Technology Helps Realtors® Work from Home

Technology is allowing many Realtors® to continue doing business while working from home. NAR Tech Edge speaker Bill Lublin says most in the industry are adjusting to the new “semi-normal.”

“We’re finding ways to move business forward using the technology that’s available,” said Lublin, the CEO of Century 21 Advantage Gold, a 10-office firm with about 250 agents selling homes in Pennsylvania and New Jersey.

Brokermint is a real estate back office management software that allows agents to upload their documents and access anywhere and anytime. “The program allows agents to upload files so the transaction company can work on them and keeps everything organized and moving forward,” he said. “We’ve found it to be a tremendous asset to our company.”

Lublin, who has been a Realtor® for more than 40 years, finds other online tools helpful to the real estate transaction.

“We’re using Zoom to have video conferences with our agents and leadership team. Our agents also use video conferencing for virtual showings, virtual open houses, screen sharing to review contracts and make listing and buyer agency presentations.”

“Once the consumer is familiar with the contracts we’ve prepared through Zipforms we use DocuSign to execute them and we are using  Glide for sellers disclosures.”

The company also uses appFolio, a cloud-based software that fully automates property management. “Our management team is able to fully conduct the property management aspect of our firm remotely from home using this software,” he said.

Lublin is also a fan of Realtors Property Resource® mobile app, where he’s able to get information on properties through his phone or laptop.

For agents using Bright MLS, he suggests using HomeSnap, which recently partnered with Bright to make it easier to create and monitor effective digital marketing campaigns.

“We’ll all learn how to do business differently,” Lublin said. “The real estate industry isn’t the problem like during the 2008 meltdown. The housing stock hasn’t been affected and interest rates are still low.”

“Some business is still being done, even if remotely,” he added. “Even if things slow down, you can still communicate with people, people who need to buy or sell.”

“This too shall pass, and we will come out of this ahead,” Lublin added. “You’ve got keep positive. Take time to reach out to make someone else cheerful.”