Estate agents, Generation Z are slowly growing up

Generation Z are the children of the youngest baby boomers that are born between the mid 1990s and through to the 2000s. They are the first generation to have had access to the internet the whole of their lives and have been defined by Marc Prensky as being "digital natives".

There have been a few predictions on how this generation will turn out but the general views seem to be:

• They will be highly connected.
• They will be more liberal than previous generations.
• Equality will be commonplace.
• Their English will be sub-standard but will be versed in internet slang such as 'lol' (Laugh Out Loud) which is an expression of finding something humorous.
• They will be altruistic and will have a strong work ethic.
• Their internet usage will be higher than any other generation.

How does this affect estate agents?

Even though these are generalisations, estate agents must realise that this next generation will be growing up within the next 10 to 20 years and will be considering buying their first home. Even though it's not possible to accurately predict the economic climate of the next 10 to 20 years, it is certain that this generation will want a house that is 'green' and may even look towards the use of renewable energy as a daily part of their lives.

They will prefer to do business with companies that also have a strong work ethic. Estate agents that are viewed as being aware of their carbon footprint and are taking proactive steps towards reducing it will be viewed favourably, whereas estate agents that are viewed as having no corporate social responsibility will be avoided like the plague.

Generation Z will be using the internet more than any other generation. This means that it is vital that estate agents have an online presence through search engine optimisation (SEO) and contribute regularly to social networking. Generation Z will also be using the internet for all their informational needs. Instead of opening their yellow pages or walking into an estate agent on their high street, they will more likely search for the contact details and property of their local estate agent online. They will expect a website that not only has the latest technology but will also have a high usability and user experience.