Desktop vs. Mobile: Can You REALLY Complete a Whole Transaction from Your Phone?
Here's a statistic that's truly a sign of the times: More Realtors use their smartphone daily than their laptop or desktop computer, according to NAR. That shouldn't come as too much of a surprise—smartphones are far more convenient for real estate agents who are constantly on the go, and today's mobile devices pack the power of a computer in the palm of your hand. On top of that, agents can use smartphones in ways they can't use a computer, like opening lockboxes with Bluetooth, getting directions while on the road, creating and sharing property reports during a showing, and even using their phone as a safety device. But as convenient as a phone is for all those activities, the transaction remains the most crucial part of your real estate business. That means the million-dollar question is, Can you complete an entire transaction from contract to close solely from your mobile device? To find out, we took a deep dive into the mobile app of one of the top-rated transaction platforms in the industry, dotloop. With an advanced set of features, dotloop's mobile app is at the leading edge of what a transaction app can do, and here we'll use it as an example through which to explore this question. (If you use a different transaction platform, that app may have similar features, but check with your provider to be sure.) Below, you'll find the features that are exclusive to a transaction management mobile app, which features can be found on both desktop and mobile, and which tasks can only be accomplished from your computer. Mobile Exclusive Features Your phone's built-in camera and texting capabilities means your transaction management's mobile app can do things that the desktop version can't, such as: Scan Documents Using Your Device's Camera Once upon a time, scanning a document meant using a large piece of hardware hooked up to your computer. Thanks to ever-advancing mobile camera technology, now you can just snap a photo of a document and add it to a transaction. In dotloop, this is as simple as tapping Scan document within the Docs section of a transaction and snapping a photo. (You can also simply import a document photo from your camera's photo roll.) From there, you can add more pages, edit the photo as needed, and convert it into a signable PDF. Keep the Transaction Moving via Text Messaging Today's real estate market moves quickly. Keep your clients on top of everything by leaning on your smartphone's text messaging capabilities. Dotloop allows agents to send documents for signing via text, and clients can sign directly from their own phones to keep the transaction moving at a competitive pace. Texts can be sent to individuals or groups, and all communications can be tracked or exported. Here's what that looks like in dotloop: Manage Tasks and Signings with Push Notifications Need to stay on top of important tasks? Does your client need help staying on top of crucial document signings? Your mobile phone's push notifications will instantly alert you, your team members, and your clients to tasks, document updates and more to keep the transaction on track. Overlap: What Both Desktop and Mobile Can Accomplish Your transaction management's mobile and desktop versions have plenty of capabilities in common, including: Creating a transaction Adding documents to a transaction eSigning documents Submitting documents for review Modifying document permissions Adding or completing transaction tasks Admin acting on behalf of an agent Features That Are Desktop Only While the vast majority of transaction tasks can be completed on mobile alone, there are a couple things that you'll need your regular computer for. For example, if you have duplicate transactions, you'll need to log in to dotloop's desktop platform to merge them. Likewise, you'll need your computer to submit to Greensheet/TRACS/Homebase. Other times you may need your desktop boils down to whether you have an iOS or Android phone. For example, you can remove a person from a transaction on iOS, but not on Android. In that case, Android users will have to use their computer to remove a person. On the flip side, both Android and iPhone users can submit documents for review, but only brokers using Android will be able to approve and return documents on mobile. iPhone-using brokers will have to use their laptop or desktop computer to complete this task. Learn more about the differences between dotloop's desktop and mobile versions here: iOS, Android. In Conclusion So what did we learn? Can you complete a transaction entirely on mobile? For the majority of agents, the answer is Yes. When you use a mobile app like dotloop, you can execute everything from your phone or tablet all the way from texting a new client a buyer's or seller's agreement to sending the final documents for eSigning and approval. How much of the transaction you want to accomplish on mobile is, of course, up to you. To learn more about dotloop's mobile app or to read reviews, visit the App Store or Google

In the Wild: Deliver Results from Anywhere with RPR Mobile
Agents who use RPR Mobile can: Instantly create, text/email client-friendly, colorful reports. Quickly search on- and off-market properties. Freely access leases, open houses, valuations, maps, demographics, schools, neighborhoods and market trends. Easily create CMAs on the go. Immediately respond to client inquiries and leads. Seamlessly connect with synced reports, recent searches, favorites and notes. The power to produce, right in the palm of your hand The good news is, you have the power to be more productive right in the palm of your hand. With the RPR app, REALTORS® have exclusive access to a host of tools that improve productivity while on the go, not to mention RPR's unmatched property data and reports. By downloading the free app, REALTORS® can instantly view on- and off-market properties, leases, valuations, tax and mortgage info, distressed data, flood zones, mapping, demographics, schools, neighborhoods and market trends — all from their iOS or Android device. What's more, the app provides a customizable report feature that allows you to create, save and share reports with just a few quick taps on the screen. Exciting new features are added all the time Here are a few of the app's latest adaptations that are certain to make your on-the-go experience more rewarding. Create and send reports Want to immediately respond to a client inquiry about a property, school, neighborhood, etc? Creating and sending reports via RPR's app is as easy as 1-2-3. Press the Reports button located in the lower left corner of the app's home screen. Type or speak an address, city or zip. Tap Search, choose a report, customize, and send your report in seconds. Search by voice RPR makes it easy for REALTORS® on the go with voice-to-text search capability. Look for the microphone icon on your keyboard then simply tap and talk. This option is also available when using the Property Notes function on the app. Comp Analysis Express Use your device to build an CMA, then create and text/email a colorful Seller's Report to your client. Best of all, if you've selected comps on the RPR website, they can be viewed on mobile and vice versa.There's also an interactive map to choose comps and advanced search functions such as property status and type. Here's how: From the RPR Property Details page: Confirm the subject property facts Search for comparable properties Adjust the comps as compared to the subject property Edit the price and price range Email/text your report Location-based school information Search for homes in a school attendance zone, get driving directions, and create school reports, all from your phone. Data sets include the school name, GreatSchools rating, grades served, address, and district. Real time open house info The RPR app includes open house information for residential properties. Where a phone number is available, click the number to automatically connect with the seller. Notes and photos From the property details screen, click Notes to enter text or voice notes. Upload your photos and apply them to RPR reports. This same feature also offers the ability to take a photo or select an existing photo from an album. App Ins-and-Outs Logging into RPR Mobile reveals four distinct categories: For Sale, New Listings, Recently Sold and Distressed. The homepage also displays icons that take you directly to the note taking feature, recent searches and reports, and saved searches. Swipe to the left for Local Market Conditions, swipe again to enter a specific property search or choose Advanced Search for further options. Look to the top of the screen to switch between list and map views. Your app's map search default is set to within a half mile radius of your current location. Adjust that setting by choosing the sprocket icon at the top left of your home screen, then select User Settings. Click on the magnifying glass at the top of the app's home screen to reveal a color-coded map identifying all of the on- and off-market properties within your search zone. On maps, select any home's icon to go to view details including price, history, photos and more. Pinch and zoom to display more homes or use a finger to move the map. At the bottom of the page, use the Draw feature to create your own search area. Additional options here include Sort, Filter and Save. Easily share virtual tour links with clients from the RPR Property Details screen. To view the original article, visit the RPR

RPR's 10 Best Real Estate Apps for 2021
Tech is no stranger to the real estate business. Nowadays you can perform a laundry list of tasks by just using your phone. Not to mention market yourself, post to social media, manage relationships, generate leads, create content and so much more. However, sometimes all that technology can get a bit overwhelming and it's tough to keep up with all the tech tools available to you. Perhaps you just need a quick list of helpful tools, in the form of digital applications, that can make you a more proficient and efficient agent. RPR's annual "Best of Apps" article's got you covered! Read on to see how your tech stack stacks up to our 2021 list. 1. RPR (Realtors Property Resource) Topline: Property data, tools and reports that will "wow" your clients and help you close more deals. Summary: Well, of course we're going to include RPR in our list of "favorite apps." But first one on the list? Bold! As a REALTOR®, RPR is your exclusive NAR member benefit. And with it, you can perform transactions, service your clients and build your business by: Researching properties for up-to-date data and information Creating Property Reports, Neighborhoods Reports, School Reports, Market Activity Reports and more Viewing recent activity and local market conditions around you Accessing tax, mortgage, historical and distressed data, and flood zones Searching for schools within an area or school district Adding photos, text and audio notes to any property Using geographic farming techniques to prospect for leads Utilizing maps to discover travel times and traffic counts Building bullet-proof CMAs and listing presentations Using the RPR app to respond to clients in seconds when you're in the field And that's just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to how much RPR can do for you and your real estate business. Get your app downloaded today: RPR from Apple App Store, and RPR from Google Play. Cost: Free! RPR is included in your National Association of REALTORS® dues as a member benefit. 2. Magisto Topline: An AI-powered, computerized video editor that makes video storytelling super easy. Summary: Magisto is an offering from Vimeo, who obviously have major video cred. This app (along with a desktop software version) helps its users create high quality video content, and do it quickly. Users edit the photos they want to include, then select stock templates, then add a title and select a music bed. Then the real fun starts! Magisto's AI program puts it all together into an eye-catching version which the user can edit or use as-is. For real estate agents, it's perfect for video home tours or promoting a highlight reel of yourself on social media or via email. Cost: $10, $20 or $70 per month 3. Sentrilock Topline: Offers the first and only combined lockbox, showing service, and experience management solution. Summary: SentriLock, which is owned by NAR, is an industry-leading electronic lockbox manufacturer and provider of property access solutions. SentriLock prides itself on being easy to use, reliable and secure. And of course, it has a digital application, called SentriConnect®, which allows REALTORS® to easily manage home access, showings, and client communication – all from their phone or tablet. In addition, REALTORS® using SentriKey Real Estate® have one-click access to property data via the RPR app on their iOS or Android devices—an integration that will prove highly valuable to REALTORS® who want to present on-the-spot data and reports to their clients. (Click here for details). Cost: For REALTORS®: $137.80 per month, plus a $50 one-time activation fee. 4. Forewarn Topline: Safety! Forewarn allows agents to work safer and smarter by instantly verifying a prospect's identity and potential risks prior to a face-to-face meeting. Summary: By nature, the business of real estate can sometimes involve talking and meeting with strangers. 99.99% of the time everything is perfectly fine and safe, but you can never be too careful. With the Forewarn app, agents can properly and safely plan for showings with a higher level of confidence. In seconds, with as little information as a phone number or a name, agents can verify a prospect's identity, criminal records, bankruptcies, liens, judgments, address history, and property records all in one place, leading to safer and more productive interactions. Basically, find out if people are who they say they are and do a little extra digging for good measure. Cost: $20/month with an annual agreement for individual agents. However, discounts are available for brokerages and associations purchasing licenses in volume. 5. Clicky Topline: Clicky tracks website traffic and behavior to help you improve user experience. Summary: Clicky helps you track important data on how your website is used by your visitors. It works very much the same way as Google Analytics, but several reviewers say Clicky's interface is more user-friendly. It offers metrics and heat maps that track individual website navigation. In other words, you can see what areas of your website visitors are clicking on and engaging with most, and conversely, what areas need improvement. Cost: Free, limited to one site with a maximum of 3,000 daily page views. Premium plans also available starting at $10 per month. 6. Stride Topline: Easily track your mileage, expenses and more. Summary: As a self employed, independent contractor, REALTORS® need to keep track of business expenses for tax purposes. The Stride app puts you on cruise control when it comes to keeping track of mileage by automatically uploading your miles. It's got some other nifty write-off features too, such as allowing users to import expenses from their bank account and keep track of receipts. And as a bonus, it also suggests deduction options, integrates with tax preparation software, and offers an IRS-ready tax summary. Cost: It's free! 7. TurboScan (Apple)/ TurboScan (Google) Topline: Make high quality scans of any hard copy document from your phone. Summary: TurboScan (Apple) / TurboScan (Google) turns your smartphone into a full-featured and powerful multipage scanner for documents, receipts, notes, whiteboards, photos, and various other everyday hard copies. However, you're not just snapping a pic and converting it to a PDF or JPEG. TurboScan uses advanced technology (algorithms) to accurately detect document edges, straighten out and correct perspective, eliminate shadows and set a perfect black and white contrast. Crisp, clear, scanned docs and the price is right! Cost: One-time $6 fee 8. Follow Up Boss Topline: An entire CRM in your pocket that streamlines sales activities for real estate agents, teams and brokerages to help them better manage their leads. Summary: If you're looking for an all-in-one customer relationship management software tool, Follow Up Boss sits proudly in the corner office. This well-reviewed real estate CRM is designed to help sales agents follow up faster and more often, with the people most likely to turn into deals. Notable features include auto-send for emails, inbound and outbound call management, drip emails, and automated text messaging in one streamlined interface. Another huge benefit of Follow Up Boss is that it integrates with tons of lead sources including Zillow, Realtor.com, Homes.com, Ylopo, Facebook and many more. And its list of business-building features is never-ending with categories including basic CRM, Marketing, Reporting, Lead Providers and Integrations. Check out their site for full details. Cost: Free trial for 14 days, then $69 per month, with price increases depending on the number of users. There's a reason Follow Up Boss is pricey—it packs a performance punch and should be looked at as an investment vs. an expense. 9. Mojo Dialer Topline: Dialing system and lead generation platform. Summary: If you're not familiar with auto dialing systems, here's how they work: you make an outbound call from your phone through the Mojo platform. Once you connect, the system begins dialing the numbers in your list. When a lead answers, you hear them immediately. As you progress through the list, Mojo knows what phone numbers to dial next. Users don't even hear the ringing, which makes long prospecting sessions a breeze. Numbers that ring busy, are disconnected or don't get picked up, roll over to the next number automatically without manual input. And if you run into an answering machine, you will be able to leave pre-recorded messages. One last thing: this app is the mobile companion app for the Mojo Dialer, which means you can untether from your desk and make your calls from anywhere. If you're an old school prospect dialer, Mojo might be for you. Get yours on! Cost: $99 for a single user, per month 10. Cloze Topline: A smart CRM and AI assistant in one that automatically keeps track of your email, phone calls, text messages, meetings, documents, and social media. Summary: Besides being one the best-named apps we've ever seen, Cloze is also the hassle-free way to manage everything about your business in one place. When you need client information fast, the Cloze app syncs and pulls data automatically from your most used platforms to provide you with every detail needed to stay on top of client relations. And data entry? A thing of the past with this app. It also compiles your communication history with a client, including emails, calls, and exchanged files. And their proactive artificial intelligence prompts you to keep in-touch, with the right message at the right time. Cost: From $17-$42 per month And that's a wrap on our best of apps for 2021! To view the original article, visit the RPR