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A lot of changes have taken place in the last two years in technology. Along with these changes, real estate professionals are also busy finding ways on how to communicate effectively with clients and to keep track of a highly competitive and volatile market. Luckily, there are modern gadgets and apps that have been developed to serve every facet of their operation. To give you a head start, here are some of the newly updated gadgets and apps available on the tech market today designed specifically to serve real estate busybodies.

Gadgets You Should Not Miss

Most real estate agents have offices at home and having a 40-inch touch-screen that you can easily tuck on your desk is one great option. EXODesk allows you to connect, view and operate virtually any computer on either Windows or IOS platform. Apps can be added to suit your business needs.

Mobility is your game. Instead of buying a separate computer for home use and laptop or tablet for mobile use, buy one which features both. ASUS Transformer AIO P1801, for instance, works as both a PC and a tablet. It also has a dual operating system to serve its purpose.

You will be taking pictures of homes to sell and what better way to do it than in 3D. Samsung NX300 features not just pixel-perfect results but also the ability to connect to a Smartphone or computer automatically sending photos in a click.

Regardless of the size, a Smartphone is an essential gadget that realtors should not work without. This keeps your communication line open for clients and colleagues, and also doubles as your gateway to the Internet. Have a ChargeCard and DeLorme Inreach ready, too. The former gives you an extra charge for your battery while the latter serves as your satellite device when no signal is available.

As a real estate agent, titles and other documents are crucial in your transactions. A mobile scanner like that of Xerox comes handy. It can easily convert paper documents into PDFs or JPG files and then, sends these documents directly to your recipient via wireless contact.

No matter how busy, you can always check for your email and phone calls through your “smart watch”. This watch allows you to tell time, retrieve emails, dial phone numbers, and go through social network updates.

New Apps to Consider

Every day, new apps are being developed for public consumption. For realtors, here are some of the current ones worthy of praise:

1. DocuSign - for digital signing of legal documents

2. Magic Plan – creating floor plan in a snap

3. Google Apps – Gmail, Calendar, Google+, Maps, Chrome, Google Drive, and more.

4. Dropbox – for back-up and storage

5. Sitegeist – great tidbits on people and housing, weather, and so on

6. DreamScore – access to local MLS listings

7. DreamPro – search app designed for realtors and brokers

8. Casmy – gather open-house info in real time

9. Open Home Pro – creating listings via phone

10. HomeSnap – take a picture of a home then, find out its market value, bed and baths, taxes, access to schools, hospitals, and so on.

There is no denying the fact that technology has continually shaped everything that we know of now. Aside from affecting consumerism, one massive impact is continually being felt in the real estate realm. Today, real estate agencies are becoming more visible online. The Internet has become a huge factor in advancing its clout even when goals and objectives are locally concentrated. From virtual assistants to interactive websites, iPads and SmartPhones, and needed thingamajigs, “tech-cessorizing” your real estate wardrobe is no longer just an option but a must.

For a real estate agency to standout in a highly volatile market, these tech-savvy tips must be carefully considered to ensure productivity, reliability, transparency and sustainability.

1. Perfect Fusion of Quality Content and Visual Design

Having an online presence is a must but the clamor does not just stop in creating a website. In order to entice potential buyers and sellers, the need to project a visually captivating web design with reliable and trustworthy content is essential. In the last two years or so, data provided on realtors’ websites are experiencing major overhaul. It is no longer just an attractive website but one that is search-engine and mobile friendly, artfully integrated with social media and blogs, easy importation of listing from MLS, and equipped with special scrolling technique that eases the use of a potential buyer or seller.

2. Going Mobile

Another significant impact in today’s high-tech realm is the continual updates on gadgets. Real estate agents, in their need to be competitive and up-to-date, must come geared with necessary tools and equipments. This is the reason why most realtors nowadays are tied up with their Smartphones and Androids, tablets and laptops, Bluetooth, hands-free headset, GPS, and so on. Communication, time management and research are critical aspects in real estate, and these tools give them wide-ranging avenues to pursue their objectives. Meeting up clients, explaining a home-buying process, making follow-ups on payments, updating oneself on current real estate market news and trends, and so on, are now geared for more mobility alongside the continued rise of portable digital technology.

3. The Rise of Cloud Computing

Cloud computing solutions have become a standard norm in many up-and-about real estate firms and independent players. This practice allows expansion of your office while reducing overhead and going paperless. This ensures that agents, brokerages, clients, and potential buyers or sellers gain access to software and documents online regardless of where and the devices used. When it comes to cloud computing, however, there is no such thing as a “fit-all” design. You need to carefully assess your market, work style, and other important aspects that make your business unique than the rest. This also gives rise to the success of real estate virtual assistants.

4. SEO, Social Media and PR

If you have been told that social media is everything, not anymore. Today’s online marketing aspect no longer just focus on social media platforms but rather on the integration of SEO, PR and social media. As most real estate firms, agencies and independent players become more attuned to using online platforms, keeping tabs with highly sophisticated algorithms require more qualitative content, transparent social media marketing, and targeted PR to keep your authority high.

Indeed, the continual integration of technology in real estate management and transactions has made management and tracking much easier. Technology puts them in a powerful position to initiate, compel, and put communication with their target markets on the right track. With easy access to free data on customers’ needs, purchase behavior, and concerns as well as expectations, this gives real estate agents the needed competitive advantage to provide better service and increase sales.