by Jessica Stoner

Re/Max Alpine Realty (an iREALTY office) in Canmore, Alta. has opened a new “virtual” office that it says boasts the most current use of technology and has implemented paperless and green strategies. 
 
The office has leased just 1,200 square feet, compared to typical real estate offices at 4,000 to 8,000 square feet. “Instead of pouring money into office space and furnishings, I have chosen to invest dollars in technology that will allow my agents to provide superior and more convenient service to their clients,” says broker/owner Jessica Stoner. 
 
Each sales rep based out of the office has 24-hour-a-day secure access to their paperless documents and the contracts needed in a real estate transaction. With the use of Internet Air Cards, or “rocket sticks”, agents can now meet clients anywhere it is convenient, the company says. Many are using tablet computers that allow contracts to be signed directly on the screen to negotiate and close a deal. 
 
“Going paperless and training agents in online marketing techniques will change the reality of a traditional real estate transaction,” says Eldon Ash, the regional executive vice-president of Re/Max of Western Canada. “Consumers will start to recognize the value of mobility and environmental awareness that comes with dealing with a virtual office.”