RISMEDIA, Dec. 30 – With the new year just two days away, it's time to look at some of the top trends that will shape the residential real estate market over the next year. Here are some of the top picks by the editors at RISMedia.

1. Instant gratification
Waiting a few hours for a return call or e-mail just doesn’t cut it anymore—consumers will increasingly look for more immediate response from real estate professionals. That’s why programs that translate e-mails into voicemails on cell phones and such will become all the rage. "Consumers will want instant response not next-day response," J. Lennox Scott, chairman and CEO of John L. Scott Real Estate recently said. "You need to be a real-time agent." Technology will play a big part in achieving this goal, like Mobilistings new arrangement with Nextel to display listings and GPS directions on Nextel phones. Customers can’t help but be impressed.

2. Where the agents are—and what makes ’em happy
Finding and hiring the new breed of real estate agent is essential to the smart brokerage’s future planning. Try some creative incentives in your recruiting campaign, like Realty Executives Greater Atlanta office that is giving away the use of a Jaguar, free for two years, to its top recruiting sales executive. The company expects the promo to bring in a large number of top agents from the area. Also keep in mind that today’s new recruits want more than just the lure of a nice, fat commission. Things like 401K plans, benefits, work environment and professional growth are the trend among those companies building agent teams for the long run.

3. Look who’s selling real estate now
Whether you call them cyberspace carpetbaggers or third-party interlopers, the fact of the matter is, a free flow of listing data continues to make real estate sales an open game. Start-ups like GulfCoastFSBO.com. for example, claim to "put the property owner in full control of the marketing process by offering a quick, instant listing process, a member’s area available 24/7 for advertisement updates, photo changes, and more." Keep your eyes open to who’s entering your local scene so that you can quickly let customers know why and how you’re different.

4. Those pesky interest rates …
It’s balance not bubbles
Don’t sweat the gradually climbing interest rates, experts say. Word on the street is that they will provide a much-needed "balance" in many markets. As NAR Chief Economist David Lereah says, 6% to 8% interest rates are still historically low levels. "Don’t make the wrong choice and tell your customers that the boom market is coming to an end," he advises. "The market will continue in a very big way."

5. No more quick flips
On that note, more balance also means more time on the market for many homes next year. Not a bad thing for savvy agents and brokers. As broker/owner Frank Dell’Accio of Century 21 AA Real Estate in Nassau, New York says, "the length of time on the market is longer, which is putting the broker in a better position. Our greatest competitor is For Sale by Owners and they’re not quite as successful right now. . .people don’t have the extra free time to devote to selling the home."

6. That Salsa beat
According to a study released at the NAR annual Conference & Expo by the Tomas Rivera Policy Institute of the University of Southern California, at least 1.5 million Latino households will buy homes by 2010. By providing Latino renters with bilingual outreach, like the new Espanol.ERA.com, the housing industry could help another 700,000 families become homeowners. While many Spanish-translated Web sites only convert the top layers of the site, Espanol.ERA.com goes beyond simple static text and form field translation to display all site content in Spanish.

7. Joining the search party
"First page search engine results" is more than a phrase that has worked its way into our vernacular this year; it’s become a must-do business practice for Realtors who are serious about being found by the 70% of home buyers who start their search online. Companies like AdsForFree.com., which offer an alternative to the expensive ‘pay per click’ option will continue to increase in popularity. By giving away free online ads in a sponsored category at adsforfree.com, they create the "link popularity" needed to keep your site ahead of the pack. Staying on top of the complex search engines’ radars is a constantly debated challenge—that will continue in the coming year.

8. Bundle up
The trend towards bundling services will forge on in the new year. Everyone’s doing it—from banks to brokerages. Even technology companies are jumping on the bandwagon. Case in point, HP’s new specially designed bundled technology package for Realtors including everything a real estate pro needs to get wired like a Tablet PC, a handheld iPAQ, a mobile printer, digital camera and more. Remember, the driving force behind the bundling movement: convenience. If the bundle doesn’t make things easier for the consumer, it won’t be around for the long haul.

9. Seniors staying put
As the "aging in place" movement gains ground, watch for more Boomers and seniors to forgo warm and sunny retirement meccas and opt for staying closer to home, friends and family instead. According to the National Association of Home Builders this will spark a trend toward modifying current homes to make them more "senior-friendly." Features like first-floor living, raised electrical outlets, lever handles, improved lighting, no-step entrances and wider doors and hallways are tops on remodelers’ lists.

10. A bright light for big cities
While the pursuit of the American Dream of homeownership has driven many into the outer suburbs, new trends point to increased homeownership in metro areas. According to the Urban Land Institute, for example, more affluent empty-nesters are pulling up stakes in the suburbs and moving into downtowns, in search of culture, nightlife and a short commute. Richard D. Baron—whose company, MBS, has developed more than 11,500 units of affordable and market-rate housing in 28 cities across the U.S.—cites several ingredients for "reclaiming cities," including commitment to: economic, racial and social diversity; good schools; a safe environment; ample cultural, entertainment; historic preservation; and job creation.

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