With its roots in the time of Abraham Lincoln and railroads, the real estate industry is ripe for an upgrade. And it's getting one! Real estate technology has been gaining ground for decades now, but recent changes are making the housing market more accessible and efficient than ever before. In this post, we'll explore exactly how technology is changing the way you buy and sell homes—and why this is only just scratching the surface of what's possible.

Artificial intelligence is playing a bigger role in real estate.

AI is being used to help agents find new clients, get more leads and find houses for sale. It can also be used to help agents find the best price for a house or condo, which can save you time and money during your search process.

Virtual reality and augmented reality

Virtual reality (VR) is a computer-generated simulation of a three-dimensional image or environment that can be interacted with in a seemingly real or physical way through the use of specialized equipment, such as a headset. Augmented reality (AR) is a technology that overlays digital information on an image of something being viewed through a device.

Remote home inspections

Remote home inspections are a new way to get an up-close look at a home from the comfort of your own home. It's like having your own personal drone, except you don't have to worry about it crashing into your neighbor's car because you're sitting in an armchair eating chips and watching Netflix.

Remote home inspections can be done just about anywhere in the world, too--as long as there's WiFi. And if there isn't, well then maybe it's time to upgrade your internet service provider!

You might think that remote home inspections are only useful for prospective buyers who don't want to leave their couch/bed/couch-bed combo (if they're lucky), but we've found they're also great for sellers who want more information before listing their property on the market.

Innovative technology for the home-buying process

The future of real estate tech is all about making the home-buying process more efficient and streamlined.

One of the biggest benefits of technology in this arena is that it can help buyers and sellers find each other in the first place. This means that they won't have to waste time looking through listings that aren't relevant to them, which saves everyone time, energy, and money--not least because there are fewer opportunities for human error along the way. The more information you have about what someone else wants from their home search experience (and vice versa), the better chance you'll have at finding something perfect for both sides' needs.

It also helps if you know what kind of house fits into your budget before going into it blindly--and thanks to sites like Zillow or Trulia, there are now plenty of ways people can estimate their own budgets by entering some basic information about themselves (like age) into a website's calculator tool(s). This lets potential buyers see exactly how much they can afford based on factors like property taxes or mortgage payments before even starting their search process...which means less wasted time looking at houses outside one's price range!

3D house scanning will improve user experience.

3D house scanning uses a 3D scanner to create a virtual replica of an actual home.

The technology has been around for years, but it’s only recently been used in the real estate industry.

3D scanning allows you to show every angle of a home — from every room, under every stairway and into hidden nooks and crannies like closets and crawlspaces.

It’s also great for showing properties in different colors or styles without having to remodel them first — just swap out what color paint you want and voila! You have an entirely new property.

For example, if you’re selling your house and want prospective buyers to see what it looks like with brighter walls or darker floors, just change those things on a computer screen with 3D scanning technology at your disposal!

This feature is especially useful for people who live far away from their dream home (or even their current one).

You’ll be able to tour every inch of it from thousands of miles away — no need for flying across the country just so you can see how nice those hardwood floors look against cream-colored walls!