Best Photography App/Software
Winner: Instagram
Over the past year, Instagram has undergone a number of changes to give users more artistic control over their images. In addition to adding a grid option for posting multiple photos in one post, users are now able to change specific image settings, such as the brightness and sharpness of a photo. With those additions, along with the ability to share posted photos across various social media sites, the mobile app remains extremely popular, especially with agents. “Think about the 25 photos you just took at a listing appointment that you want to share with the world,” says social media expert Marki Lemons-Ryhal, founder of Marki Lemons Unlimited, Inc. “Instagram allows you to share those photos with five additional websites – Twitter, Facebook, Tumblr, Flickr and Foursquare. If I add a few ‘recipes’ from the terrific task automation app IFTTT (“If This Then That”) I can also share those photos on LinkedIn and additional Facebook Business Pages from the tap of my mobile device.”
Price: Free
Where to Buy: Available at iTunes and Google Play
Best Safety App
Tie: Guardly and Verify Photo ID
Guardly – A runner-up last year, Guardly takes a piece of the top spot thanks in part to its instant activation and simplicity. The emergency communication platform puts users in contact with emergency personnel and their own personal safety networks with a single tap, while also enabling organizations to send out mobile alerts based on users’ locations. Its indoor positioning and global positioning systems enable security operators to easily locate users within buildings. Specially designed for people who often work alone, as many agents do, the app also lets users determine how to organize and prioritize their own contact groups. Price appreciates that “Guardly.com has a lone worker application designed specifically to send a silent alert in an emergency situation.”
Price: Free to $1.99 per month, or $19.99 per year.
Where to buy: iTunes, Google Play
Verify Photo ID – Designed with agents in mind, Verify Photo ID lets you check out prospective clients before getting into a car with them. The app checks photo identification in three simple steps, beginning with an agent sending the prospect a link via text message. The prospective client then uses their mobile device to take a picture of their identification and upload it, allowing the agent to review the information and decide whether or not to confirm an appointment, refer the client to someone else or take a pass. “Safety is the utmost concern for agents,” says Lobb. “This app allows drivers license scanning and verification along with other cross-referencing features for other public records available, delivered to the agent on a mobile device.”
Price: Currently available through invitation only.
Where to buy: https://verifyphotoid.com/app/register.a5w
Best Neighborhood App
Winner: Nextdoor
Broadening the definition of what a neighborhood social media site can be, Nextdoor provides agents with a hyper-local forum where they can answer questions from consumers and buyers interested in their areas and become active participants in their communities. Agents can use their connections within a network to provide more information to their clients. People must live in a neighborhood in order to be connected, and users within each network are therefore well informed and up to date on what is happening locally. Lance enthusiastically describes it as “connecting neighbors via social media!” And Price explains, “As a user of Nextdoor, I’ve found it to be a tremendous resource in my own neighborhood engagement. When it comes to neighborhood content as a strategy for Realtors and brokers, I am a strong proponent of the creation of unique community content at a granular neighborhood level. It’s what consumers are looking for and it’s one of the ways a real estate professional can establish their unique brand proposition.”
Price: Free
Where to buy: https://nextdoor.com