Wireless Wednesday for 5/13/15: Tech in Real Estate and Home Buying

If you haven't been out home shopping, the real estate market is once again starting to boom.

Rick and his wife Lindsay know that all too well, as they have been out doing a little home shopping and comparison pricing.

Technology has made a big impact on the real estate and home buying/selling industry...
Rick and Mitch take a look...

listen to ‘Wireless Wednesday for 5/13/15 - Real Estate Tech’ on audioBoom

1. Real Estate has gone "Mobile"

Apps are key in every industry, but even more important in real estate where home buyers and sellers want to have all the information they need at their fingertips.

Example of apps:
a. Redfin - Hunt for a home sans an agent with Redfin's multiple-listing-service-powered real estate app. This free app gives you the same information used by real estate agents - on-the-go, like photos, full details, property history and agent notes.
b. Realtor.com - Find your perfect home. New listings and agents. Also info on rentals.

 


2.  iBeacon technology

iBeacon technology uses Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) signals that allow for instant communication between devices over relatively long distances without an active Internet connection.
- Information rich for sale signs
- Guided property tours
- Digital handshake - might be able to close deals right on smartphones
*Expect iBeacon technology to keep growing

 

3. Analytics coming to real estate

Agents will be able to measure ROI more accurately.

4.  Apps like Zillow and Trulia

These two apps dominate consumer searches. in fact, Zillow bought Trulia, but both remain open and have apps that set the standard for what consumers use.

 
5. Drones

If you see a drone flying over a home that has been newly listed for sale, it's for good reason. Drones are being used by those in the real estate industry to photograph homes for listings. They can also be used to inspect roofs and gutters.

 


** App of the Week**

CalcsFree
Free

https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/calcsfree-mortgage-calculators/id320858775?mt=8

"Aside from the usual - Realtor.com, Trulia, Zillow - I've really found CalcsFree to be helpful," says Dan Vollmer, a full-time real estate agent. "If I'm showing homes to prospective buyers and they want to know how much their mortgage will be, I can plug in an offer amount, the taxes and insurance payments, even HOA fees and mortgage insurance." Vollmer says the free mortgage calculator app is easy to use and provides more than just a standard principal-and-interest payment calculation.

Description

The most comprehensive, best selling Mortgage Calculator App in the App Store with 500,000 users. Three calculators in ONE APP! Advanced analysis on the go.