4 Tech Tips Every Agent Should Give Their Clients

Agents often look for technology that can save them time processing transactions so they can spend more time producing new business. But what technology can your clients use to improve their selling or buying experience?

Here are four tech tips you can share with your clients, tech advice that can take some of the stress out of buying or selling a home.

1. Faxing without the fax machine

Your clients have paper documents you need, but you don't want them wasting their time driving them to you or waiting for the documents to arrive in the mail. Our phones have replaced fax machines, making it easier than ever for your clients to create a PDF from any paper document in a snap. The app stores are full of options, from Genius Scan to Easy Fax, all allowing the instant creation of a compressed PDF that is simple to create and email to an agent quickly. You can even send encrypted PDFs for enhanced security.

2. Connecting to you with a push of a button

Today's top real estate apps – from Homesnap to realtor.com, as well as many brokerage apps – allow clients to connect directly to you, their agent. This is the one feature that agents should focus on to encourage clients to download their app and get them engaged. Communication is the number one thing most clients want. Encourage them to use just one app to reach you. It helps and organizes and tracks text conversations in one place. This can be a great time saver for your clients – and you.

3. Organize the house hunt

Agents know that their customers are going to visit open houses. Help them better organize their route. Yes, they can use Google Maps to maximize their trip, but there are alternative apps that can automatically build the most efficient route for multiple addresses. These route planning apps can optimize a list of open house visits quickly and easily. Two top options in the app stores include Route4Me and Road Warrior.

4. Checking off the checklist

If your firm has a transaction management system, such as Form Simplicity, you understand the value of checklists. Helping your clients keep track of the homes they prefer can be done in most of the leading search apps. However, keeping it simple for your clients with a home shopping checklist might be a more welcome solution for your clients. A house hunting checklist app also helps them use the more logical side of their brain when shopping. Checklists also help clients remember which homes have the key features they really liked. The app stores offer a few solutions. GoCanvas is a business forms app that offers a Home Buyer's Checklist. An app called Checklist allows clients to create their own custom lists and offers a suggested template of items online as well.

Finding ways to help reduce the stress many clients experience is important. After all, a recent survey found about 15% of buyers were reduced to tears during the process. Another 20% got in a fight with their spouse or partner. Share these tech tips as another way to make it all a little easier.

And remember that if you have access to Tech Helpline, analysts are ready to help you with any tech questions you may have.

Tricia Stamper is Director of Technology at Florida Realtors®, which owns and operates Tech Helpline and Form Simplicity.