The increasing use of tablets and smartphones has a substantial impact on the real estate market, making the home search process easier and faster. More than 90 per cent of all home buyers start their search online. Real estate professionals understand the importance of mobile devices in the industry and are optimizing their websites for hand-held devices as well as introducing mobile apps to their marketing tool box.
A 2012 mobile home shoppers study conducted by TheRealEstateBook.com showed that people use their mobile devices mostly for the following real estate–related activities: 60 per cent find listing details, price, description, amenities and contact information, 66 per cent inquire for more information about a listing, and 78 per cent view photos and videos of homes.
More and more real estate professionals are asking mobile app developers to create online tools allowing them access to real estate information from almost anywhere. The Canadian Real Estate Association (CREA) has its own free app, which allows users to search for homes and properties across Canada and get in touch with Realtors. It has never been so easy to find properties for sale. Whether you’re lying on a couch, watching TV, or commuting on public transit, you have always access to the most recent real estate information. For example, if you’re in one of the Toronto Neighbourhoods, by turning on location services, you can find properties for sale right in the area where you’re standing.
Georges Pahud, CREA’s president, commented on the importance of real estate apps:
When considering one of life’s biggest financial transactions, easily accessible, detailed information about homes and neighbourhoods, as well as access to REALTORS®, helps people make well-informed decisions.
Furthermore, the CIBC Home Advisor App provides access to expert mortgage advice wherever you are. This great app for Canadian house hunters also allows users to view detailed neighborhood information, keep track of properties they already visited, and calculate home ownership costs. Being informed is the first step in making the right decision when purchasing a house, and applications like this can significantly improve your position.
If you want to discover detailed notes about certain neighbourhoods, you might like Wikihood, a great application that offers instant area information about different neighbourhoods in a city. Real estate agents who use e-signatures could find Signmypad handy. It allows you to create e-signature on offers in PDF format. Furthermore, apps such as Dropbox and Evernote are a must if you want to keep your documents and thoughts organized.
About The Author
The article was written by Elli Davis, a real estate agent who knows most of the Toronto neighbourhoods by heart and is always happy to help you find your dream home.