THE FIVE TOOLS EVERYONE IN REAL ESTATE SHOULD BE USING

SEPTEMBER 16, 2014 : As technology continues to evolve, the tools necessary for success in the real estate industry have developed. Today’s real estate agents, developers, buyers and sellers must take advantages of the innovative apps, devices and technology available to support the house rental and selling process.

Global real estate marketplace Lamudi has explored the five tools essential to success in the current property market.

1. Portable scanner

Real estate agents can finally say goodbye to stacks of paper, by turning their smartphone or tablet into a scanner. With the amount of paperwork real estate agents have to deal with, a handy app like Scanner Pro or DocuSign, enables you to scan, save and share important documents at the touch of a button. And what’s more, by encouraging clients to download the same app, you can send signed documents back and forth with ease.

2. Video footage

Nowadays, people are just too busy to go and see every house that they like the look of. By leveraging today’s wireless technology, real estate agents can take the properties straight to people’s desktops, mobiles and tablets, removing the hassle. Strong video footage can really differentiate a real estate agent from competitors. By providing both images and video footage, house-hunters get a real taste of the property, allowing them to narrow down their favorites before finding the time to arrange viewings.

3. Social media

You may have the most beautiful properties, however if you’re not putting yourself on display to potential clients, the properties don’t matter. Social media pages are vital to finding new customers and engaging with potential clients. And it’s not enough to just create profiles on social media platforms ; active engagement allows you to create brand awareness, sharing information about both your expertise and your business.

4. Financial support

Buying a house, particularly for the very first time can be a very intimidating process. For many people, a visual aid is invaluable when trying to understand the value of a house, and in particular, the cost of a mortgage. Advise your clients on loans and investments, with the help of a mortgage calculator, such as Karl’s Mortgage Calculator - a free Android app - or Mortgage Calculator, available for free on the Internet. By demonstrating the long-term value of investing in real estate, help prospective house buyers to make informed financial decisions.

5. Storage - And lots of it !

Tools such as Dropbox are vital for real estate agents. Solve the problem of sharing and storing property images, contracts and additional housing information by simply sending a link to your client’s inbox and freeing vital space on your computer. Not only is this a great way to share information, but an ideal solution to managing your files in the cloud, without using up all of the memory space on your computer, so you can have instant access wherever you are, on any device.

ABOUT LAMUDI

Launched in 2013,Lamudi is a global property portal focusing exclusively on emerging markets. The fast-growing platform is currently available in 28 countries in Asia, the Middle East, Africa and Latin America, with more than 600,000 real estate listings across its global network. The leading real estate marketplace offers sellers, buyers, landlords and renters a secure and easy-to-use platform to find or list properties online.

ABOUT THE ASIA PACIFIC INTERNET GROUP (APACIG)

The Asia Pacific Internet Group (APACIG), a joint venture of Rocket Internet and Ooredoo, is the leading internet platform in the Middle East, supporting some of the top internet companies in the region. Founded by Rocket Internet in 2014, the APACIG’s mission is to promote innovation and entrepreneurship throughout Asia Pacific, as well as to support the development of a vibrant online culture. The APACIG’s network currently consists of 10 companies, operating in 15 countries.

ABOUT THE MIDDLE EAST INTERNET GROUP (MEIG)

The Middle East Internet Group (MEIG), a joint venture of Rocket Internet and MTN, is the leading internet platform in the Middle East and supports some of the most vibrant internet companies in the region. Founded in 2013, MEIG’s mission is to accelerate the growth and success of the internet economy throughout the Middle East. MEIG’s network currently consists of five companies, operating in over 10 countries. Among these are thriving companies such as Easytaxi, Lamudi and Carmudi, alongside other established Rocket Internet brands such as Namshi and Hellofood.

MEDIA CONTACT

Flavien Kouatcha / Angélique Mahamat

Phone : +237 50561766 / 50570656