I just ended three days at this year’s Real Estate Connect show in San Francisco.

This is my third year at Connect and it’s impressive how much the event has grown and how the audience is evolving. The Inman News crowd is mainly rooted in general brokerage real estate but they continue to tap into high tech solutions applicable for any type of property seller.

These folks aren’t the technology laggards most high tech main streamers assume – at least not today. The leaders have moved beyond open houses and direct mailings and are leveraging technologies in new, innovative ways.

With a backdrop of 1.4M foreclosures YTD and 11 months of inventory in the US, here’s my top eight (8) list from SF Connect ’08:

1. Mobility is becoming mainstream - iPhones and smart phones are adding numerous “network based features” that empower buyers and seller alike. Get one.
2. Privacy is gone forever – Profiling the prospect , real time website monitoring, tracking every online action is the new norm. How is your marketing Personalized?
3. Social Web is The Web - For millions of web users (and Realtors) Blogging, Facebook and Twitter are must have tools to be considered a legitimate player. I personally have a hard time reading it all, not to mention contributing!
4. Visual Media Rules – The importance of reading text is on the decline. Most Gen Xers and Millennials digest content through visual media (pictures and video)
5. Buy now! – Several thought leaders believe now is the time to buy real estate. Prices will be heading  up after the election.
6. Financial challenges still ahead- quote from Carter Murdoch (SVP from Bank of America) “there are capital market gyrations not seen since the great depression”. The Connect panel of Bears agreed.
7. Compare and Contrast – Buyers are becoming experts; 20% of real estate shoppers visit seven (7) different sites on average.
8. Not leads – Conversion! - There is a shift happening. Many sellers are looking for less leads and more assistance with Conversion into serious prospects.

Lots of interesting things to follow. The next Real Estate Connect conference will be in New York City early 2009. See you there!