What’s kind of funny about this application is that the title listed on the iTunes stores is actually the following: Open Home Pro – A Must Have for Real Estate Agents. So just in case there was any confusion, you know that if you sell real estate, then you need this app. That conceit aside, this app is actually pretty useful for the busy realtor on the go. Consider for a moment the sheer amount of information that you, as a real estate agent, must assimilate and have access to at any given time. And we’re not even talking about the knowledge of multiple listings that you have to sift through to show homes to clients that are looking to buy. The app is called Open Home Pro, so we’re just focusing on the work that goes into a single listing that you are trying to sell. And this offering for the iPad helps you to keep all of your data organized so that you can show a home, follow-up with interested parties, and get it sold in no time flat.

The app will cost you $11.99, but it’s well worth it for the simple yet comprehensive functionality it provides in the field. You can start by inputting information on the many properties you are listing for clients so that you can quickly call up one or another and show potential buyers unlimited photos, complete with details of the property (size, price, location, etc.). And every listing you create with the app is optimized for both mobile and social media. But it’s when you get into the open house setting that this application really shines. How about a house with wall wall water fountains?

Many realtors are still stuck in the dark ages of sign-in sheets and all the hassles that come with them, from consumers and agents that don’t sign in to illegible handwriting that makes it impossible to follow up with potential buyers. Not only can this app help the average realtor to look more professional during an open house, but it also provides a streamlined method of collecting pertinent information from visitors. You can enter the names and email addresses of those who come to your open house, but you can also create custom questions that will help you to determine which buyers are serious and which are merely browsing, making it easy for you to sort through visitors and save time on your follow-ups. Are leads pre-approved for loans? Do they have an agent? How soon are they looking to buy? All of these inquiries can help you when it comes to selling a property.

Of course, the app also helps you to keep in touch with leads thanks to automatic follow-ups that are designed to catch the attention of prospective buyers (they are reportedly opened twice as often as other types of follow-up communications). First, every lead will receive and email immediately after their information is entered, detailing the property they have just seen (including the listing information, a mapped location, and your contact info). However, the app will also auto-connect with leads each time you change the status of the property, say when the price drops or it goes into contract negotiations. This will give interested buyers the opportunity to grab a deal or put in a bid before it’s too late, but mostly it will remind them that the property is out there. So whether you’re selling Pompano Beach condos or mansions in Malibu, this app will help you in myriad ways. That’s an awful lot of bang for just twelve.

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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