Technology has dramatically changed many things, including the real estate industry. You no longer need to make an appointment with a travel agent to buy a plane ticket, and you no longer need to spend all day driving around with an agent to find the perfect home.
Technological changes now allow buyers and sellers to independently research industry trends, view recent area sales, and identify properties to buy. Real estate professionals are still invaluable when it comes to writing offers, negotiating contracts, navigating changing markets and completing the sometimes daunting escrow process, but there is no doubt that some of the work agents used to do is now done by their clients.