Tech Trends – Real Estate

Emerging technologies over the past thirty years have offered all of us many new ways to work. First, the personal computer revolutionized marketing with desktop publishing, then internet provided a level playing field for commerce and the ability to work remotely, and most recently the smartphone took that computing power and connectivity and put it in our pockets.

The very nature of the real estate agent’s work has made it ideal when it comes to incorporating new technologies. Email, texting and online collaborative tools have freed agents from the office. While online marketing apps and studio quality photo and video on mobile phones enable listing, marketing and selling in real-time. So what’s next for the mobile agent?

Tablets

The tablet has slowly moved from being a device for consuming information to a working computer platform. It’s large screen, ability to attach a keyboard, introduction of a stylus and significant improvements in software make using a tablet as a primary device worth revisiting.

The Cloud

While hardly a new technology, the ubiquity of cloud computing is making it possible to sync mobile phones, tablets and computers, eliminating repetitive entries and facilitating access to documents, photos and video. The use of the cloud finally eliminates the panic and frustration over the loss of information when a device fails unexpectedly.

Drones

As the cost decreases and the laws surrounding the use of drones are codified, the ability to market larger and luxury properties using drones will become a mainstay of the real estate agents available tools. Navigation is another important issue, one that will be more accessible as costs come down.

Apps

A new generation of communication apps like Facebook Workplace, Office 365 and Google My Business allows for secure direct access to CRM systems as well as providing a place for website creation and collaborative work. Trello Business Class, Basecamp, Asana, Quick Base and Slack offer a more robust project management experience in addition to seamless integration for searching calls and messages of your colleagues. Evernote and Apple’s Notes make organizing and capturing web links, photos and video on the fly easier than ever. You can even post directly to social media using Buffer.

Real Estate Specific Apps

DocuSign has become an industry standard for capturing digital signatures.  And of course Zillow and Trulia both offer a wide range of services that can help bolster your marketing efforts.

While we haven’t yet reached the nirvana of the paperless office. But these latest devices and apps are powerful, fast, stable and accurate, making today’s agents better connected and more productive. As these technologies continue to evolve, real estate agents are ideally positioned to stay on the cutting edge.