Linda Falcone, a Eugene-based RE/MAX Realtor who began her career in Phoenix 24 years ago, remembers when her life was ruled by a tyrannical pager. It would beep, and she would dash to the nearest phone - usually a phone booth where she would have to stand in stifling 100-degree heat. “It seems like the Stone Ages now,” she said Falcone said she was so relieved when mobile phones were introduced that she was the 11th person in Phoenix to buy one back in 1981. The bulky device was mounted on the floor of her car and cost $1,500, plus more than $1 a minute. These days Falcone routinely communicates with clients via cell phone and e-mail, and relies on a range of other gadgets, including a Palm Pilot and digital camera.

Buyers, too, are flocking to the Internet, to view listings and photos of houses for sale. Finding the right house, however, is only a small part of the overall buying process, said Bob Percy, principal broker at John L. Scott real estate, a Eugene realty. “There’s a lot that comes after you find a house that isn’t affected by technology,” he said, including making an offer, negotiating with the seller, overseeing inspections and closing the sale. Even though buyers are doing more of their own legwork online, most still hire a real estate agent, according to a recent survey by the California Association of Realtors. Nearly all (97 percent) of traditional buyers hired an agent; and 83 percent of Internet buyers hired an agent, the survey found.

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