Using Technology to Help You Buy and Sell Homes

Unsurprisingly, as of May 2013, 56 percent of Americans owned a smartphone. And, if you're a real estate agent, chances are you fall within that 56 percent of people who have traded in their old flip phone for a smartphone. Thanks to the smartphone, we can now search the Internet and enjoy our favorite apps all in the palms of our hands. However, smartphones are good for more than just play, they can also help you be more productive in your career.

Here's a look at some of my favorite apps for Realtors:

• DocuSign: While the app may be free, the real estate edition is well worth the $14.95 subscription fee. This app gives you the ability to digitally sign legal documents on the go.
• Evernote: You never know when inspiration (or information) will strike. Evernote is productivity app that helps you organize your notes, lists and photos into notebooks you create. You can even add tags to help you find what you're looking for later. The best part? You can access everything you've stored in Evernote from your phone, tablet, computer and even their webiste.
• Houzz: Show your home buyers and sellers a world full of potential with this design eye candy app. Houzz is great for helping you find ideas for staging a home or decorating your brand new home. Plus, it allows you to easily track down professionals in your area and find out what products are used in the rooms.
• HomeSnap: Users can take a picture of a home that's for sale, and then the app matches the image and GPS location to display teal-time data from MLS and other sources on its price, size, features and additional photos.
• Mortgage Calculator: Ever wanted to quickly show your buyers just how much that home will cost them per month? There are plenty of free mortgage and loan calculator apps that quickly provide all of the financial information you need.
• REALTOR.com: This is the largest and most popular database of real estate listings. The app is GPS supported, so you can easily see what properties (and all of their important details) are available nearby.

Agents, what apps are you using on your phone or tablet? I'd love to hear from you in the comments section below!

Until next time,

Jeff Rutt