It’s hard enough to keep up with the demands of buyers and sellers while keeping profits up, but when we add new technologies into the mix in the form of apps, platforms and services, it can be overwhelming.
Clearly, agents need to be on top of the latest innovations to help their clients, so here’s a quick rundown of two new tech tools that will add more profitability to your toolkit.
No Agent on Site? No Problem!
What if you could show a property without being there? You may be thinking, “Virtual tours have been around for years, what’s so novel about that?”
But I’m not talking about virtual tours. There is a new innovation in the showing game called Occupi. This app was developed when an agent kept complaining to her tech-head boyfriend that a showing got cancelled after she drove an hour to let the prospects in, or worse, was a “no-show” after battling New York traffic for hours.
Anthony Esper is the genius behind this app that allows a buyer to walk through a property without the agent. The pre-screening is intense and includes background checks, facial recognition, identity verification and more. Timing while in the property is also defined and an intricate code system changes the lockbox access after every showing.
This is a real convenience in areas where parking is at a premium and it’s nearly impossible for a buyer and agent to find a spot. This service conveniently provides access to apartment rentals, vacant properties, commercial locations and foreclosures. The result? The listing agent saves time and reduces stress.
Fractional Homeownership
There is a noticeable upswing in buyers looking for second homes, but the owner has to manage and pay for that property while it sits unused for months at a time. Enter Pacaso, the new way to own a second home.
This great innovation comes from Austin Allison, founder of Dotloop. The service involves real homeownership for multiple parties in one piece of real estate. Simply put, Pacaso offers co-ownership, where the company will manage the home. Unlike the old time-share concept, Pacaso specializes in top second-home destinations, with all the management done for you. Recent reports show that families want more flexibility with their second homes and don’t want to be locked into specific dates in the future. Pacaso has created an easy scheduling system to allow booking time in a second home “anywhere from two days to two years in advance.”
There are a lot of shiny objects to chase in real estate, but smart agents do their research and find the solutions to best serve their clientele.
Terri Murphy is a communication engagement specialist, author, consultant and master coach with Workman Success Systems. She is the author of five books, a TED Talk speaker and the founder of the Women’s Wisdom Network on Facebook. Contact her at Terri@TerriMurphy.com.
