Arriving at the office, gym, or grocery store without your phone can evoke a sinking feeling as if you've left behind a vital companion. Our reliance on smartphones has become indispensable, and living without them seems unimaginable.
Similar to how Venmo eliminated the need for cash and Amazon removed the necessity to go to the store, individuals on a home-buying journey can experience the same convenience.
A couple of years back, home searching would involve scanning newspaper ads, hunting for the listing agent, making calls to schedule showings, or seeking referrals through word-of-mouth. This often led to visiting multiple properties that might not match their requirements, resulting in wasted time and disappointment for the buyer and agent.
Today, entire real estate transactions can be done from the palm of a consumer’s hand. In this new world, how can real estate agent prove their value?
Drawing inspiration from a recent Inman News article by Craig C. Rowe, we highlight why integrating a mobile app into your real estate business is essential for a realtor to demonstrate their value in a post-NAR settlement landscape.
Mobile is now the standard
In a recent Forbes study on social media and search engine use, a third of respondents use only their mobile phone to access the internet, and 24 percent of people say they only or primarily use social media to search online. In a recent NAR survey on Real Estate in the Digital Age, 75 percent of homebuyers used a mobile or tablet search device in their home search
Exploding Topics, a research and data analytics company whose clients include Netflix, Google, and Microsoft, reported that slightly more than 92 percent of internet users access it via a mobile phone.
“The news here is that search trends are changing and that big screens are in decline. If you’re not communicating with the mobile market, you’ve aged out of the business.”
Responsiveness is value
The hype around buyer commission rules in the proposed NAR settlement has everyone from coaches to brokers buzzing about strategies to highlight the importance of representing buyers.
First things first, think about how you connect with your clients. Get creative and meet them where they hang out on mobile - it might not be through old-school texts or emails.
Not a fan of haggling on your iPhone's basic app? Try a more personalized client experience. HomeStack is a unique application that helps real estate agents, teams and real estate brokerages build a branded mobile app to share with clients. HomeStack recently received a rare 5-star Inman review, lauding an impeccable search experience, ease of use, communication, and CRM flexibility.
If you rely on your real estate CRM, HomeStack hooks up with the major players like Follow Up Boss, BoldTrail, and MoxiWorks, to name a few! Creating an integrated real estate tech stack means a dream team of lightning-fast responses to leads, quick solutions for customers, and staying on top of deals.
Chances are you've got a mental Rolodex of go-to names for everything from fixing fuses to financing your dreams. And what about those dusty old buyer and seller manuals? Let's save a tree and pass those along digitally. With a HomeStack App, you can stash all your trusted resources and vendors in one mobile spot, right at their fingertips via App Resources.
Mobile is already all around us
These days, many individuals find digital transactions more convenient than dealing in cash. With the integration of Apple Pay and Venmo into our routines, people are increasingly at ease with online financial transactions across various areas of daily life. The reluctance to connect bank accounts to services like budgeting apps such as YNAB or automatic bill payments is fading, including in the real estate sector.
When you go for a haircut or facial, it's common to request your stylists' Venmo for tips instead of cash, and this trend has been increasing annually.
Have you attended a concert or live sporting event lately? Many venues now use mobile, fast, and often required point-of-sale terminals.
“Retail business trade pub Retail TouchPoints said in a June 12 report that in 2023, mobile phones accounted for 75 percent of retail website visits and 70 percent of purchases.”
In a nutshell, the mobile business comfort train is here and gaining speed.
Remember, consumers are blazing ahead with or without you by their side.
So, buckle up and go mobile!
Read the full article in Inman News here.
Are you looking to gain more real estate business? Learn how to build a mobile real estate app here.
