The real estate sector is undergoing a profound transformation. Gone are the days when estate agents were the sole holders of information! Today, thanks to digital tools, customers arrive at appointments armed with accurate data on prices, the market and even the technical aspects of properties.
This digital revolution has given rise to the "expert customer" – a buyer who has spent hours on valuation platforms, scoured specialist forums and compared offers online. Far from being anecdotal, this phenomenon is shaking up the traditional codes of commercial relations in real estate.
Faced with these ultra-informed customers, estate agents are wondering: is their profession under threat? The answer revealed by Frédéric Distler's study may come as a surprise. Contrary to popular belief, professionals are not disappearing. As the president of the FNAIM points out in the article, in 2020, 69% of transactions were still carried out with the help of a professional, a percentage that has remained "remarkably stable since 2000".
The secret? A radical transformation of the profession.
Today's estate agent no longer simply holds information - they analyse it, synthesise it and adapt it to each client's unique project. Their role is evolving towards psychological support, strategic advice and managing the emotional aspects of a transaction that remains one of the most important investments of a lifetime.
This change is forcing professionals to upgrade their skills, demonstrate greater transparency and develop a genuine service ethic. Because while expert clients can now access the same data, they still need a professional to navigate the human and technical complexities of a property transaction.
Digital technology has not killed property brokerage – it has reinvented it. Digital technology has changed the client-professional relationship. Estate agents now have to deal with clients who are informed, demanding and sometimes faster than they are. This is an opportunity to rethink their human, ethical and strategic added value.
According to a study by Frédéric Distler (2023). "When the customer is an expert: the place and role of the estate agent". Projectique / Projectics / Proyéctica, Special edition no. 89, pp. 89-105. https://doi.org/10.3917/proj.hs02.0089