Technology is pervasive in our modern lives, and no single device is as popular and useful as the mobile phone.
People use their cell phones to browse the Internet, check in on social media, take photographs, calculate figures, manage their finances and more, and the number of apps being created to service these needs is constantly growing.
Although mobile devices may not come immediately to mind as important tools in a real estate business, you might be surprised to discover just how helpful these devices can actually be.
Some business uses for mobile devices, like keeping track of your contacts or accessing bank information, are obvious. Other uses may be less obvious, like these real estate-specific apps:
- MagicPlan, which allows you to scan the dimensions of a room using your device’s camera, then input those dimensions to create an instant floor plan. If you or your clients have a difficult time envisioning how a room might look, this app can help bring it to life.
- Open Home Pro, which allows you to keep track of guests who have come to open house events. This makes follow-up easy and allows real estate professionals to keep in contact with both buyers and sellers to provide personalized information.
- Home Snap, which is marketed toward home-buyers and anyone else interested in for-sale properties. Where available, this handy app allows you to photograph a for-sale home and, using GPS positioning, identify any available information on the web about its price, features and more. You can save “snapped” houses to keep track of changes as well.
- DocuSign, a program that allows you to share and sign official documents online rather than dealing with reams of paperwork.
Although not real estate-specific, another program every businessperson should download is Evernote, which allows you to jot down notes, save them to the cloud and access them from any device.
While you’re at it, don’t forget that business usage of these devices, including purchasing apps or upgrading your phone, can be deducted from your taxes as a business expense.
As you build your real estate business, you’ll undoubtedly find more ways to use your smart phone or tablet to your advantage. This technology allows you to be more connected than ever no matter where you are, so you can get the most from your time.
