Technology
How to use your smartphone for better real estate management
If you’re a real estate professional, you probably lead a very busy life. Whether you’re on the go to see a new property, working out the finances for purchasing a new home or managing some of your tenants, there’s always work to be done. One way to make your life easier is by using your smartphone to help with some of your tasks. Here are just a few of the things smartphones can help you with:
Stay Organized with Apps
Apps are a great way to completely revitalize your business approach. They can help you keep track of rent and expenses, calculate costs, and even evaluate acquisitions.
For those managing properties, The Landlord App is a must-have. You can manage your payments from tenants and upload new property listings to Craigslist, all from the comfort of your phone.
Looking to flip a property, but not sure how much it will all cost? Just download Property Fixer, which lets you determine the estimated sale price of a property after accounting for the initial cost and any projects that need to be done. You’ll quickly see your profit margin, which can help you determine whether or not to buy a home.
Property Evaluator goes a step beyond both of these apps to help you determine the true value of a property. It analyzes the real estate market and lets you know how much profit you’re making on your investments.
There are plenty more apps out there, so do a thorough search of the app store for your device.
Use GPS to Find New Properties
Now that all cell phones have GPS in them, finding properties is easier than ever. You can put away your local classified section and instead just take a walk or drive over to the area you’re thinking of investing in. Nearly every home-search app on the market includes a GPS feature that lets you see homes for sale near you. All you have to do is open the search, and you’ll find plenty of options you can invest in. Not sure where to start? Try downloading Realtor.com, Zillow, Trulia, or another home-search app.
Look Up Properties on the Go
Don’t have time to sit at your computer and research new investment properties? That’s not a problem, as you can easily do this from your phone. In fact, most real estate apps let you save properties online and then access them later via smartphone. This is great if you saw something promising, but just don’t have the time to vet it fully. Look up new investments while waiting at the airport, catching the bus, or while you’re waiting for your food to arrive at a restaurant.
Utilize Social Media
While websites like Trulia, Realtor.com, and Zillow are all still popular options for listing homes, social media has made a surge in the house investment market. Many people are listing their homes for sale on these sites, as their large social network gets just as much reach as a more traditional real estate site. Even when it comes time to find new tenants for a property, places like Facebook and Twitter are excellent locations to advertise.
Therefore, make sure that you build up your own social networks in order to have greater access to buyers, sellers, and prospective tenants. You might even want to create a group specifically for your real estate offerings in order to curate specific followers who are interested in your properties.
Now that you’ve seen all the benefits smartphones can provide for your real estate business, it’s time to upgrade your phone. Choose from a large variety of phones at a carrier like T-Mobile. Having a reliable network is also important, as you don’t want to deal with frequent dead zones while in the middle of important tasks.
With your new phone and your new knowledge, conquering the real estate world will be as easy as swiping your finger. You’ll be able to instantly reach buyers, manage tenants’ concerns, and look for the latest property to invest in.