Be Future Proof: Real Estate Connect Recap
What a week!
The future of the MLS, the impact of crowdfunding and robots in real estate and building a world class brokerage were just a few of the sessions at Real Estate Connect in San Francisco.
Our team had the opportunity to connect with new and old friends at the Smarter Agent kiosk on the exhibit hall floor. In conversation after conversation we heard real estate professionals talk about wanting to make mobile part of their overall business strategy. The question wasn’t whether to incorporate mobile, but how. Some were clear about what they wanted their strategy to look like, while others were less sure.
With that in mind, we wanted to share some things to keep in mind as you develop your own mobile strategy:
1. Are your clients using mobile? The easy answer is of course they are. NAR and Google estimate that 1 in 5 real estate searches are happening on a mobile device. Some, estimate this number is even higher. It’s easy to see these numbers and run out to develop a strategy. Before you do, survey your own clients to find out how many are using mobile and which sites they are using. Asking, will provide you excellent insight into their preferences, which will help guide your strategy.
2. What kind of information do your clients want? Most likely they are using mobile to search for properties, but what search criteria is especially important to them? Do your clients know that not all mobile search is created equal? While some mobile search apps, like Smarter Agent’s, pull data directly from the MLS, others rely on third party sources which can provide expired and out-of-date listings.
3. Native or mobile web? There used to be a debate about native versus mobile web. We think it is clear both are key to success. Many clients will use “native apps”, those bought in an app store, downloaded to our phones and developed specifically for one type of device, while others, who may not be as comfy downloading or using apps with their current phones, or use their web browser to search for real estate, will prefer mobile web for its ability to work across all devices and browsers. Make sure to understand how your clients prefer to search.
Your clients can be an incredible source of information in terms of developing your mobile strategy. Ask them what they want and find the best platform to meet their needs.
In case you missed Real Estate Connect, be sure to visit inman.com for highlights.