It's less important than before and I don't work from it, but there are still plenty of agents, especially teams, who do. Besides, you need to put support staff somewhere, as well as hopefully provide meeting places for your agents with the clients. Maybe the offices are not quite as large, but they will continue to exist.

I don't think the space requirements are that big for offices now.  A

They have a role, especially for agent who would rather not invest heavily in large home offices.

And many people distrust professionals who always want to meet at a restaurant or bar.

no one works remotely in my market.  We still have a duty agent and walk in traffic daily.

I do believe that a brokerage needs an official office. Doesn't have to be big. Sorry, I don't like the idea of using Starbuck's as my office, except when I'm on the road. Which, as you all know, is a lot.  But I still have that office as my official business office. 

It is, however by state law we are required to have an office.  Sooo far behind the times, but it is what it is

There is still a need of a real estate office, a place to meet clietns or for other agents to drop off or pick up keys etc.

Jack Lewitz I think an office environment is needed for new agents.

I am seeing more agents working out of their home, but think we still need a office.

I don't think a bricks and mortar building is needed any longer, at least for the past 10 years or so in my area!  I often hear comments about the "ghost town offices" that are in my market area and people wonder if they're even still in business.  

I work from home and my Brokerage is 3.5 - 4 hours away from me; I've never set foot in it nor have I ever met anyone who works there.

There are rare real estate offices that have amazing brokers and agents.  There are exchanges of ideas and collaboration, and the agents genuinely like each other.  After almost 3 decades, I found such a place and it will never be obsolete.  It's not that everyone is there all of the time, but if I go into the office to get specific tasks accomplished, I'm more likely to get it done than if I stay home. 

Many if not most agent in the Phoenix Metro Area office from their homes and don't go in their main office as everything is done online.  In small towns it may be different and people might stop buy more often?

I think so.  With the majority of functions being able to be performed outside of the office, the office only serves as a meeting place.  My broker and I both work from our homes and my broker has done so for 20 something years.  Gone are the days of having to go into the office to design a flyer.  If we need to meet people before going to a property, we meet at a coffee shop somewhere between the client and us.  Works just as well.

Good morning Jack. I would say that is true, as many work remotely. I my area, some end up using on of my conference rooms.

I don't think we need big offices anymore. I work about half the time from home.

Jack Lewitz Nowadays, real estate offices are smaller.

Jack Lewitz - I don't think this is going to happen ever!

With so much of Internet Shopping, people still want to visit malls!

And Real Estate offices do serve different purpose - meeting buyers, seminars, presentations and lot more.

I like going to the office - but I think if you have a team it is different - if I worked alone I would stay home. 

I work at a large Brokerage with more than 100 Agents. Great for networking property, getting feedback ,opinions and advise. Also have color printers to make brochures etc.., a beautiful conference room to meet with Clients, switchboard etc. Its a professional environment that I would not have working out of my home. However I do work out of my Home whenever I can.

I don't think so.  Many agents need an office.  New gents need to be in an office with other seasoned agents.

I do not go into my brokerage office; I work from my home office.  For me, yes the real estate office is becoming obsolete.

I think that is the direction the industry is going. With the event of the internet, buyers can look online. I remember when we HAD to go to an office and spend hours looking at the MLS book. Those times are gone, but I hope the real estate office doesn't go away. I think people still like the brick and morter, at least I do.

I work for a four person broker and his business is actually his home address. I don't even go in, I have my own home office.

I think they are. The only reason we go to the office is to sometimes meet our clients or other agents. It's rare. For listings we are generally going to the seller's house. For buyers we are generally meeting at a property. We might meet at the office for a first meeting, or to sign paperwork.

Jack - I don't think the real estate office is becoming obsolete, but it sure isn't as common as it used to be. There are many independent brokers these days who work from home, and like you said, many from larger offices who work remotely.

With that said, I think there will still be brick and mortar brokerage offices, just not as many, and not as large.

Not in my market. 

It is a great place to meet your clients but I no longer have an office there.

I've been working from a home office (or airplane, or hotel room) since 1991 - even when with Fortune 100 companies.  Difficult to justify the expense of "bricks and mortar"...

The square footage requirements are definitely shrinking!

The physical office should be changing but I wouldn't say obsolete.  Of course, each market is different.  

I gave up the office and have been working from home for several years now.  There are so many places that have wifi where you can meet a client for coffee or lunch.  I am sure there are lots of people who go to the offices, but for me, it was more cost efficient & lucrative to office from home.

We  do need the office to meet clients for the first time.

I have noticed a lot of agents working out of their home and designating a meeting place somewhere neutral.

Yes, I believe that is true too.

Becoming obsolete?  I say it is gone...

Not in my area, I guess.  We are new in the area and don't have an office just yet.  It is hard to recruit agents without an office.  I personally could care less about an office.

For my Brokerage I have closed the main office and work from my home office. We are paperless and I could not longer justify the cost. 

I do not believe so.  I know there are others that disagree with that. Most agents I know rarely go into the office they are affiliated with. Those that do are not really there to "work" they are there to socialize.

Jack,
The traditional office, maybe. It didn’t offer a consumer much of a reason to come in. Design an office that gives sellers and buyers a reason to come and look at what can happen.