My Favorite Apps for Real Estate
Written By: Chelsy Vaughn Martin
As the Marketing Specialist and Social Media Consultant for The Vaughn Group, I use a lot of apps for real estate. When it comes to marketing in today's high tech world, I have to think about not only marketing from my computer, but from my smart phone as well. When people get online to search for homes or a real estate agent, they are often accessing the internet from their smart phone. Since I use many great apps on a daily basis, I thought that it would be a great idea for me to share some of my favorites with you today.
According to realtor.com, their app is the most accurate and up-to-date. I love the Realtor.com app because it allows you to connect with your agent. Lets say you're using their search engine to access over 3 million listings across the country, more than any other app. While searching, you find a home that seems to be what you're looking for and you want to see it as soon as possible. If you are connected with your agent through the app all you have to do is click "Request a Showing" and a showing request is sent directly to your agent, even if he or she doesn't have the property listed themselves. You can also click the "Ask My Agent" button and send him or her a question. If they have the app set up on their phone, which they should if you're connected with them, then a notification instantly pops up on their smart phone! They can respond to you quickly and easily! To add Ken as your agent after you download the app, simply click the menu button and scroll down to settings. Under my agent type in Ken@fwhomz.com, this will allow you to connect with Ken!
RE/MAX Real Estate Search
Get it on the App Store or Google Play
With the RE/MAX app, you are able to search nearby homes on your phone just by using your location. You can also find an agent near you! You can customize your search using advanced search filters. You can zoom and navigate neighborhoods with interactive maps. This app even allows you the option to generate directions to a listing from where you are. RE/MAX is a global network of nearly 90,000 real estate agents (including Ken) helping homebuyers like you find the perfect home. RE/MAX has the most productive sales force in the industry and nearly 40 years of success helping millions of families. Nobody sells more real estate than RE/MAX.
Zite
Get it on the App Store or Google Play
Zite has more than 40,000 topics to choose from, but I use it mostly for real estate purposes. This app analyzes millions of articles each day and it shows you the best for you based on your interests from different magazines, newspapers, authors, blogs and videos. It's a great way to stay up to date with the real estate market. I can follow real estate trends easily, which I can then share with our clients via email, Facebook, Twitter or text message. I follow topics like real estate, mortgages, interior design, home improvement, real estate market, housing, home sales, home staging, marketing, iPhone apps, Android apps and because I can, animals. I love using this app to educate myself because being well-informed helps me and it helps our clients!
Magisto
Get it on the App Store or Google Play
Magisto is a great tool that I use to market homes for our clients. It uses both video clips and pictures to create a video mash up of awesome! You can choose from a few different themes, add music (you can use what they have or upload your own for an even more personalized video) and click make my movie! If you pay to subscribe, you can upload more photos and videos and download them as often as you want. This app pretty much speaks for itself. Just check out our video below for our listing 1910 Ransom Drive in Fort Wayne, IN.
Camera Awesome
Get it on the App Store
Okay, I know the name pretty much says how awesome this photography app is, but let me just share a few reviews with you.
"... it is by far one of the most full-powered camera apps I've used, and it marks an exciting advance for smartphone cameras." - The Wall Street Journal
"...makes the iPhone feel less like a cameraphone and more like a phonecamera." - TIME
"An iPhone app that Instagram and Apple could learn from" - ReadWriteWeb
I'm big on the having great looking pictures of our listings. Not only am I big on making sure the property looks presentable (you wouldn't believe how many agents take pictures of cluttered rooms from awkward angles in terrible lighting) but using an app or a camera that makes the photos look professional. I just recently found Camera Awesome and am I glad. It provides a level with the horizon so your pictures are always straight. You can set focus in one spot and exposure in another with just a touch. It has numerous filters, fx presets and textures. Oh, another cool thing, it starts recording video 5 seconds before you hit the button. Who else has missed the perfect video because you weren't able to hit record in time? Like the name says, AWESOME.
These apps are great tools for anyone to use, but if you're a buyer or a seller, the most important tool you can have, is an agent who communicates well with you and that you feel you can trust to represent you and your best interest. At The Vaughn Group, we strive to make our clients know that they can trust us to be there to represent them.
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