805 Local

It’s called Broker Tour, Broker Caravan and/or sometimes just Caravan.  But the question is: “what happened to caravan?”  The purpose of caravan is to have a property open to the Realtors to go preview – usually new listings - within a specific time period each week. 

Last week in Camarillo there was a total of one property on caravan.  Most Realtors probably think it’s not worth going just to see one property.  Years ago it was common to have 20 maybe even 30 properties on caravan and caravan became sort of a ’social event’ for many Realtors.  It was a chance to meet and greet other Realtors.  Caravan helped to build relationships and network among the Realtors.  Plus caravan helped the Realtors know the inventory of properties. 

So what has happened?  Are agents checking out all of the pictures on a new listing, placing the property on a map and seeing  a street view on an overhead map?  Have the  Realtors seen enough of a plan 2 Mission del Montes or whatever tract home and really don’t want to go another one unless they have a client for the house?  Has the internet with a 24 hour update of the Multiple Listing Service diluted the need for caravan?  Are the agents just lazy? Is ‘time money’ and the Realtors don’t have the time to see the new listings?  Is the new listing inventory so low that there are no homes for caravan?  Do listing agents not see the advantage of having a property on caravan? 

Just checked for tomorrow’s caravan — there’s one property on caravan.