Digital tools for real estate agents: 5 smart tech tips

Streamline your workflow and impress your clients with these useful tools

Digitalisation has become an integral part of the real estate business. From the first time you get in touch with potential clients, all the way to the electronic signature under the contract - almost every step of real estate marketing relies on smartphones and computers. Clients' expectations in this area have grown accordingly. How attractive your services look on- and offline has a crucial impact on whether sellers and home buyers choose to trust you with their real estate transaction.

Smart apps, websites and management software help you create an efficient, inviting digital space with real-world benefits for your clients. A wide range of products is available for you to choose from. The very best tools allow you to steer the process of real estate marketing more smoothly and comfortably, and leave the same impression with your clients. Proptechs, short for property technology, are even specifically designed to serve real estate markets. In this article, we have compiled a curated list of the most useful apps and digital tools in five areas essential for realtors.

1. Build your online presence and implement marketing measures

First impressions count, especially in the early stages of client acquisitions. By building a professional online presence through your website and social media, you can strengthen both your brand and your clients’ trust in it.

Very likely you are already working with some form of content management system to create and present digital content. Most websites make use of Wordpress, Joomla or one of their competitors.

Building on this foundation, marketing automation tools help you to take charge of brand messaging, for example through email marketing campaigns. The Mailchimp platform allows you to effortlessly deliver such email campaigns and implement cross-platform strategies. Other web applications like later.com focus on social media management, allowing you to plan content in advance and schedule posts to be published.

Our recommendation: Canva

This website for branding and graphic design makes consistent and professional brand presentation easy. Simply choose the required format, such as flyer or instagram post, choose from the premade templates and add in your content. With frequent use, an upgrade from free access to paid version might be worth considering.

2. Take charge of lead generation

One of the most successful strategies of getting the attention of new leads is offering a free property valuation. By providing a fast, exact and reliable appraisal, you have the opportunity to differentiate yourself from competitors. At the same time, the assessment has to be executed efficiently, so as not to take up too much of your valuable time and resources. Many realtors therefore choose an automated contact form or online questionnaire.

Our Recommendation: PriceHubble’s Lead Generator

PriceHubble’s Lead Generator is a digital tool in the proptech category mentioned above, being designed specifically for the real estate industry. As a widget, it can be put directly on your existing real estate website.

Just as with a contact form, clients can use it to get in touch with you. Its special feature: Instead of just asking for personal information, the tool prompts website visitors to put in their property’s address. After adding some basic information, the tool immediately presents them with an initial appraisement. This approach creates interest, as well as an incentive to use the form. The result for you is a new real estate lead to follow up on.

3. Lead capture and nurturing

Good realtors know that their success in great part relies on their ability to communicate well and effectively. CRM software lets you time this communication perfectly and thus holds a vital place in transaction management. Customer relationship management solutions are ideal for lead capture and planning further steps in nurturing the client relationship.

Getting used to a CRM system might require some adjustment, but by simplifying your processes, they can save you a lot of time in the long run. For example, Salesforce, the market leader in CRM, advertises its varied services packages and functions to be scalable to enterprises of any size.

Our Recommendation: onOffice

This slightly more niche provider also focuses specifically on real estate markets. Its functionalities are user-friendly and perfectly adapted to realtor needs. For example, client info is conveniently connected to property databases.

4. Lead conversion

This stage is where your knowledge and experience come into full effect. Designing and employing effective marketing materials for your listing aids your clients before, during and after an open house by equipping them with all the essential information for their real estate transaction. This also puts you in a perfect position to advise them on how to find the perfect property for their needs or maximise profits in their sale.

Still, even in this step digital marketing tools can make your job easier. They make virtual tours possible for interested parties even from afar. Besides traditional video chat tools like Skype or Zoom, you have a choice of specialised software. Matterport, for example, lets floor plans come to life by creating immersive virtual tours for potential buyers. However, it might require investing in a compatible 3D camera to achieve high-quality results. Competitor Ogulu even allows for touch ups through digital staging.

Also don’t underestimate the importance of providing comprehensive information on the property. Especially in the early stages of lead conversion, such information might create momentum in clients to request a showing, and can inform their entire decision making process.

The most important foundation for this is reliable data. Based on that, you can advise clients confidently and with a deep understanding of properties in the context of their market. This will also result in building clients’ trust in your abilities, knowledge and expertise and can ultimately become a driving factor in lead conversion.

However, ensuring data is always dependable and up-to-date can prove to be quite the challenge. Real estate markets are subject to a great variety of influencing factors and property values are changing constantly. Again, the right tech tools can help you to always be on top of your data.

Our Recommendation: Property Advisor

PriceHubble’s Property Advisor helps real estate professionals advise customers or prospects on their property value and recent market trends, to build trust and show their expertise and knowledge about a specific property or location.

It is based on a very large and continually updated database of information on the real estate market in key European locations. With just a few clicks, you can access this database to create a comprehensive, highly accurate report to be sent to potential sellers. It includes a market and location analysis, rental rate estimate, comparable properties in the vicinity as a reference, as well as trends and expected developments for the area.

Through its professional and clear structure, the tool delivers valuable information on property prices and their determining factors for you and your clients, with relatively little effort. Additionally, the design can be personalised to fit your individual branding.

5. Strengthen client retention and reactivation

Not every client may be ready to make a decision regarding their property immediately. Or you might want to stay in touch with former clients to assist them in their next property transaction as well. The right tools let you generate useful information to continue and perpetuate the client relationship.

Our Recommendation: Property Tracker

PriceHubble’s Property Tracker helps you to keep your clients up-to-date on any changes in their properties’ values. This information keeps the client relationship dynamic and lets you support your clients in determining the right time for their next real estate transaction.

Try it out

Knowing how to choose and leverage real estate marketing tools for the greatest effect has only become more important in times of the covid pandemic. These tech tools allow real estate agents across Europe to fully serve their clients’ needs and facilitate real estate transactions smoothly and successfully.

To determine which tools are the best and most effective for your purposes, don’t be shy to simply give them a try. Make use of free versions and trial periods, and ask your staff for their opinions too. You will then be in the best position to judge which tools actually make your job easier and benefit your clients. This will help your agency to connect with clients and thrive in your market long term.

Contact us if you would like to start a free 14-day trial of our different tools.