Whether you’re running a top producing team or just starting out, having the best real estate software at your disposal will put you well ahead of other agents.Is this finally the year that the real estate industry gets the disruptive tools and apps that other industries enjoy?
Read on to check out our 29 top picks for the best time saving, lead generating, and innovative real estate software:
1. BoldLeads
If you haven’t been paying attention, you may have missed the exciting new technology that BoldLeads is offering today’s agents.
Instead of just sending you a list of leads, they offer A/B tested seller lead generation landing pages, an integrated CRM, and automated email and text messaging to connect with leads when they expect it—instantly.
You can even leave stealth voicemails (open rates are an order of magnitude higher than email), create follow up funnels, and integrate with your favorite CRMs like Contactually, Top Producer, Wise Agent, and more.
Even better, BoldLeads integrates with Could CMA so you can automatically send your leads gorgeous, accurate CMAs on demand.
They also offer free onboarding, daily training classes, and an exclusive Facebook Mastermind group just for BoldLeads users.
2. Propertybase
When it comes to real estate software, you might have noticed that every tech company wants to be a one-stop-shop. Propertybase actually is one.
First and most importantly, it has a Salesforce-based CRM that knocks the basic CRM features out of the park. Leads can be sent into Propertybase from pretty much anywhere, and can be segmented, set up on drip campaigns, and endlessly sliced and diced to match people with properties quickly and easily.
Beyond the CRM, Propertybase has a powerful website builder to drive your lead generation. Once your leads are coming in, use its customizable dashboard to divide farm areas and nurture leads toward the sale. You can try Propertybase for yourself with a free demo.
3. Revaluate
While terms like predictive analytics and AI have been floating around the industry for a few years now, only a handful of companies touting these advances live up to the hype. Revaluate is one of them.
Revaluate leverages techniques from artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning, and big data to analyze data from past and current events to predict future events. In simpler terms, they use super smart software that sifts through millions of pages of data to figure out when someone will move.
As if this wasn’t enough to pique your interest, they also use that same software to reinvigorate all the old, cold, dead leads in your CRM. Once they flag someone in your database, you can call them up for a coffee or beer instead of sending the same old drip emails that always wind up in their promotional folder anyway.
Even better, you’ll be able to pitch them WAY before they start looking on portals or Googling about how much their home is worth. Actually, they won’t have to since you’ll have already given them a detailed CMA!
4. Placester
In 2020, you have no shortage of options when looking for a quality real estate website builder.
But if your website isn’t generating leads, it isn’t doing its job. That’s why Placester almost always makes it to the top of list when we review the best website builders for agents.
Placester is IDX-focused, mobile responsive, and built with SEO friendliness in mind so your visitors will find it easy to navigate. We like their clean templates, plus helpful features like pre-written content library and lead capture forms.
If you’re a member of NAR, you qualify for a Placester website complete with an IDX feed and basic lead capture options for just $99 per month.
5. REDx + Storm Dialer
If you’re trying to cold call (you should in this market) without using an auto dialer like Storm Dialer, you’re leaving money on the table. Period.
First, there’s just no way you’re going to keep up with the volume of numbers you need to dial, not to mention dealing with voicemails, hang ups, or wrong numbers. Second, stopping to dial your phone every 30 seconds will slow you down to a crawl and kill your momentum.
So if you want to start cold calling FSBOs, expireds, or just want to effectively circle prospect around a listing, then you owe it to yourself to set up REDx + Storm Dialer.
6. Freshchat
Let’s face it. When it comes to technology, real estate is a few years behind many other industries. We’re just … a little slow to adopt the latest tech. If it’s not broken, don’t fix it. Right?
Well, no. When it comes to your website, you owe it to yourself (and your bank account) to invest in the latest technology to turn site visitors into leads. In 2019 that means you need to connect with them instantly.
Freshchat, advanced chat software that you can easily plug into your website, lets you do just that. It gives your site visitors exactly what they want; instant gratification!
You can have it ping your phone whenever someone has a question, or better yet, easily program a chat bot to engage them until they’re ready to talk to you.
Best of all, Freshchat is FREE for the basic chat features, and only $15—$39 per month for advanced AI chat bots, multi-language support, file attachments, and more.
7. Grasshopper
As far as things that can drive you crazy go, mixing business and pleasure is at the top of the list. In fact, study after study shows that “multitasking” not only doesn’t work, but will leave you more stressed out, less organized, and well, more miserable. It’s just not worth it. Especially in 2019 since phone technology has finally caught up with the way Realtors work.
Instead of using the same phone number for calls and texts from your significant other AND panicked clients, you can quickly and easily set up multiple phone numbers with Grasshopper. For example, you could set up one phone number for your print ads, one for website leads, and one for your yard signs. Or, what about using different numbers for buyers and sellers, or old clients and new clients?
Even better, if you’re running a team or just want to fake it until you make it, you can use Grasshopper to set up multiple extensions for junior agents, assistants, etc. You can also reply to texts from your laptop, make calls over VoIP and Wi-Fi, and get voicemails transcribed so you can see important missed calls at a glance.
8. First.io
First.io is another real estate software platform to take advantage of predictive analytics. Here’s Minnesota Realtor and team leader Brandon Doyle on why he loves First.io:
“First appointments leverages predictive analytics to identify people whom are most likely to move within your database. The app allows users to select contacts to be added to an appointments queue, from there the appointments scheduler calls the list and schedules one-on-one meetings. All of the details are managed through the app and are synced into your calendar.”
9. Cloud MLX
One of the most common complaints I hear from newer Realtors is that their MLS interfaces look and feel like they were built in 1994. Tiny fonts, dozens of tiny checkboxes and dropdown menus, and a design aesthetic that screams AOL 95. Blah.
Want to know why? Your MLS doesn’t have the time, resources, or expertise to design and build sleek, modern tools to access their treasure trove of data. That’s where companies like W+R Studios come in.
Its Cloud MLX app sits right on top of your MLS and gives you a Google-like way to access that data faster, easier, and without the headaches.
During a recent chat with W+R CEO Greg Robertson, he let me in on the mantra that helps them make such innovative software: Make it simple, make it elegant, and make it easy to use. Cloud MLX nails all three and then some.
Even better, Cloud MLX is designed to work seamlessly with the other apps in their Cloud Agent Suite; Cloud CMA, Cloud Attract, and Cloud Streams.
The whole package together gives agents a formidable arsenal of tools for searching your MLS, buyer and seller lead generation, lead nurturing with gorgeous listing updates, and finally powerful listing presentation software to seal the deal.
10. Salesforce
If you’re looking for a rock solid CRM that can grow with you from solo agent, to team, to brokerage, then Salesforce can have a huge ROI. After all, a stunning 83% of all Fortune 500 Companies use Salesforce. If you want to get serious about growing your sales like the pros, then you owe it to yourself and your team to check out Salesforce.
Best of all, Salesforce Essentials starts at just $25 per month, and includes a ton of flexibility right out of the box including Appexchange, which offers more than 3,400 pre-built apps, flows, and components to fully customize your CRM as you grow. You can try Salesforce free for 14 days.
11. Buffer (Social Media Scheduling Tool)
If you’ve already dipped a toe into social media only to get turned off by the constant demand to post, then Buffer is for you. Do you want to reach your Twitter followers at 7:30 a.m. even on days you sleep in? Want to send out that infographic to Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, AND Instagram with one click?
Buffer lets you figure out what times and type of content your leads on each platform respond to, then helps you create a posting calendar loaded with content. Once you have your calendar ready to go, you can sit back and let the likes, pins, and retweets come rolling in.
Did I mention Buffer is free for up to three social accounts and 10 scheduled posts?
12. Homesnap (Buyer Collaboration Tool)
Let’s face facts. Email is dying. In some tech offices, email has been almost entirely replaced with Slack, IM, or video conferencing. Homesnap lets you give your clients an awesome home search experience and notifies you when they like a property.
You can also get deep dive property info and even build free CMAs for your listing pitches.
Here’s Nikki Banks, Realtor for Keller Williams Excellence, Maryland, on how she uses Homesnap to collaborate with buyers:
“Since it’s linked directly with the MLS, the information about the house status is in real time. You can invite your clients to join the app and when they like something you are notified immediately. For your clients it gives information about what schools are in the areas and what other homes are for sale in a particular school zone.
You can send them any new listings in their chosen area that you’ve come across and reach out to the listing agent with questions that you or your client may have on the spot. Not to mention the ability to create a CMA (comparative market analysis ) for your clients right from the app. If all of that weren’t great enough, you’re able to book a showing, map how to get there and share the directions.”
13. Spacio (Open House Sign-in App)
Sick of smudged and unreadable sign-in sheets at your open houses? Join the 21st century and download Spacio. Spacio offers an intuitive and easy to setup digital sign-in sheet that you can set up on your tablet or phone to make sure you never miss a lead.
Even better, Spacio offers email automation to follow up with leads instantly and then plug them into your CRM for nurturing. You can also produce reports your seller or broker will love, and organize feedback to present to them after your open house.
14. Focus Booster (Pomodoro Timer)
Have you ever sat down to write ad copy or put together a CMA and looked up to see that it’s four hours later and you’ve got nothing done? It doesn’t matter how much time you devote to a project, but how much time you spend FOCUSED on that project …
If you constantly find yourself putting in long hours but not getting good results, you might be a candidate for the Pomodoro Technique.
Here’s how it works:
Instead of giving yourself a few hours or (even worse) an unlimited amount of time to work, Pomodoro makes you limit your work to just 25 minutes.
After that 25 minutes, no matter what you have cooking, you take a five minute break. When you complete four Pomodoro cycles of 25 minutes of work split by five minute breaks, you take a real, 15-20 minute break to eat lunch, chat with coworkers, or head out for coffee.
Thousands of creative workers and software engineers swear by Pomodoro, (including me) and the short bursts of focused work seem to limit distractions and increase productivity.
You can even try it when cold calling.
While all you really need to use the Pomodoro technique is a timer (preferably shaped like a tomato, hence the name) apps like Focus Booster give you a timer and even analytics to track your progress.
15. kvCORE (Lead Generation, CRM)
One of the early movers in the all-in-one real estate lead generation and CRM platforms, Inside Real Estate’s kvCORE platform is finally ready for its close-up. Its team-focused platform boasts lead generation, a robust CRM with AI features like behavioral lead response, text messaging, and even an auto dialer.
Here’s Keyes Company Chief Information Officer Wendi Iglesias on the benefits of the new kvCORE platform:
“We have many systems for lead generation, lead nurturing, customer management, and transaction management that all work together to increase productivity of our associates and deliver a best in class customer experience. Right now, we have a large focus on social connections and behavioral automation. We are actively looking for connections with buyers and sellers via social media using tools like Flipt, Buyside, and Quantum Digital Trigger Marketing, working to bring them valuable information they need via the medium they wish to have it delivered with systems like Buyside, Real Scout, and VoicePad; and guiding them through the transaction with all the digital and non-digital expertise it takes for a successful transaction. We believe that it is both stellar service and high-tech tools that bring the best customer experience.”
16. HouseCanary (Home Valuation and Price Prediction Tool)
Like AI, predictive analytics has been an unavoidable buzzword for real estate software lately. While there are a ton of fakers out there (we won’t name names) who claim to use predictive analytics to parse real estate data, HouseCanary actually does. And it’s a game changer.
HouseCanary’s home valuations are based on dozens of data points both public and private, and instead of going back a year or two, actually consider trends from the past few decades when coming up with their valuations. Think of it as Zestimates with a brain transplant … on steroids.
While HouseCanary’s valuations are the most accurate many in the industry have seen, they’re not out to replace agents anytime soon. In fact, they offer affordable valuations that you can use to supplement your own hard work.
17. Structurely (AI Chatbots, Lead Qualifying)
AI chatbots have been threatening (not in a Skynet sense, but you get the idea …) to “disrupt” real estate lead nurturing for a long time now. The only problem is that the vast majority of solutions on offer weren’t quite ready for prime time. They were clunky, slow, or too robot-like to be useful.
Structurely’s AI chatbot Aisa (Artificial intelligence Sales Agent) Holmes allows you to qualify your web leads while you’re out showing and pitching.
It also talks to a ton of your favorite lead gen/CRM platforms like Real Geeks, BoomTown, Kunversion, Placester, and more.
18. Amitree Folio (Super Lightweight Transaction Management)
Amitree’s Folio has always been the well-kept secret weapon of many newbie agents. After all, it’s free, sits right on top of Gmail, and offers some pretty amazing transaction management and organization tasks for busy Realtors.
Even better, Sand Hill Road has taken notice. Amitree recently closed a $7 million round of funding to build out more functionality into an already fairly robust platform. Get on board while it’s still free!
19. Contact Junkie (Automated Outreach Tool)
When it comes to outreach automation software, there are two types of agents. Those who will get a ton more leads using it, and everyone else. Cold callers are using dialing software like REDX’s StormDialer or Mojo, or they’re getting left in the dust. Advanced CRMs like Propertybase are making manual texting and email obsolete, and even the old fashioned voicemail is being automated by apps like Slydial.
Contact Junkie takes all of that potential automation and wraps it up into one neat package for agents and teams. The app will automatically reach out to your leads with voicemail, text, and email, and will stop once contact is made.
20. Grammarly (Writing Assistant)
Let’s eat Grandma! … Let’s eat, Grandma!
Two sentences, only one will get you disinvited from next year’s Thanksgiving dinner.
The Grandma-safe version uses what’s called the oxford comma, something a grammar app like Grammarly will spot and suggest for you.
Yuo cna aslo porbalby raed tihs esaliy desptie teh msispeillgns rhigt?
Your leads probably can too, but are they going to call you back?
Better not risk it in that pitch email.
Grammarly checks your grammar, spelling, and even sentence structure and style for free.
21. Feedly (Media Aggregator)
Since some people spend their entire careers following and writing about real estate news, catching up with the latest can be a full-time job.
Since you don’t have time to read the Wall Street Journal, The Real Deal, The New York Times, and your local paper every morning, Feedly can help.
Enter in a few websites or news categories you want to follow and Feedly sends you a nice curated list of the top stories every day.
Combine this with Buffer and your leads will think you have a full-time editorial staff finding them the best articles.
Not bad huh?
Feedly is also FREE.
22. Avochato (Text Messaging Software)
If you want your team to double down on text messages this year (and why wouldn’t you?), you need to check out the latest text messaging software like Avochato. Avochato gives agents, ISAs, or other team members a fully featured desktop dashboard to text with many leads and clients at once.
You can access easy-to-use message templates, send texts one-to-many, and of course click-to-dial for hot leads or clients that need extra help. It also gives you 10 unique phone numbers so you can easily segment leads from online sources, signage, open houses, etc.
23. NodalView (3D Tour Software)
Let’s face it, it was only a matter of time until someone figured out how to shrink down a Matterport 3D camera into your smart one. Well, that’s not exactly true. The technology has been there for a while, but it was always a pain to use so busy agents shied away.
NodalView lets agents use their own smartphone, and a few smart odds and ends like a wide-angle lens attachment in order to create their own 3d tours to give the other 3D tour companies a run for their money.
For a few hundred bucks and a plan starting at $59 per month, you can start making as many 3D tours as you want. With a team plan, you can use up to five devices at once, effectively making 3D tours for large apartment complexes not only a reality, but something you could knock off in an afternoon.
24. Dotloop (Transaction Management Software)
Although the competition was fierce, it looks like Dotloop has come out on top for the best real estate transaction management software for another year.
If your office doesn’t offer real estate software like Dotloop along with your other perks, then it might make sense to jump in and track your deals with Dotloop.
Did we mention the industry leading transaction management platform is now FREE for individual agents?
25. Expensify (Expense Recording app)
Instead of a shoebox, I had a manila folder stuffed with receipts for yellow cabs, lunches, printing, and printouts of my (enormous) Uber bills. Needless to say, come tax time I’m ankle deep in paper and miserable.
Smarter agents use expense tracking software like Expensify. Expensify automatically scans and tags your receipts so you don’t have to.
This way in April you have everything organized and ready for your accountant to scrutinize.
26. Top Producer
One of the earliest real estate specific CRMs designed by true pioneers in real estate software, Top Producer dominated the market for years. The only problem is that even though it offered similar features to newer CRM offerings, Top Producer kept using the same dated interface that looked more like windows 95 than the cutting edge real estate toolkit it actually was. Many users suffered in silence, but many more moved on to different products that took the time to design a nice space for agents to spend time.
Luckily, Top Producer went back to the drawing board and totally revamped its flagship CRM to compete with the new kids on the block. Gone is the pixelated, 1990s looking interface, which has been replaced with a fresh, clean, and yes, pleasant interface that provides agents a nice place to spend hours per day. The CRM wars are heating up, so expect to see more features, nicer designs, and hopefully better pricing in this sector.
27. Flipt
With the slow throttling of targeting options on Facebook, many Realtors are looking elsewhere to market their business and generate leads. One often overlooked option is the Google display network, which offers advertising space on millions of apps across the country. The ads you might see on The New York Times app are just one example. The only problem was that these ads were hard to target, and really only worked well for branding and not lead generation.
However, new real estate technology companies like Flipt are using AI technology to find and target app users who are going through life changes like moving or getting married and offers agents advertising space to reach these people in your ZIP code.
28. Lucidpress
While there are a ton of places online that offer editing software for Realtors to create mailers, and social media graphics, there is something to be said for options that are tailored for Realtors. Lucidpress is one option that might help agents, teams, and small brokerages keep a consistent look and feel for marketing materials produced by multiple agents.
They also offer tricks like smart fields which allow agents to create multiple documents and have them auto-populate with certain information like listing addresses, name, brokerage etc.
29. Jigglar
If you have a little more money to spend, then Jigglar might be another option for a real estate specific replacement for online graphic design software like Canva. What we like about Jigglar is that the templates are great and look very professional and designed for and by real estate professional to convert. Remember that beautiful graphic design does not always translate into conversions though. Sometimes, garish layouts and designs can get your phone to ring more than a slickly designed postcard. Jigglar has a nice mix of templates that just seem to fit the bill for active real estate agents.
There. Now you have no excuse to stay disorganized!
Over to You
Have a suggestion for our list of the best real estate software? Let us know in the comments.
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