An elegant white clock featuring 'DANIELLE LAZIER REAL ESTATE LOGO' on a sleek black background.Vivre Real Estate logo

From Your (not so) Secret Agent on the Ground

December 19, 2012

Discover the Expertise of Your Trusted San Francisco Real Estate Agent


My Annual San Francisco Real Estate Holiday Letter

The following is this year's annual holiday letter that I send out to my real estate clients and friends. Thought you might enjoy!

Thank you for taking a peek at my 10th New Year's letter. As many of you know, I've been a full-time San Francisco real estate agent for over a decade, having obtained my California real estate license at the ripe old age of 24. The combination of my age and the time at which I entered the business gives me an interesting perspective. Simply put, things have changed!

Looking back, I am struck by the changes in the business of real estate, and in particular, the role technology has taken in helping people buy and sell homes. In 2002, when I became a Realtor, the San Francisco MLS was a file you had to download and it was not very accessible to the public. Pretty much, you had to have a real estate license and be a member of a local real estate board in order to figure out what was for sale and certainly, to figure out what things had sold for. Ascertaining market value, even an estimate, was pretty tough if you didn't ask an agent.

Let's not forget that in 2002 there was no Zillow, Trulia, SocketSite, Curbed, or RedFin, to name a few popular real estate vertical search engines. However, there was a little HTML page called SFhotlist, with a cartoon of a blond real estate agent and sassy 'Zagat-style' reviews of San Francisco listings...but that's a story for a different letter.

My point is that there have been dramatic, disruptive shifts in the business of real estate thanks to technology and the freeing of information online. The consumer has vasts amounts of data at their fingertips. As I often say in an initial consultation, "the information is ALL out there."

James Bond 007 Skyfall

If all the information is out there then why do I still have a job?

Over the Thanksgiving holiday, I went to see Skyfall, the new James Bond movie with my family. My Dad and I have seen many Bond films together and this latest installment, the 23rd, did not disappoint. In the film, 007 & all of MI6 battle the ultimate cyber-criminal. Their business is no longer about bad guys with bowler hats that can kill, it's about bringing down entire economies with the perfectly coded virus. Bond's wit, grit, and muscle are up against evil hackers who use the power of technology to control the world. I know it sounds corny, but I could definitely relate to 007 in this film.

Now to answer the question as to why I still have a job as a San Francisco real estate agent. As it turns out, technology can do a great job of stream-lining the real estate process and empowering the consumer, but the human touch is still needed to help people decipher the data, understand what's most important to them, and to ultimately pull the trigger (pun entirely intended). It's been an honor and pleasure to be your Agent on the ground - sorry, it had to be done - for the past 10 years. Thank you for your business, your advocacy and your friendship. I'll see you...in the future!

Happy Holidays & New Year,

Danielle

Yelp logo
296 reviews
View All
Zillow logo
176 reviews
View All
Danielle Elazier Realtor on Google My Business- image of Google my business logo
117 reviews
View All

Danielle lazier real estate team

We care deeply about our clients and our commitment to exemplary results. Working with us should be a good fit for you. If you feel our team is the right fit for you and you’d like to talk with Danielle to make sure, contact us today for your complimentary initial consultation.
Contact Me

Do You Need Another Real Estate Newsletter?

Probably not. Yet, in our biased opinion, you should definitely sign up for our twice-monthly email for market insights, webinar invites, local news, gorgeous homes, and more. We never share or sell your information. And, when you’re ready to work with us, please email or call to discuss your plans. We’d love to help!

Danielle Elazier botanical illustration - 3 different California poppy flower branches. Black and white with line art
View Full Street Address SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94114 (415) 528-7355 ©2012 VIVRE REAL ESTATE. ALL MATERIAL PRESENTED HEREIN IS INTENDED FOR INFORMATION PURPOSES ONLY. WHILE THIS INFORMATION IS BELIEVED TO BE CORRECT, IT IS REPRESENTED SUBJECT TO ERRORS, OMISSIONS, CHANGES, OR WITHDRAWAL WITHOUT NOTICE. ALL PROPERTY INFORMATION, INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO SQUARE FOOTAGE, ROOM COUNT, NUMBER OF BEDROOMS, AND THE SCHOOL DISTRICT IN PROPERTY LISTINGS SHOULD BE VERIFIED BY YOUR OWN ATTORNEY, ARCHITECT, OR ZONING EXPERT. IF YOUR PROPERTY IS CURRENTLY LISTED WITH ANOTHER REAL ESTATE BROKER, PLEASE DISREGARD THIS OFFER. IT IS NOT OUR INTENTION TO SOLICIT THE OFFERINGS OF OTHER REAL ESTATE BROKERS. WE COOPERATE WITH THEM FULLY. EQUAL HOUSING OPPORTUNITY. ALL INFORMATION DEEMED RELIABLE BUT NOT GUARANTEED AND SHOULD BE INDEPENDENTLY REVIEWED AND VERIFIED.
enteruserclockcross