Today's Trends: Real estate on-the-go!!!

The real estate search process has become digital-first. Today's population is trending towards the use of web-enabled phones and mobile devices to search for information on many of our most important life events, including finding a home or business location. Thus, more and more, real estate professionals require real estate technology that meshes with the modern reality of the marketplace. Pros need real estate technology that is powerful, streamlined, intuitive, comprehensive, and, above all, seamlessly available on-the-go. Technology is empowering real estate professionals, clients, and the public with greater access to real estate information than ever before. In fact, the Internet and mobile devices are quickly reinventing the real estate process by offering broader marketing reach, improved levels of communication and connectivity, and better tools for deal management. Online and mobile search has made identifying suitable real estate, researching property details, and bringing interested parties together faster, simpler and more efficient. Real estate data is becoming available to everyone, at any time and any place, by way of your desktop and web-enabled phone or mobile devices. Online and mobile resources are the medium of choice for real estate stakeholders. Research shows that real estate searches are increasing starting online - regardless of whether you are talking about a new home, business location or investment sale. For example, the National Association of Realtors (NAR) indicates that, "For 43% of home buyers, the first step in the home-buying process is looking online for properties and 12% of home buyers first look online for information about the home buying process." Similarly, "92% of buyers use the Internet in some way in their home search process and 50% of buyers use a mobile website or application in their home search." In response, tech savvy owners and their representatives are looking to online options to expand their marketing approach. Interestingly, Internet marketing tools are an extremely effective option for reaching clients and consumers to generate buzz, more offers, and increased business. Thus, real estate professionals are well served to supplement traditional business prospecting and marketing methods with the current, cutting edge online tools, which are capable of facilitating high-level interaction and online dialogue with today's modern property searchers. Mobile phones and devices are now the preferred method of search for consumers and professionals. For example, in December 2014, internetreailer.com's Bill Siwicki posted an article on mobile statistics. In the article, Siwicki recites that: There has been a tectonic shift in the way consumers spend their time online. In October 2014, 52% of the time consumers spent online occurred within smartphone and tablet apps, according to new data provided exclusively to Internet Retailer from web and mobile measurement firm comScore Inc. 40% of online time was spent in web browsers on desktops and laptops and 8% spent in web browsers on smartphones and tablets. The trend to mobile continues to accelerate. In April 2015, the Pew Research Center released a report entitled U.S. Smartphone Use in 2015. According to the findings, "Nearly two-thirds of Americans are now smartphone owners, and, for many, these devices are a key entry point to the online world. More specifically, "64% of American adults now own a smartphone of some kind, up from 35% in the spring of 2011." Moreover, the Pew Research Center study finds that users are utilizing smartphones for more than just calls, texts, and basic internet browsing. For instance, the report finds that: 62% of smartphone owners have used their phone in the past year to look up information about a health condition; 57% have used their phone to do online Banking; and 44% have used their phone to look up real estate listings or other information about a place to live. These statistics emphasize the importance of web-enabled phones and mobile devices in our modern society. Consequently, mobile applications and devices are becoming increasingly important in real estate. As the world trends mobile, it is important that consumers and professionals have agile tools that deliver information and value on the go. For consumers, that often means powerful search capabilities; excellent data transparency and data integrity; direct contact details and immediate outreach features; quality high-resolution photos, videos and media; and detailed property information. For professionals, we demand tools that enable our business to enhance and improve our marketing capabilities and market reach; conduct real-time research, market data analysis, and quickly match clients and properties; and most importantly, help us form, build and solidify industry and client relationships to earn more business and elevate the client experience. Enter the new Agorafy Mobile App! The "Agorafy New York Real Estate" App is now available for free download on iOS and Android devices at the App Store and Google Play. The Agorafy App empowers property owners, real estate professionals and the public with greater access to high-quality real estate data and listing details, high-resolution photos and media, all packaged and delivered in a fresh, intuitive and easy-to-use interface. The Agorafy App harnesses the Agorafy online platform's powerful search capabilities, exclusive marketplace data set, and heightened connectivity and contact features to provide users with new tools and unique mobile features. Visit http://www.agorafy.com/mobile/ or click here to learn more. At Agorafy, we are up to the challenge of building today's new, modern online real estate marketplace. We are constructing a home for NYC's real estate community - an elegant, mobile-enabled, user-friendly platform that connects real estate stakeholders from across the web! Our team is working hard developing a new age launch pad for real estate professionals to reach new levels of business success. A virtual marketplace built to accommodate users from the real estate industry and the public, alike. A platform to research verified market data, broadly market available property, and quickly connect with a direct contact to take next steps. Our engineers have empowered users with a rich feature set, so they can post and market available spaces, take control of their building and listings and distinguish their marketing campaigns. Similarly, users can search and review current market data and property information, connect with a direct contact, and proceed to closing deals quickly. Further, Agorafy siphons out much of the low value, incomplete or flawed real estate information that can proliferate in cyberspace, which otherwise creates confusion and frustration, and impedes the real estate search and transaction process. With Agorafy, the result is time and money saved, and a streamlined real estate acquisition, disposition and leasing process. So, let's cut through the redundant real estate data noise and connect across Agorafy to really get down to business! Check us out at agorafy.com and download the Official Agorafy App for iOS and Android! Richard Du is the founder and CEO of Agorafy, New York, N.Y.