In several of my recent posts I’ve talked about different strategies that sellers are using to make their homes stand out in this competitive market. In this one I’ll talk about one of my favorites, technology. There is no doubt that technology has changed and improved the way we do business in the real estate industry over the years. It has also changed the way that buyers shop for homes. The following are some of the latest trends in technology that forward thinking sellers and agents are using to set their listings apart from the competition. 

Virtual tours: Though they can take a lot of time to view and sometimes make you dizzy, virtual tours are nearly ubiquitous on real estate agents’ Web sites these days. That wasn’t true a few years ago, because the tours required hiring photographers with special cameras, at costs running into the hundreds of dollars.

But costs for professional photographers have dropped dramatically. And with a rotating tripod, a photo-stitching system, a digital camera — and a lot of patience — do-it-yourselfers can produce virtual tours, too.

Real Estate E-Cards. Though an e-card might seem too commercial for sending season’s greetings to Grandma or declaring your love to your Valentine, it’s a relatively low-key way to alert potential buyers that your house is for sale, particularly in the traditionally slow times around major holidays. Single-use cards themed to an event (think a backyard grill for Memorial Day) cost $20, while an annual subscription with unlimited use of all the cards is $150. Or, if you’re happy with a single image rather than a photomontage, you can make up a card for free on Ecards-gallery.com. Re/Max agents have the Re/Max design center and a number of e-cards at their disposal for marketing your listings.

Talking signs. On their face, chatty yard signs are simple, even mysterious. Interested parties can call a toll-free number and plug in the digits for more information, like location, price, size and maybe a description of the built-in backyard grill or the Tara-like staircase. The spiel runs 24 hours a day.

Nevertheless, talking signs have become so cheap in recent years that they’re worth considering. For example, Front Royal, Va. company Home Phone sells a 18- by 24-inch talking yard sign for $10.95, plus a $2 monthly fee.