I have spent the last 26 years in real estate technology. I have seen firsthand how tech has changed the real estate industry. I started shortly after the first MLS system went online. This was a game-changer in how the real estate search works and shares information.

From this transition of technology, innovation happened over time. Companies started using websites, and listings started to be shared on those websites for consumers to search. Digital tools became more prevalent, and so much more.

I bring this up because sometimes change can be slow and can go through cycles before mainstream adoption. When I started in real estate technology, I worked with one of the first companies to develop online transaction management software. This was a new concept at the time, and everyone was very excited about it. That is until they weren't. The evolution of transaction management or document management solutions had many cycles of excitement to periods when nobody wanted to use it. It took time for the industry to come around to the idea that digital transactions were a requirement for a company to operate more efficiently and to help with compliance. Now, if you look around, how many companies don't use a transaction or document management solution? There aren't many.

72% of all buyers found their home using a mobile app

I am here to tell you that mobile real estate apps fall into the category of an idea that has ebbed and flowed with excitement, but now it is something that consumers see as a requirement. Did you know that 72% of all buyers found their home using a mobile app? Or that 88% of mobile screen time is spent using an app? I bet you didn't, because if you did, your company would have its own custom-branded app available instead of letting your consumers download and use a competitive solution from a large portal.

Not only have mobile apps come a long way since they were first introduced, but so has real estate marketing. From traditional advertising methods like billboards and flyers to modern digital marketing techniques, real estate agents are constantly looking for new and innovative ways to reach potential buyers and sellers.

One of the most effective ways to do this is through the use of a mobile real estate app. A mobile real estate app can revolutionize your real estate marketing strategy in several ways.

• A mobile app provides a platform for you to showcase your properties and all the other properties in the MLS in an interactive and engaging way. It can also provide the ability for consumers to interact with your agents in real time.
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• Another way to revolutionize your strategy is through the use of custom push notifications. By sending push notifications to users who have downloaded your app, you can not only keep them up-to-date with new properties that are available and price changes, but you can also send notifications to promote a blog post, an event being hosted by the company, or a charity campaign the company is involved in. You can prompt a consumer to learn more about the value of their home and ways to increase its value. You can even market your ancillary services such as mortgage and insurance. Think about custom push notifications as another way to serve up all the content that is generated by your marketing team in a tool that has an engagement rate of up to 92%. How does that compare to your email campaigns?
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• Real estate mobile apps can also be used to provide valuable insights into your target audience. By tracking user behavior and engagement, you can gain a better understanding of what your potential buyers are looking for in a property. Or it can even give you an indicator if a homeowner may be thinking about selling or purchasing a new home. This can help you tailor your marketing efforts to better meet their needs and ultimately increase your chances of making a sale.
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• Finally, mobile apps can be a great way to build brand awareness and establish yourself as a thought leader in the real estate industry. By creating a mobile real estate app that is custom branded with your real estate company or real estate team name and logo in the app store, that is informative and engaging, you can position your company as an expert in your market and build trust with potential buyers and sellers.

Overall, a mobile app can revolutionize your real estate marketing strategy by providing a platform for you to take your marketing to the next generation. It's time to move from marketing 2.0 to marketing 3.0 and embrace a new way to stay in front of your clients and prospects.

- Alex Jacobs, VP of Business Development at HomeStack, LinkedIn‍

Contact us today to learn more about how our mobile app solutions can benefit your business and how you can create your own real estate app for your real estate team or real estate brokerage.

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