Technology is a huge part of our lives; we use tech to help us with all the human needs: to order our meals, to clothe ourselves, to find partners, to connect with friends. All searches, no matter how existential or material, begin online. It thus makes perfect sense that searching for a home involves the internet. So how does this influence the real estate industry? Here are some of the ways, as reported in today’s Washington Post:

“1 in 3 people who bought a home in the last year said that they made an offer without seeing it in person. Millennials were even more likely to have made an offer sight-unseen, with 41 percent saying they had done so, compared with 30 percent of Gen-Xers and 12 percent of baby boomers.”

While a few years ago this sort of thing would have been unthinkable, today, when online shopping is so common and we are accustomed to purchasing based on a picture, it doesn’t appear so unusual. Virtual home buying seems particularly relevant when new developments are concerned — which is why we are creating 3D Virtual Tours of the two up-and-coming communities we are working with, the GlenLA and the ERB Homes. We are super excited — stay tuned for an official announcement and join the interest lists to keep up to date.

That said, this method will prove tricky if you are shopping for an older home that really needs a hands-on inspection. And even with a new construction it is difficult to really get a sense of a space with a virtual visit alone . . . what if the noise levels from a nearby freeway are too loud, or if the hill leading to the entrance is too steep? That is why even in these digital times having an agent remains imperative: someone to represent your interests and to look out for you, to vet the property if you are buying, and to make sure that your buyer is trustworthy if you are selling. To sum up, no technology can substitute a knowledgable realtor, but combine a great agent that is committed to your goals (i.e. member of Tracy Do team) with cutting edge technology, and you will have a serious advantage, crucial in this competitive market.

We knew already that LA is the city of cool, but it is now official: our fair town is the first in all of the US to test the on-road use of cool pavement to combat urban heat. If you missed the NY Times piece, it’s worth taking a look- the story reports that a pilot CoolSeal coating of a few Canoga Park streets just weeks ago has the local residents already feeling noticeably cooler. Los Angeles’s chief sustainability officer, Matt Peterson,  said that “test applications of this innovative street coat shown a 10-degree reduction in heat gain”, which is an impressive number that is certain to have positive effects on energy costs and will greatly benefit Angelino home owners.  It’s great to see the city actively working towards a more sustainable future in its practices – this is just one measure among many initiatives, including  ongoing work on implementing local solar and improving the air quality, that are a part of the Sustainable City pLAn that you can learn more about here.