I went into Google today and searched “Social Media Tools.”

21,100,000 results!!

As a busy real estate professional, how do you differentiate what social tools are good to use and what are not? For me, first impressions say a lot. If I go to a site, and it’s confusing, or I just “don’t get it” for whatever reason, I usually move on. Let that be a lesson: simplicity is key.

For this “Tip Tuesday” post, I’ve selected three social tools, that I’ve come across recently, that are ideal for real estate agents or brokers to utilize.

1. Argyle Social - Argyle Social is a dashboard for social publishing, customer engagement, and social analytics. According to their blog, “Argyle is like Gmail for social media”.

Their belief is that there is a better way to help social media marketers do their job. For example, they have an “engage tab” that is built like an email inbox, focused on simplicity and usability, and optimized so that nothing falls through the cracks.

They also have a “rules” function which allows you to prioritize your social inbox. Instead of a pile of undifferentiated mentions, comments, and tweets in your inbox, Rules will automatically delineate, prioritize, and organize posts according to the filters that you set up.  I am eager to try this and see how it compares to Hootsuite and Tweetdeck. If you have used this, please leave me your feedback below!

I could see this tool particularly useful for brokers or real estate agents distributing social content over multiple streams like Twitter and Facebook – but one of the biggest benefit I could see is the filtering ability and the tools to foster engagement.

2. Nurph - One of the best parts of Twitter is the chatter that happens one-on-one. Nurph calls itself the “missing group feature in Twitter.” Nurph is real-time chat based on your social profile. Only the people who follow you can chat in your channel. Tweet the Nurph link and then bring the community together on your terms.

How cool would this be if you struck up a conversation with a potential real estate client on Twitter? You could turn a 140 character conversation into a more in-depth online conversation to get to know that client better and their real estate needs.

(Can’t view the video – click here)

3. Kurrently - This is one of the best ways to monitor when people are talking about you, a topic, or a brand on social media. Simply type in a phrase like “your name” or “Seattle real estate,” choose the Twitter or Facebook button, and then you will receive a list of people who have mentioned you or the phrase you typed in.

There are so many other hot social media tools emerging every day. Have a favorite? Leave me a comment below! Also, if you have used any of these three tools I’d love your opinion about them.

Written by: Katie Lance, Senior Marketing Manager, Inman News, @katielance

Share on Facebook

For today’s Tip Tuesday post, I want to introduce a tool to you that some of you may be familiar with, but you may not have visited for sometime: Google Browser Size.

Do you know that some people do not see your site as you see it?

Maybe they have to scroll back and forth, maybe the whole site does not show up in one frame – these are all things that a lot of real estate agents don’t think about. They see their site and think that’s how it always looks – but many times sites look different in Firefox, Chrome, Safari, Internet Explorer, etc.

Google has a fabulously free tool called Google Browser Size. This is a great tool where you can plug in any URL (your website, your blog, etc) and it will show you the percentage of people that are able to view parts of your site.

According to Google:

“Google Browser Size is a visualization of browser window sizes for people who visit Google. For example, the “90%” contour means that 90% of people visiting Google have their browser window open to at least this size or larger.”

Here is an example:

Here’s a closer view of their example:

Imagine if only 60 or 80% of the people who view your site can actually view your entire site? I know from talking to many of you that this year is the year you will be revamping your site and taking a hard look at what you want on your site or your blog. I recommend that you use this tool to help you build a better site!

Have you used this tool before? I’d love your feedback – leave me a comment below!

Written by: Katie Lance, Senior Marketing Manager, Inman News, @katielance

Share on Facebook

I must be on a lot of Realtor’s marketing lists. I’m not surprised, I know a ton of real estate agents and brokers from all over the country and I blog about real estate marketing and social media. The downside to being on all these lists (most of which I don’t remember signing up for), is the onslaught of marketing materials I receive. I get tons of postcards and newsletters sent to me and emailed to me.

I receive reminders about turning the clocks back, and when it’s time to change the batteries on my smoke detector. All of this is fine – and I know as a marketer, some real estate agents were sold the idea that the more “touches” they got to me, the more likely I am to call them to buy or sell a house.

Not only that, I was a promoter of this theory!!

I remember working with agents, getting their databases organized and getting them on a 12 month drip marketing campaign. It all sounded so great until now.

Now I’m the one getting dripped on and I don’t like it!

Why?

It is so impersonal!

Every time I get a post card in the mail I throw it out almost immediately with the rest of my junk mail. Why? Because I think in the time it took to send me that post card, they could have been so much more effective by reaching out to me via Facebook, email or even calling me.

The more that I think about it, the more I think agents are really sold a false bill of goods. Here’s the schtick: “Send something to your past clients and eventually they will refer business or do business with you again.”

After being dripped on for the last couple years, that’s not the way I work, and I have a feeling that’s not how a lot of other people work too.

I’m sure as I write this, someone is thinking, “But Katie, I got a call last week from someone I sent a postcard to!” I’m sure it happens, I just think in this day and age, there has got to be a better way than to spend hundreds of dollars and send something that gets wedged between my bills and the junk mail.

So how would I like to be marketed to? I have a bunch of ideas, but to start, here are my first 3:

1. Get on Facebook today. Stop making excuses that you don’t have time or it’s not worth it. It is worth it. And you need to make time. All that time you spent writing copy for a newspaper ad or proofing your postcard can now go toward Facebook.

2. Set up your personal profile on Facebook and then spend the next 60 days reconnecting with old friends and colleagues. Leave notes on people’s pages. Compliment them on their kids. Take note of vacations and milestones. Be genuinly interested in them. Do not talk about your business or your listings unless someone asks.

Don’t outsource it – do not give it to your assistant or son/daughter to do. You must do this yourself. Would you outsource going to lunch with a client? Would you outsource visiting a friend in the hospital? No!

There is so much value in this – but suprisingly it is the one aspect people totally overlook, probably because there is no immediate ROI.

I know I would MUCH rather do business with someone who talked to me about my kids, or my vacation, or my family – someone who took an interest in me! On Facebook, the beauty of it is that you can do that and not invest a ton of time. I try to make it a point everyday to not just post things about myself, but to interact – to comment or “like” friends posts or photos, to post notes of concern when something somber happens, and notes of joy when there is a happy occasion.

3. After 60-90 days, set up your business page. Suggest to your friends who are your clients or potential clients to join your page. Post to your business page every day – 3 times a day. Talk about the community, local events, schools, the market – things that are interesting! Post a link to this page on the home page of your website and in your email signature.

1st rule of marketing – go where people are hanging out. Where are people hanging out? On Facebook!

BONUS IDEA: In addition, start sending personal emails to your database. How about 3-5 a day? One by one, send a personal email – doesn’t have to be long-winded but this is a great way to keep in touch with someone who is not on Facebook. This email should not be a marketing email – just a “how are you doing, thinking of you” email! OR…. make 3-5 calls a day!

My main point here, is that I really think there needs to be a call for more personal marketing. Still love the postcards? How about send 20 out with personal handwritten notes on them?

You can’t underestimate the value of being personal – and in real estate being personal is what it is all about.

On a side note I do believe in drip marketing to some extent – especially if you are trying to market yourself to people who don’t know you,  but I think it needs to be combined with more personal marketing efforts to really be the most effective.

What do you think? I’d love your opinions and will respond to your comments – please leave me your feedback below!

Written by: Katie Lance, Senior Marketing Manager, Inman News @katielance

Share on Facebook

Chad Fisher enjoys life as an entrepreneur, developing sites to help people find
affordable housing, and creating a resource for users to compare auto insurance quotes from companies in their state.

An Android smart phone can be a real estate agent’s best friend. Rather than having to trudge back to the office or make a phone call when an impromptu inquiry pops up, you can have all the information you need in a jiffy. Real estate agents fulfill so many roles that you probably need more than just five good apps to get the job done. Still, these five apps are useful to any agent. They are available directly on your phone and can provide the information you need in just a few clicks.

1. Suburb Scout

This handy app highlights anything that might affect the property value of a home. It will show you at a glance how far away the nearest airport is, if there is a landfill in the area, or the proximity of the local power plants. Prisons in the area are also highlighted. REALTORS® and home shoppers can use this tool to eliminate any unexpected surprises before they get too far into the home buying process.

2. Smarter Agent

This clean-cut, easy-to-navigate app helps anyone locate the nearest homes or apartments for rent or sale. You can look up the prices for any listed property, as well as recent photos and maps of the location. You can also get a quick average of home values in the neighborhood by researching the prices that area homes have sold for within the last three years. Users can browse by price or location and narrow searches easily. Even REALTOR Magazine likes this app as a tool to share with clients. It’s a freebee you can offer that lets clients search the MLS based on GPS coordinates and other criteria.

3. Google Voice

Google Voice is quickly becoming one of the most useful tools for real estate agents. Once you establish your own Google phone number you can use the native Android app to send voice messages as well as text messages. You can also listen to voicemails or read text transcripts of the voicemails directly from Google. Since it is part of the Google suite of applications, it automatically incorporates all of your contacts and information in one place on your phone. It’s never been easier to stay in contact with prospects, the office and other agents.

4. Google Maps

Google Maps continues to improve its excellent interface. You can follow a GPS signal to make sure you are headed in the right direction, no matter what part of town you need to locate. You can use the app to locate businesses or schools in the area. It will calculate the distance between locations and give you a good estimate of how much time it will take to travel that distance. If you like, you can choose to get driving directions in a simple list form. You can also receive driving directions in a graphical interface that shows exactly where each turn is along the route.

5. Karl’s Mortgage Calculator

Nothing works better than a visual aid when trying to help prospective buyers understand the value of a home and the cost of a mortgage. Karl’s Mortgage Calculator helps you fulfill your role as adviser when buyers are considering a purchase. It offers a sophisticated visual analysis of loans and investments to help buyers feel confident about their purchases. Try different interest rates, early payoffs or extra payments for “what if” scenarios.

Other helpful apps that you might consider include Remember the Milk for a to-do list, iHandy Carpenter to get that last-minute wall hanging up straight, Evernote for capturing and organizing any type of information you need, Dropbox for storing and sharing documents in the cloud, and Safe Neighborhood to help clients with concerns about locating convicted offenders in the area.

What are your favorite Android apps?

Share on Facebook

I’m not big into predictions, but think 2011 may be the year of the “specific niche social media” – meaning social media networks that have a specific niche.

As I’m getting ready for Agent Reboot NYC and Real Estate Connect NYC NEXT WEEK (OMG yes it really is next week!!) I came across a new social media tool designed to connect with my fellow airline passengers.

Check out Planely – who asks the question, “Who is on your next plane?”

Personally, I think it’s a pretty cool concept – especially in the case of traveling for a conference.

One of the main reasons to go to a conference is for the networking and the people you meet. At Connect, there never seems to be enough face time with people you can meet.

What if you could start your networking at the airport? As the video below suggests, you can meet up with people who are on your same flight, meet in the terminal, share a cab ride and even sit together if you’d like!

Since I’m a social media junkie, I just signed up. Maybe we’ll be on the same flight! See you at the airport!

Planely from Planely on Vimeo.

Would love your opinion on this – will you sign up for it? Would you use this social network? Leave me a comment below!

Written by: Katie Lance, Senior Marketing Manager, Inman News @katielance

Share on Facebook

REALTORS® – did you receive an iPad under the Christmas tree this year? If so, here is your quick-start guide to setting it up!

1. Remove from the box and remove the clear plastic cover.

2. Plug it into your computer to sync it up. When iTunes launches, you’ll be asked to activate the iPad, agree to its Terms and Conditions, and register your device. If you have never had an iTunes account, you will be prompted to set one up. You will need to provide your credit card information. This is the card that will be used when you purchase anything from the iTunes store like apps, music, videos and movies. You’ll also need to come up with a username and password. Take my advice and write that down somewhere so you don’t forget! If you already have an iTunes account, you will be prompted to add your iPad to your account. One of the best things about Apple is how untuitive their set-up process is. But, if you need assistance, you can go to apple.com and use their live chat feature or view any one of their video tutorials.

iTunes will serve as your iPad’s “backup system.” If you already have an iPhone or iPod, I recommend that you start fresh and do not automatically sync everything from your iPhone or iPod to your iPad. Why? Not everything is compatible and it will take a lot of time!

Next, you can choose to automatically sync applications, photos, music and videos or customizing your options.

You can also skip the iTunes process temporarily if your iPad was activated at the Apple Store.

To set up your email, click on the General Settings app button on your iPad, enter your login information, and you’re ready to go.

3. Now the fun part – let’s download some apps!

Apps are already segmented between “universal” apps (that work for iPhone, iPod Touch, and iPad) and apps that are designed specifically for the iPhone. So you can sync all of the universal apps you already have, and then either track down the iPad equivalents of the iPhone apps you love.

4. What apps should you download right away? Here are just a few of my favorite for REALTORS®:

• Flipboard (Free) - Overwhelmed by the amount of content streaming through your Facebook, Twitter and RSS streams? Turn your social media and RSS feeds into an easy to read magazine.
• Friendly Plus for Facebook ($.99) – Until Facebook creates it’s own app, this is the next best thing. I also love how easily you can switch between accounts if you have more than one person sharing your iPad. This is great if you are part of an agent team and sharing one iPad – you can all easily flip back and forth on your Facebook accounts.
• Keynote ($9.99) This app is gorgeous! If you are creating presentations, this is a must-have. As a real estate agent, I would use this all the time with clients, especially listing presentations. You can create animated charts and transitions and so much more.
• Numbers ($9.99) This is the best spreadsheet app hands down. If you live in Excel, then you will love the abilities of Numbers. Plus, it’s just a fantastic app for organizing data. Completely redesigned for the iPad – this one is a must-have for every real estate agent or broker,
• Pages ($9.99) The perfect word processing app out there. Create letters, documents, PDF’s and so much more. Another must-have for the mobile real estate agent.
• …there are SO many more great iPad apps for real estate professionals – check back often for more blog posts about this very subject!

5. Purchase a case for your iPad. Your iPad will get banged and bruised very quickly without getting a proper case. Do a quick google search and there are millions of options or search right from the Apple store.

Am I missing anything? Feel free to chime in with your tips and feedback – leave me a comment below! Stay tuned – we are planning on many more iPad blog posts for 2011.

The iPad has truly changed the technology industry – and for REALTORS®, the possibilities are endless!

Written by: Katie Lance, Senior Marketing Manager, Inman News @katielance

Share on Facebook

Kori Covrigaru is a young entrepreneur, currently CEO of PlanOmatic, an online real estate marketing company providing interactive home tours. Kori grew up in Michigan, went to school and Western Michigan University, and currently lives in Colorado, enjoying the mountains in all seasons.

This week, “Tip Tuesday” is not what you are expecting. I’m not reviewing an iPhone app that I can’t live without. I’m not recommending my favorite site where you can consolidate all of your social media noise. This week, a technology obsessed 27-year-old is going to ask you to put your smartphone and mouse down, sign off Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn and think about what made you (real estate agents) successful. Before I move on, I should disclose that I have never been a licensed real estate agent, and I am deeply involved in social media, but on a SOCIAL level and not so much for business.

Facebook, today’s dominating leader of social media, began in 2004 during my sophomore year of college. Back then, (only 6 years ago) we used Facebook to party, chase girls and make new relationships. We would then share these experiences with the hope that it would lead to even more socializing. Since 2004, Facebook has evolved tremendously, but is still being used in the same general sense. Perhaps you’re not running around Fraternity Village Drive looking for the next best date party, but the point is that people are using Facebook to be social, and that’s the way you should play it. Here are a few things that support my philosophy that social media is being misused in the real estate industry:

• Referring to yourself as a “Social Media Guru” – What exactly makes you a “Guru”?
• Creating a Facebook Business Page dedicated to yourself which is different from being a Facebook user.
• Tweeting 10+ times a day and believing this is leading you to financial success – There are a few exceptions here.
• Spending considerable amounts of time trying to be “Mayor” of restaurants and coffee shops (unless this is for pure entertainment)
• People who have two Facebook accounts. One for business, and one for personal use (which is against Facebook’s TOS, by the way)

I do recognize my audience, so before you turn purple and begin to comment on how successful social media has made you and your business, please give me five more minutes of your time. I’m not here to ask you to abandon social media altogether because it definitely has a place in real estate. Social media is a phenomenal way to communicate and network within the industry. Personally, I have made substantial connections through social media that would not have developed otherwise. What I’m asking you to do is take a moment and reflect on how social media contributes to your bottom line. Are you allocating your time, money (time is money) and resources efficiently, or are you tweeting, 4squaring and facebooking your valuable time away because a tiny percentage of real estate agents who DID find success in social media told you it’s the Second Coming? Perhaps you drank one too many Kool-Aids at an RE Bar Camp. Let’s take a moment to listen to what a couple successful real estate agents had to say about social media’s impact on their achieved success.

Earlier this week, I had a chance to speak with a friend of mine, Katie Karczewski. Katie is a real estate agent in Grand Rapids, MI and has been involved in social media increasingly as of late. I asked Katie what led her to be the #2 real estate agent in her community and here is what she had to say:

“A lot of hard work, getting involved in the community, being visible, looking directly into people’s eyes, shaking people’s hands and getting out there every Sunday for open houses.”

When I asked Katie how social media has impacted her business, she replied:

“It’s been great. It keeps me connected to my clients and it’s another great form of networking. I’ve also reconnected with countless people from my past. Has it improved my business? Sure it has. Can I say I sold or signed a listing via Facebook or Twitter? No, I can’t. For me, it’s really about the basics.”

Earlier this year I spoke with Michelle Genovesi, a real estate agent in Westport, CT. She explained that her team uses social media mostly to communicate with her clients, but generally, it was back to basics for them. Direct mailings, open houses, etc.

I believe social media has a very important place in the real estate industry. Real estate has always been about networking, socializing and getting involved in the community. I do, however, believe that many agents are misusing this tool. It’s not here to replace Open Houses or PTSO meetings. Social media in business is here to enhance and expand your reach, not take you away from what increases your bottom line. As a matter of fact, the most productive day I had all year was the day my Mac went dead. I would have never guessed that.

Go figure. Here I am writing on a social media, technology and real estate marketing blog preaching how it’s is not being used effectively. Do you think I made any friends today (no pun intended)?

Share on Facebook

Neil Schwartz has been in the real estate industry for over 30 years. He is the broker of Century 21 Masters, the #2 Century 21 office in the Nation. He blogs on neilschwartz.net, providing valuable information to agents regarding sales training, real estate marketing, social media, and technology.

We  create and maintain real estate blogs to attract and retain clients, however I’ve  noticed that many people’s blogs aren’t as effective as they could be. That is because many blogs aren’t motivating people to stick or remain on your website.

When considering if people are sticking to your website, you want to focus on the length of time someone visits your website and the number of pages they circulate through. In order to figure out your level of stickiness right now, take a look at your Google Analytics account or sign up for one (it’s free).

You want to focus on two things here, pages visited and Avg. time on site. If the pages visited are 1 or less, you need to make some changes because this means that people are only viewing one page and then leaving without clicking any other links.  The same thing goes if the average time on the site is less than 1 minute.

4 Ways to Increase the “Stickiness” of Your Blog

1. Fresh Blog Design

Using a fresh blog design goes a long way.. The more visually appealing your blog is, the more convincing it will be for someone to stay on your site and click around.

2.  Create A Lot of Inner Links

If you’re an experienced blogger, you’ve probably posted a ton of content throughout your site.  Unfortunately, most people can’t see it because it’s buried away. A great way to increase pages visited and average time on the site is to add links in your new article that are applicable to topics you discussed in the past. For instance, if you’re writing about interest rates being at an all time low, you can link a word or phrase in the article to an article you previously wrote about now being a great time to buy.

3. Encourage Comments

Sometimes the comments of a blog are more interesting and engaging than the articles themselves. End each blog post with an open-ended question that gets your visitors to think and comment. You should also reply to every single comment you get. When visitors see this, they know writing a comment isn’t a waste of time because you’ll actually respond. This creates a discussion, which again encourages even more comments.

4. Law of Reciprocity

Give some valuable and useful content away for free in exchange for their name and email address. “How to stage your home to sell within 30 days.” “How to chose the best Realtor for you and family” “A guide to moving” “Check list – things you need do before and after you sell your home”. If you provide your readers with something valuable, they’ll view you differently from other realtors. You’ll also capture their email address/phone numbers for lead follow up.

Implementing these techniques will increase the stickiness of your blog, which should produce more leads. What are some things you have done or are going to do to make your website “sticky”? Let me know if any of my suggestions work for you!

Share on Facebook

Bill Risser is an Assistant Vice President and Branch Manager for Chicago Title in Phoenix Arizona.  When he is not conducting workshops or closing escrows, he can be found at the movies with his wife or golfing with his son.  Follow Bill on Twitter @billrisser or friend him on Facebook.

Wouldn’t it be great if you could manage multiple social media networks from one place? How about a site that lets you track statistics?  While we’re at it, how about a site that lets you easily create custom tabs and streams?  Finally, what if this site had an application that allowed you to share across multiple networks any website you happen to be viewing?  All of this and more is available at HootSuite.com.

Just two years old, HootSuite has come a long way.  When I am asked by agents in my workshops to name my favorite social site, the answer is always HootSuite.  Recently, HootSuite instituted a free and paid version of the base product.  The free version is more than adequate for most agent needs.  If the premium version is required (if you have a team and need multiple users on your account, the paid version is the way to go), it is an affordable $5.99/month.

Here are my top five reasons why HootSuite is important to agents:

1. Manage up to 5 networks on one dashboard – Most agents I work with have Twitter, Facebook (Profile), Facebook (Page) and LinkedIn connected via HootSuite.  This allows the user to post updates to one, two, or all networks if desired.  The free version allows five network connections. This is a great time saver as users do not need to jump from site to site.  For more than five networks, the paid version is required.

2. Create multiple tabs and streams – Lists on Twitter can only be viewed one at a time.  With HootSuite, you can create up to 100 tabs and each tab can have 10 columns or “streams”.  These streams can be based on social network feeds, search terms, keyword searches or Twitter lists.  With this flexibility, an agent can create search streams to watch for conversations about a particular topic.  For example, an agent specializing in a certain subdivision can create a series of keyword streams to filter for any tweets mentioning that subdivision.  Aren’t these potential relationships?

3. Best status update functionality available – The status update box has its own URL shortener, file attachment tool, draft saving capability and a scheduler.  You can also select which networks to post to by clicking on the appropriate avatar.  If you select a Facebook profile or page, the scheduler automatically adjusts to the Facebook character limit.  The ability to schedule tweets or updates allows effective time management strategies for agents.

4. The Hootlet is the best innovation since sliced bread – Ok, I’m dating myself with that cliché, but it is true.  While surfing the web, if I come across a relevant article or website that I need to share with my followers/friends, I can click on the “Hootlet” applet on my tool bar.  I am given the same HootSuite update scheduler, without opening HootSuite!  It also automatically inserts the article title and the shortened URL into the update.  Users simply add commentary, select the appropriate network(s) and share.

5. Built-in analytics for ow.ly shortened links – HootSuite’s proprietary URL shortener is ow.ly.  By using this feature, users are able to get analytic data on these links.  The stats feature allows the user to see when and how many times the link was clicked.  This feedback allows the user to determine which links are important to their follower/friends.

I have introduced many agents to HootSuite and even converted some from other, similar products.  Being web-based, HootSuite can be accessed from any internet connected computer or your smart phone.  For the busy agent, it is a must have application.

I have prepared a few tutorials on basic HootSuite functions.  Also, Hootsuite.com has great documentation at the site, as well as a blog and other help features.  Give HootSuite a shot.  You will not be disappointed.

Are you using Hootsuite or a similar product? Please share your experiences here.

Share on Facebook

Matthew Shadbolt is the Director of Internet Marketing for The Corcoran Group, Manhattan’s largest real estate brokerage.

Follow Matthew on Twitter at @corcoran_group

Over the past few years there’s been an explosive growth in the number of things marketers can do, especially online. Even the trusty banner ad seems to be in rapid decline. As the internet becomes more pervasive in our lives, to the point where the ‘internet enabled device’ (often called ‘the internet of things’) is ubiquitous, the implications for real estate professionals are potentially seismic. How will people look for homes in the future? By what’s around them? Through recommendations from their friends? Through ‘curated’ search results assembled for them by experts?

The simple answer is, of course, that nobody really knows. A lot of these technologies are still in their infancy. Five years ago most of us had never heard of checking-in or status updates, and tweeting was something for the birds (many maintain that it still is). The idea of a multi-touch device we’d have in our pockets that knew where we were all the time still seemed like science fiction. Yet we don’t think like that any more. Many of us have embraced this new technology as it becomes more user-friendly and a lot less about the nuts and bolts of ‘how it works’.

Here’s 3 emerging ways we’ll interact with the internet in the coming years.

1. Moving between devices will become easier and more a part of how we move around the real world.

Imagine you’re a train commuter who has a long commute each day. To pass the time you watch movies and TV shows on your iPad, streamed directly through Netflix. You arrive at your stop but you haven’t finished watching that oh-so-climactic episode of Lost. When you get home, your internet-enabled plasma screen will remember at what point you left the episode, and automatically pick up from where you left off, allowing you to finish watching the show seamlessly. This technology is here today.

What does this look like for real estate? Imagine you were in a certain area, browsing around a neighborhood you’re thinking of potentially moving to. Your smartphone could record places you were interested in, then allow you to download relevant local video and information based on where you were via your desktop or television when you got home. It’s an increasingly common phenomenon that people are watching the television and also online at the same time. The idea of these screens combining is something we’ll see a lot more of soon.

2. The internet will be built-in as a standard feature into the things around us

The idea of more devices that would be able to handle transactions, especially smartphones, is one that’s right around the corner. Square are already doing it, Google are talking a lot about it, and the concept of your phone replacing your credit card is here. An electronic device with a built in reader that would automatically recognize your location and offer you loyalty rewards for coming back to the store is something we see in the Foursquare and Facebook Places models as they attempt to redefine customer loyalty. Imagine a scenario where you’ve created an electronic version of your grocery list on your iPhone before you go to the store. Upon arrival, the store will recognize you as a return customer, optimize your route through the aisles, and show you featured products you might be interested in based on your interests and related purchases.

3. When we’re moving

The un-tethering of the internet from the big box that sits on your desk is increasing with rapid pace. Not just GPS directions, but using the internet to build out and enhance the driving or flying experience. The idea of ‘what’s around me now’ is already here for smartphone users who are walking around (its adoption rate in urban areas is much higher than in more rural parts of the country), but it hasn’t made it to the car yet. Of course, there are obvious safety concerns with anything that might cause distractions, but the idea of remote diagnostics, local information, or using your car essentially as a large smartphone with wheels is here today. What does this mean for real estate? Think guided open house tours, saved locations, voice-activated notes, and even record imagery (think Google Street View) of the surrounding area. Then once you got home you’d be able to transfer that information from ‘outside’ to any device.

In an uncertain future, what is certain is that the pace at which the technology formerly known as the web will continue to evolve and grow at an increasingly aggressive rate. Cutting through the noise and being able to deliver information that’s timely and valuable to users will be where many businesses will need to focus, especially real estate. Outside of sharing property information, what services could you potentially provide for these platforms?

Share on Facebook