In 1986, Ferris Bueller told us, "Life moves pretty fast, if you don't stop to look around once in a while, you could miss it."

In the case of technology, that statement couldn't be more true. Technology has moved so swiftly and made such incredible advancements in the past 10 years that where you were then with your real estate business and where you are now are not only not in the same ballpark, they are on entirely different planets.

With this hyper speed growth of technology, we've seen a couple of fundamental shifts in methodology. Today, I'm going to address the two biggest shifts, and how offering your clients and prospects "Value Added" services will ensure you are one step ahead of the curve, and always at the forefront.

Shift #1: Technology & Free Information Means Realtors® No Longer Hold All The Cards. Enter "Value Added."

Not all that long ago, REALTORS® held all the cards. If a homeowner was interested in a home for sale and wanted information about it, they either had to call their REALTOR®, call the agent that listed the home, or call their local Real Estate office and talk to the floor agent to learn about the property. In doing this, would be buyers would have to give up information to the REALTORS® to get this information (e.g. their name, phone number and email address for example).

Today, the tide has shifted. Information is widely available online, in many cases completely free and able to be accessed anonymously, without hassle or obligation. This means that a prospective buyer or seller does not necessarily need to contact a REALTOR®, or even go to their website for that matter. Companies like Zillow, Trulia and REALTOR.com, as well as websites from mega-brokerages like Coldwell Banker and Century 21 have massive websites, giving away all the content a would-be buyer or seller could possibly want.