Real estate is a fast-paced industry. With the breadth of what the Internet has to offer, real estate professionals have an arsenal of tools at their disposal to simplify their daily routines. Between tablets, apps and other mobile technology to the many stellar, innovative vendor products available, real estate has truly embraced technology in ways that are streamlining the home-buying process, allowing agents to not only save time, but also better serve their clients.
For Doug Andrus, managing broker for Keller Williams Lakeside Realty in Shelby Township, Mich., technology is a true passion—for him and his company. Accompanied by the many tools offered to him by Keller Williams corporate, Andrus is consistently offering his agents easier ways to tackle their jobs, starting with Keller Williams’ own eEdge system, which allows agents to handle complete transactions all within its confines. And the best part? His company is completely paperless.
“We employ Market Leader and Dotloop as part of our transaction platform. Whether a transaction is for a purchaser or a seller, these companies are the key elements,” says Andrus. “You can also invite your appraisers, title companies and your lender into that loop, and have a digital record of who touched it and when.”
That’s exactly what agents at Keller Williams Lakeside Realty do. Incorporating Quicken Loans into their eEdge system allows agents to have a one-stop shop for transaction management, including checking in to see the various timelines of clients’ mortgage approval processes. Quicken Loans’ easy five-step process makes mortgage applications easier than ever, starting with the original application and carrying customers step-by-step through a credit review, creation of a My Quicken Loans account (MyQL), the underwriting of the loan, and lastly, the closing. For Quicken Loans customers, a MyQL account will allow them to track their loan throughout the process. Customers can view GFEs and different loan options, and also submit deposits to secure a loan. The company also offers MyQL Mobile, a 100-percent secure app for iPhone and Android. If questions should arise during any part of the process, a Home Loan Expert is always available for guidance. For Andrus, MyQL’s capabilities are loaded right into eEdge.
“For me as a broker, I have a dashboard where I can see all of the agents’ systems so I can see what they’re working on. If someone is in a slump, I can see how many listings they have this year and how many they closed,” says Andrus. “From a management standpoint, all of these tools give me a look at agents’ performances, and lets me know if there’s someone I can motivate.”
Having Quicken Loans as a partner perfectly complements Andrus’s business plan. Their efficient processes and easy-to-use online dashboards allow Keller Williams Lakeside Realty’s agents to work faster than ever, and more activity means more profit, says Andrus.
“Technology will never replace a high-touch approach in this business, but I can make more contact and manage more things than I could 30 years ago. Now we can market to a 100-mile radius versus 10,” he says.
“The mortgage process is like assembling something. Quicken Loans took the process and broke it down for each of the categories,” adds Andrus. “All of the hands that have to touch a transaction is unbelievable. Quicken Loans makes it more efficient. Once the banker does his job, it moves to the next step on the assembly line. Their process doesn’t depend on just one person—there’s always a person who can step up and handle issues quickly. It’s one phone call and the rest is done online.”
Andrus says customers love Quicken Loan’s approach to mortgages because clients don’t have to take half a day off from work to go to a bank, in addition to avoiding other sales pitches banks might try to offer.
“Today’s consumer is very focused. They want things to be transparent. With Quicken Loans, they can go online any time to see the status of their loan.
“They have 24/7 answers about where your transaction is. I never had so much contact—they’re hell-bent on great customer service,” adds Andrus.
“I like to work with companies that are innovative, that aren’t afraid to try something new. I like working with local people, Michigan-based people; and being a Detroit-based business, I’m encouraging people to use Quicken Loans to support our local economy,” says Andrus.
Throughout the course of discussion, Andrus always returns to the company’s innovative strengths.
“Quicken Loans is constantly looking for what’s next, and what they can do to make the system better. That’s why they’ve grown.”
For more information, visit www.quickenloans.com.
