As a real estate agent, you’re always looking for ways to improve your business and take it to the next level. After all, there are plenty of real estate agents out there, so be on top of your game to get ahead in the field. One way to stay ahead is by finding and using the best online tools that can help make your job easier and more streamlined.
All of them will help you save time and be more efficient, allowing you to spend less time performing tasks manually and more time working with clients and generating revenue. Here are eight online tools every real estate agent needs to get started and stay on top of the latest trends in your market, help you communicate with clients more effectively, and keep track of your time to make sure you’re getting paid fairly for all your hard work and expertise. You can start using these today!
Create Your Chatbot
Chatbots are all over social media platforms like Facebook, Messenger, and Twitter. You can search for a local coffee shop to order takeaway or book a hotel room through Messenger. Virtual assistants like Siri make everyday life much easier. Chatbots are on their way to making real estate transactions simple as well—but right now, they’re being used in some pretty innovative ways by industry professionals with little extra time on their hands.
Use Google Business
Google Business, formerly Google My Business, is a valuable tool to get more reviews and, more importantly, to have your clients’ contact information. Let’s say you meet with a client who wants to sell their house, but they’re not ready just yet. Why not shoot them an email and set up a time to meet in 30 days when they may be ready? You can also see if someone has reviewed your work.
Make a Website to Display Properties
Whether you’re building a new website from scratch or simply need to add some property listings, website builders are extremely useful. They allow you to build your own professional-looking real estate site quickly and easily—no prior design experience required. Some lead management solutions for realtors have built-in customer relationship management systems that make updating your listings simple, too. These tools are best for beginning agents who just want to display their properties on a site with no bells and whistles.
Promote With Instagram Ads
No matter your niche, you can always use more Instagram followers. With such a large audience and so many posts on Instagram, you can effectively promote just about anything with minimal effort. To go even further with it, learn how to use Instagram’s advertising platform to boost your post to an even larger audience for a small cost. The possibilities are truly endless with how you can leverage this platform for your business and personal brand.
Use Photography and Editing Apps
Real estate photography is becoming more important as agents are expected to have great photos of their properties to share with clients. Your phone or camera is perfect for getting some snaps, but you might want to start using photo editing apps like Adobe and Snapseed to make your real estate photos pop. Remember: it’s not about taking a good picture; it’s about taking a great one. And that can mean removing every single house on your street and playing with filters until it looks right.
Record Clients With Google Sheets and Apps
A Google spreadsheet can serve as a virtual Rolodex and keep you organized while helping you track new leads, current clients, and past projects. The best part is that your entire business can be housed in one place with a few additional apps. And there’s no need to worry about syncing: just make sure all of your devices are backed up regularly, and you’ll never lose any data!
Create an Online Partnership With Contractors
Hiring a professional to tackle home repairs and upgrades is a great idea. But you can keep costs down and make sure everything goes smoothly by creating an online partnership with these specialists. Whether you’re looking for an electrician, plumber, or roofer, make sure to search for reviews of past clients, check references, and look at portfolios before hiring someone—even if they come highly recommended by friends or family. You want your contractor to be not only friendly but honest about what tasks need attention now and which ones can wait. Being well-prepared will help prevent surprises that end up costing more money in repairs than expected.
Trello for Task Management
Maybe you’re a seasoned veteran of task management, or you’re still trying to find your way. Either way, chances are you could use an organizational tool that can help keep your tasks organized and everything on track. Trello is a free, easy-to-use project-management platform that helps real estate agents stay productive while keeping their eyes on what matters most: clients and sales.
Many online tools can help a real estate agent or broker become more efficient and effective, but only if utilized correctly. Take some time to learn how each of these tools works and decide which one(s) will fit your needs. The better you understand how each tool works and how it can work for you, the more likely you’ll get to implement them into your routine quickly.
