As real estate companies accelerate their move to digital platforms, one Pacific Northwest broker argues the industry is overlooking a crucial asset: the ability for clients to walk in and build a personal relationship with a broker.
While much of the real estate industry has spent the last decade investing in online platforms, Ellen Bohn, managing partner at The Agency Camano Island, contends that physical offices still provide advantages that online-only models cannot match.
Bohn argues that physical offices still play an important role, even as many brokerages move fully online. She says brick-and-mortar locations give clients the ability to walk in and build a personal connection with a broker – an advantage digital-only models can’t fully replace.
Information Is Now Everywhere – But Relationships Remain Central
Bohn’s perspective is informed by her experience during a period of major changes in information access. When she started in 1996, property listings were just becoming available online. Before that, listings were found in printed directories, and brokers controlled access to property details.
Bohn recalls that when she started in the 1990s, brokers controlled access to property information. Today, she notes, anyone can search online and review listings themselves before ever speaking with an agent.
This shift has led some in the industry to assume that if buyers can research everything online, brokers – and their offices – are becoming less relevant. Bohn rejects that idea, stressing that real estate still hinges on trust and personal connection. Even well-informed buyers, she says, ultimately rely on a broker’s guidance to navigate complex transactions and local nuances, especially in markets with unique challenges.
Local Knowledge Still Matters
Bohn points to Camano Island as a clear example of why on-the-ground knowledge still matters. The area relies heavily on septic and well systems – features that are less common in other markets – making local expertise essential for navigating inspections and potential issues. As she puts it, while buyers can research extensively, “having someone who truly knows the area is still crucial.”
Details such as septic systems, well water quality, community norms, and local regulations require context that is difficult to communicate through a website or digital platform. Bohn maintains that these conversations are most effective in person, where brokers can provide nuanced advice tailored to clients’ specific needs.
While buyers can research properties online and narrow their options before contacting a broker, Bohn argues that choosing which broker to trust and how to approach a unique market still benefits from face-to-face interaction.
The Rise of the Hybrid Model
Bohn stresses that she isn’t against technology; she favors a hybrid model. She says the industry works best when in-person support is paired with strong online tools and resources, describing it as “a nice combination.”
This hybrid model suggests the future of real estate brokerage is not about choosing between old and new, but about using both strategically. Online platforms offer efficiency and reach, while physical offices foster trust, local expertise, and deeper relationships.
The Agency Camano Island illustrates this hybrid model. As part of a global brokerage, the firm leverages international marketing platforms and the company’s media exposure, including its presence on Netflix. Bohn notes that agents regularly collaborate through internal chat rooms and shared workspaces that allow offices across countries to exchange strategies. She says she can easily connect with an agent in Spain and adapt successful approaches from other markets – and share her own in return.
Despite this digital infrastructure, the firm maintains a physical office on Camano Island where, as Bohn notes, “folks can walk in” and consult with brokers who know the local market.
Physical Presence as a Competitive Edge
Bohn’s emphasis on brick and mortar is significant because she recognizes that it is becoming “very unfortunately unique.” She sees the industry’s move to online-only models as creating an opportunity for firms that still offer a physical presence.
In a field where commission rates, marketing platforms, and listing exposure are increasingly standardized, offering in-person consultation and local expertise may be one of the few ways left to set a brokerage apart.
Whether this edge will persist depends in part on client preferences. Younger buyers, accustomed to digital-first experiences, may not value physical offices as older generations do. However, Bohn’s nearly thirty years in the business have shown her that “no matter what market we’re in or what time frame we’re in, it’s still a relationship business.”
The Agency Camano Island’s approach – combining global digital reach with a local, accessible office – offers one model for resolving the tension between technological efficiency and personal connection. Whether other firms choose the hybrid route or continue to pursue purely digital models will shape how effectively the industry meets the needs of buyers and sellers in the years ahead.
