Real estate agents deal with all kinds of properties, from private homes to multi-unit and even commercial structures, and they often service a variety of clients in the process, such as each buyer and groups of investors. In some cases they may even form partnerships to build a joint clientele or start a new firm. And no matter how you look at it, the world of real estate is competitive, so if you’re in the industry it behooves you to have the latest tools at your disposal. In this day and age that means utilizing mobile technology, and apps are where it’s at. With applications like Zillow and Trulia to feed you listings, plenty of mortgage calculators to crunch numbers for your clients on the spot, and all manner of programs to help you keep your business organized you should never find yourself wanting for an app that’s up to the task at hand where your business is concerned. But the Property Evaluator app for Apple devices takes it to the next level.

Although there is a free version of this app available, working realtors will no doubt want to skip over the freebie (and probably the “premium” version, as well) and shell out the $49.99 required for pro service. While it couldn’t hurt to download the free app and give it a whirl, you may quickly find yourself stymied by limitations. However, here’s what you can expect without paying a dime. You’ll begin by entering basic information about a property to compare it to others. Unfortunately, the free version only allows you to edit a single property, although you can provide a photo, add it to the map, view reports, and add up to three expenses. Unfortunately, that won’t really allow you to get an idea of the full scope of the application.

The main strength of this app is that it helps you to analyze listings so that you can create projections and compare them to other properties by way of specs and features (price, area, amenities, etc.). The idea is to create professional reports that you can use to show clients the properties that best meet their criteria and will show the biggest return on investment over time (via projections). The premium version of the app not only allows you to enter and edit multiple properties; you can also create printouts and email projections to interested parties. But the pro version really takes the cake for professional realtors.

Although you’ll pay the most for access to a professional account, it provides for evaluations of any type of property (including commercial) and lets you create portfolios so that you can easily compare multiple listings for various clients. You can also add estimated costs for improvements, itemize known closing costs for deals, and even brand reports with your own logo and information. So whether you’re working for a real estate firm (from New York to Las Colinas real estate agencies) or you’ve decided to strike out on your own, this app can help you to deal with clients in a professional way and get immediate access to analytical data on the go. In short, it’s a must for any real estate agent that wants to stay competitive.

Editor’s Note

Thanks to Evan Fischer for this guest post. He is a freelance writer and part-time student at California Lutheran University in Thousand Oaks, California.

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