I’m 24. I’ve never bought a house, I’m not quite ready. But you can guarantee I’ve done my homework and I already know what agents I will work with when I am ready to buy. I have several friends, the same age as me, who have owned 2 or more homes; and I can guarantee you they aren’t staying put for long. They started out single with a home, now married with a new home, now have 2 kids and are in a need of some more space. How would you like to be their agent? At least two transactions in the past 5 years? You can’t complain about that! If you do a good job, you can bet they will tell everyone they know about you - and friends listen. If they know someone has done a good job for a friend, and it will save them time looking around for another trustworthy agent, you can bet you’ll be at the top of their list. Now how can you get a hold of us?

- 68% of us are avid text-messagers (50% of us prefer it as their #1 communication method)

- We send email (and we’d REALLY like to hear back from you in 30 minutes)

- We want to know NOW and if you can’t tell us, we’ll find someone that can

At our age, it’s all about options.

In 4^th grade I was pounding away on the keyboard playing Oregon Trail. By my sophomore year of high school, I was typing 65 words per minute. Recently, a co-worker of mine pulled a dusty old floppy disk about the size of a small laptop and I hadn’t a clue what it was. I’ve been text messaging for the last 6 years. I even communicate with friends overseas that way. My mum used to get upset with me for sending so many messages a day, now she does it because that’s the only way my 26 year old brother will get back to her! I log-in and check my Myspace and Facebook profiles everyday. I nominate to receive coupons and specials by text message and email. I get online and search homes for sale and if they don’t have a Virtual Tour, I go to the next one that does. Newspaper? You mean the one online? I don’t like spending a $1.50 on something I can get for free – plus, it’ll save a tree somewhere down the road. And hey, don’t discount marketing at your property. You can bet I have driven by to see what kind of neighborhood I might be living in, or how close it is to my favorite restaurant/bar/university/event center/subway/elementary school/workout facility.

Hey, I was 19 before I got a cell phone (about a year behind most of my friends – I just used theirs and let them pay the bill). Now, I can’t leave the house without making sure it’s in my pocket. If it dies, I feel like the world has come to an end. I call a friend, they don’t answer; I send them a text message, I hear back within 5 minutes. I rarely leave messages because if they are anything like me, I won’t listen to it for 2 to 3 days. Middle and high school students are walking around with cell phones on one ear and an IPod in the other. My 3 year old niece has a fake cell phone she loves to “talk” on. My friend who’s a kindergarten teacher has computer class every other day.

I’m busy. I rarely have time to sit and watch tv. But it’s okay, because I’ll just buy the 15th season of ER and watch it without commercials. Or I can just TiVo it and catch up when I find some time! I want to know my bank account balance? Done, I just looked online. I want to know where the closest Starbucks is? Done I just sent a text message to Google to find out.

Technology has provided us the ability to find out things we want to know, instantly. So we’ve adapted to that and many of us expect it now. Don’t blame us! But not everything has changed. I still talk to my parents and ask them for advice. They are the gatekeepers of all knowledge in my book. They bring me back to reality. Sure you can search for home financing on the internet, but why not ask someone who has actually been there. There’s too many scams to believe everything the World Wide Web says.

I know what you’re thinking. I sound selfish and spoiled? No, just honest. This how we were brought up. I’m a good person with good morals. I was raised to treat people with respect. I don’t swear around my parents or grandparents. I have just evolved with the features technology continues to provide us.

Now get out there. Let those youngsters know who YOU are and what YOU can do for THEM. If you know 15 people that refer you to 3 people, that’s over 3 meetings a month you could set up for an entire year.

Gotta run! My Evite Reminder just told me I have a lunch date with my financial adviser. Thank god for reminders… I’d forget everything!

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