If first-time buyers want to buy, we have properties they can afford. We just have a beautiful area to live in, she said. While the community Teusink works in has remained consistent, the nature of her business has not. When Teusink started her career, agents only were expected to be minimally capable in terms of computers and the Internet, she said. The agent of today has to be technologically savvy.
Most buyers look on the Internet for homes and an agent.
Clients also like to communicate by e-mail, Teusink said. Another sign of the times is the arrival of high-tech lock boxes. For years, lock boxes have been used to store keys for houses that are on the market. If something is missing, you can tell who the last agent in the home was, Teusink said. The newer boxes also are designed like miniature computers or palm pilots that can provide agents with additional information about the home, as well as other listings on the market.