Its sad that this device has such great potential yet theres practically zero apps out there for the iPad. Theres a new one out about two weeks ago but its laughable. I’ll review it next week sometime. Don’t worry, you’re not missing anything.
Which leads me to ask you…..what features and functionality are you looking for as an agent? Please don’t be shy, I think alot of people want to know just exactly how you’ll use the iPad in a real estate setting. Its not just about searching for homes but I’m thinking more along the lines of a contact database, almost a ‘salesforce.com’ application just for real estate. Throw in your local MLS search functionality and you’d have some nice features.
Leave us some comments and lets us know what you want or what you invision this device doing for your business.
Apr 27th
What do I want? Great question! I'm envisioning an optimum workflow situation. Bear with me, the first few items may not be all that revolutionary…
I start the day at the client's home. We are about to go look at homes, and I pull out my Ipad, and easily/quickly pull up the MLS. I login, pull up the potential homes, and show my client full screen photos of the potential homes. We whittle it down to about 5 that they are excited about. After all 5 homes are selected, I export all the MLS information about each property into the “Agent's Assistant” app. The app automatically uses the Ipad's GPS to plot a route to see each home.
While showing each home, I can input the client's fresh impressions of the home: major likes, dislikes, and further questions about the property to be saved for later in the “Agent's Assistant” app. My app's GPS function gives me great directions to each house, and we wrap up the showing.
Upon returning the the client's house, I pull up the information stored on the “Agent's Assistant” app. The client reviews the information and decides to make an offer on one of the homes.
Effortlessly, I click the “make an offer” button on the “Agent's Assistant” app and select the home we wish to offer on. The app logs me into my zipform account and automatically fills out the information that was imported earlier from the MLS into the necessary fields. I fill out manually my client's information or import it from my contact management software. I review the forms for mistakes, and seeing that all is right, have my client sign each of the necessary forms using a stylus or an electronic signature. I then click the fax/email document icon on “Agent's Assistant” and it sends it to the seller's broker using the info imported from the MLS.
If I was able to do these things from an Ipad, I'd go buy one tomorrow!
Apr 27th
Now if everyone posted their specs like that, we'd get programs that work! Thanks for the insight to your ideal iPad app for real estate and thanks for stopping by. I hope we get some more post like yours.
May 23rd
When this app is available…..I'll pay!
Sep 10th
Cindy Mustafa/RE/MAX Traditions, Aurora Ohio,
First I want to say I'm a late starter, I got my Ipad for my anniversary, which is on the Sept 11th.
Secondly, I haven't done a great deal of research since my business manager [my husband] couldn't justify how I would usethe device in my business so I did. Now I'm wondering, with much excitement, what to do or where to go to find out 'how I will use' the ipad.
I am curious about tethering since I have a plan on my iphone, is it illegal? Does it void the warranty – bought and paid for, I should be able to tether, other users are doing it but without ipad/phone.
I want to have a listing presentation, a buyers presentation, be able to list a residential property and then sell using standard forms and contracts.
Music, movies and fun – not something that I focus on in my real estate career.
I know it's a lot and I'm a little late but where is the best place to get the news?
Sep 10th
No tethering (unless you jailbreak it). You'll need the 3G version. I think it would be perfect for presentations….though really, any ppt or keynote would do the trick as well if you set it up right.
– we'll be adding a ton more content soon.
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