiest time becoming real estate investors, it should be noted that there are also opportunities available for people with smaller incomes as well. Something that can mean intriguing opportunities for real estate agents who are searching for a niche in their local real estate markets to call their own.

Real estate agents should be using videos to market real estate properties to potential buyers, that cannot make it to personal tours. However, they need to make sure that their videos have been done well, because a bad video can do a great deal of damage to their sales efforts.

The real estate market is in a constant state of change, which presents both risks and opportunities for the real estate agents who are seeking to thrive in it. For example, the National Association of Realtors released some interesting statistics in 2015 about the changing makeup of real estate consumers, with one example being how members of Generation Y now make up 32 percent of all home buyers, which is more than that of all other generations.

Commission Express states that all's well that ends well—for sellers. Spring of 2016 marks a robust season for sellers due to the attraction of low interest rates to buyers in spite of high home sale prices, leading to an increase in sales. According to Jonathan Smoke, chief economist of realtor.com, the real estate market is the healthiest the market's seen in decades. Smoke attributes this success to increased demand, the country's low mortgage rates and "strong employment."

In recent times, more and more people have chosen to start using their phones as well as other mobile devices to research their products and services, so much so that their numbers overtook that of their desktop counterparts in 2015. As a result, it should come as no surprise to learn that real estate agents have focused more and more of their marketing resources on said individuals, resulting in the use of all sorts of innovative marketing tools and methods. One example is the custom app that allows real estate agents to reach mobile users by providing them with useful services related to the real estate market while also reminding said individuals of their existence, which can be surprisingly important when it comes to real estate marketing.

According to RealtyTrac, the rent on three-bedroom residential properties is expected to rise 3.5 percent in 2016, which should reflect the trend in the rent on other residential properties. This is concerning because of anemic growth in wages in recent months, which suggests that renting will become more and more unaffordable for housing consumers in significant swathes of the United States. As a result, real estate agents who specialize in the housing market should consider capitalizing on this trend by emphasizing the upsides to buying rather than renting a home.

According to statistics released by the National Association of REALTORS, 42 percent of real estate consumers found their real estate agents through referrals from their friends, relatives, and neighbors in 2015, while 24 percent of real estate consumers used the same real estate agents that they had used before. This is unsurprising since real estate consumers are more likely to believe their own experiences as well as the experiences of people they trust than the marketing of strangers. More importantly, said statistics provide useful insight into how real estate consumers choose their real estate agents, which is important information for real estate agents interested in maximizing the benefit from their marketing efforts.

Recently, the residential real estate site Trulia conducted a study on whether homes labeled as bargains were actually bargains when measured using quantitative factors. To no one's surprise, the study revealed that bargains were not necessarily bargains. Given the usual home buyer reaction to such deceptive language, real estate professionals should see this as a reminder that successful real estate marketing is based on a serious commitment of time and effort rather than the best collection of sales gimmicks.

The last time that a housing bubble in the US real estate market burst, it became one of the leading causes of the Great Recession, which caused an enormous loss of wealth as a host of other ills. As a result, it is understandable for US consumers to be concerned about the current state of the US real estate market, particularly considering some of the economic problems besetting some of the most important economies in the world at the moment. However, it is important to note that the US real estate market remains strong in spite of these external factors, which should come as welcoming news to US housing consumers.