Tech can definitely level the playing field in a great many occupations, including Real Estate. With the advent of the big real estate portals, it seems like a person can find all they need to move out of their beaten-down apartment, and into the home of their dreams. As a Realtor, I use tech every day as well, to search MLS listings, unofficially pre-qualify a client, or even help them imagine what a sofa would look like placed in an empty room. I have an iPad full of tools, and an iPhone full of contacts hoping I use those tools correctly.
For instance, there is an app called BAO, or Business Analytics Online which allows you to quickly and easily get key demographic and market facts about any location in the U.S. The thing is, it's pretty easy to mess up and get bad data, and you wouldn't know it unless you knew the characteristics of a neighborhood really well. The app told me the median income in my neighborhood is over $80,000. I invite the makers of BAO to visit my neighborhood and see that unfortunately, that is not the case.
My point? Tech can lead you down the wrong path, with bad data from time to time, so never rely on one single app when making a decision.
So, with that caviat in mind, I have some great tools that many of my clients have found useful, starting with MY app. Self-serving as it is to start with that, my Keller Williams branded app pulls data from our local MLS, and ties that in with GPS, includes a mortgage calculator, and allows you to sort and save properties to a list you send to your agent for more information.
To get it, just text: "kw1gzs81l" to 87778 (the last two characters are 1 and little L)
Now.. The rest:
Sometimes, communicating what style of home you hope to find to your real estate agent is impossible. Do you want a modern farmhouse, or an Andy Warhol-esque single floor? Grab the Houzz app, (iOS / Android) and browse the largest database of photos of homes you're likely to find. For that matter, you can even send a picture or two of an inside of a home....
When one person can't be present for a home tour, let the other one have a virtual presence, using Facetime on iPhones/iPads.. A wife can show her absent husband around the property and talk about what she is seeing at the same time...
Did you forget to bring a tape measure? EasyMeasure (iOS /Android) will get you pretty close measurements, by pointing your device at where the floor meets the wall...
If you are curious what a room might look like with the walls painted another color, try ColorSnap Studio (iOS/Android) With it, you can explore over 1,500 colors, get color inspiration from a photo or virtually paint your walls with the brush of a finger.
Walk Score (iOS/Android) is for renters. It will instantly calculate how close you are to nearby important amenities, such as schools, hospitals, coffee shops, grocery stores and bus lines..
Great Schools Finder (iOS) Locate and see on a map nearby elementary, middle, and high schools. Search listings and view detailed ratings, reviews, and test scores.
HUD HOMES (iOS & Android) Official source for Government Foreclosures.
Once you get back home, and want detailed info on your neighborhood, visit the L.A. Times Neighborhoods for an overview of schools, crime, and general commentary about all the neighborhoods in L.A.
What about visiting the 800 lb. gorilla of the industry, ZILLOW?
Obviously the big real estate portals like Zillow and Trulia have pictures of properties and some data, but they are often outdated. They have little incentive to keep them completely up to date, and the "Zestimates" (Zillow's estimate property value engine) are often off by a large sum. A Washington Post article recently noted that:
"No algorithm, however sophisticated, can quantify the value of a kitchen that was remodeled just before a home was put on the market or a yard that is poorly maintained. It simply isn't possible for any AVM to predict the value of a home with a level of accuracy sufficient to make a housing decision."
Zillow even acknowledges that their pricing is within 5% of the correct value less than half the time!
I don't want to get off on a rant here, so I'll switch to design..
For design inspiration, I suggest you visit curbed.com. The site is one of the top 15 most influential real estate sites out there, with stunning photos of how to up your home's curb appeal, as a seller.
I will do a PART 2 on this topic in a couple weeks, as there are far too many cool tools to list in one report. If you have a GO-TO tool you recommend, hit the comments below and share!
-Chris Gallatin www.gallatingroup.net
