Tech for Helping Remote Real Estate Buyers

Aug 25, 2022

While helping clients buy a home remotely isn’t an entirely new concept within the real estate industry, it’s no secret the COVID-19 pandemic accelerated the evolution of remote home buying and created a permanent change in the industry. In fact, it’s now common for buyers to complete the entire home purchase process remotely. There are several reasons why buyers are making the decision to purchase remotely, with the main ones being the desire to limit exposure to the COVID-19 virus and the sheer convenience within a busy lifestyle.

Investors once made up the large majority of remote buyers, but now standard home buyers are looking to purchase their primary residence in this way. According to data from roofstock, 6% of buyers were remote in the Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington market in 2021. The same year, the Houston-Sugarland-Baytown market saw 6.3% of its buyers choose the remote buying route. This figure ballooned up to 9.7% in the San Antonio real estate market.

If you want to tap into this ever-growing market of buyers, finding and utilizing the best available technology will ensure the process is smooth from start to finish. To assist with this process, take a closer look at the following apps.

Video Messaging Apps

Video messaging apps are irreplaceable when it comes to conducting remote showings. With the help of your video messaging app, you can communicate in real time with your clients while also completing a personalized walk-through experience. Not only does this allow you to highlight the features you know will be particularly alluring to each unique client, but it allows you to answer questions and respond to client feedback immediately. The ability to carry on this ongoing conversation with your clients while providing a virtual walkthrough can be invaluable when it comes to closing the deal.

Some of the best video messaging apps that you can use for remote real estate transactions include:

Facetime

The most widely used video messaging app in the United States, largely due to the fact that the Apple iPhone dominates the market when it comes to cell phones. This is the best option to use with clients who are Apple users, and can also be used on iPads and MacBooks.
Facebook Messenger

A popular app that most clients will already have installed on their cell phones as an extension of their Facebook profile. This is a great option for Android and Apple users.
Google Duo
Uses end-to-end encryption, ensuring privacy and security. Google Duo can be used by Android and Apple users, or even on smart displays.
WhatsApp
Used by more than 1 billion people in more than 180 countries, this app is the best option when working with international clients.

All of these applications are free to use, making them an easy and effective way to show properties to remote buyers.

Photo and Video Sharing

Photo and video sharing apps are used to share pictures and “real world” walk-throughs with remote buyers so they can view the property at a time that is convenient to them. While video messaging apps allow you to show clients around in real time, photo and video sharing apps allow you to record the information at any time to share with your clients.

Great photo and video sharing apps for this purpose include:

iMessage
The most widely used photo and video sharing app in the United States due to the popularity of the iPhone. Works on wifi or on cell service.
Google Photos
Allows you to upload video in the background and share a link with anyone through text, email, or another messaging system. Best for clients who are Android users, but can be used on Apple devices as well.
Facebook Messenger
Easy system for sharing high-quality videos and photos that works for both Android and Apple users.

Taking photos and recording videos to share with your remote clients is a great way to grab their initial interest in the property. By snapping photos and filming basic overview videos and photos, you can also easily share this information with multiple clients. On the other hand, creating individualized videos to meet the unique needs of each client will show you attention to detail and 5-star service. Either way, by sharing media with them, they can always refer back to it or even share with friends and family members who may be helping with their buying decision.

Video Email

Video email apps allow you to build rapport with your remote buyers in a variety of ways. Not only do these apps allow you to send walkthroughs to your clients, but they also make it easier for you to discuss the entire buying process with them in a way that makes it more personable and easier to understand.

Some great apps for video email include:

Loom
Offers a free version with many great features, but can also be upgraded to provide more features at an additional cost. Upgrades allow for things such as unlimited videos and creators. Free trial versions are available.
Jumpshare
Basic plan is free to use, but plans with more features are available at an additional cost. Upgraded plans allow for more storage space and increased video length.
Bombbomb
Does not offer a free version and is more expensive to use than other apps, but offers more features.

Video email is also a great option for sending out market updates to prospective clients as part of your marketing campaign.

Video Conferencing

Video conferencing allows you to meet virtually with your remote buyers so you can discuss their search in a more personable manner and provide a thorough consultation.

Some video conferencing apps to consider include:

Zoom
Most commonly used in the United States. Can be used for free for meetings for up to 40 minutes with up to 100 attendees. For unlimited time with up to 100 attendees, you will need to upgrade to the Pro package for around $150 per year. Additional packages with more features are also available.
Skype
While Skype is free to use, many find Zoom to be a less cumbersome option. Zoom also allows for breakout sessions, whereas Skype does not.
WhatsApp
Considered to be the “gold standard” among international clients, WhatsApp is used by more than 1 billion people in more than 180 countries. The app is free to use.

Digital Signatures

Digital signatures are already commonly used to complete nearly every real estate transaction, but having a quality digital signature app is absolutely critical when working with remote buyers since they are not able to meet to physically sign the necessary documents.

Some digital signature apps that you may want to use when completing remote transactions include:

DocuSign
Three plans are currently available for professional use, starting at $25 per user per month.
HelloSign
Two plans are currently available for professional use, starting at $25 per user per month. A free trial is available.
Authentisign
Designed specifically for the real estate industry. Pricing options vary, but a 30-day free trial is available.

There is no doubt the COVID-19 pandemic expedited many changes within the real estate industry that were already under way. Not only did the pandemic lead to an increase in demand for completing transactions in a contactless manner, but it also impacted the number of buyers who are interested in relocating to a new state or city. Since traveling to see these properties is not always an option due to money or time constraints, providing the option to complete the buying process from a remote location helps to eliminate these obstacles. By using these apps and being fully prepared to complete the transaction remotely from start to finish, you will be ahead of the competition and able to fully tap into this ever-growing market.

About the Author

Last updated: 08/25/2022

2300+ Client reviews!

Christopher Penaloza

JC was very helpful during the process of buying my first home. He directed me to lenders that truly had my best interest at heart. I almost made a few bad decisions that JC was there to wave off for me. I truly appreciate JC's responsiveness to ALL of my many questions and his willingness to be a sounding board for my frustrations in the process. I still hear from JC from time to time ensuring that I am happy with my home and letting me know of up and coming business in my area that might affect my property value. I will absolutely be using JC to purchase my next home.

LanceLunsford

JC does a great job with attention to detail and ensuring he has answers to your questions as you navigate the process of a home purchase. JC understands the process of the transaction in a home purchase and makes sure the details are covered.

Christopher Dunn

Ruth helped us to view many houses and (over months) to make multiple offers in a really, really tough market for buyers. Our low bids were our own fault! Ruth's guesses are always spot on. We finally had a bid accepted last month, and Ruth helped us re-negotiate after significant problems were discovered. Ruth has gone above and beyond for us, giving us far more time during this long search than we could reasonably have expected. She even helped us look for a rental when we'd basically given up. Her advice has always been immensely valuable and brutally honest. She is the most knowledgeable agent I've met on the Central Austin market. She also handled our stress well, and believe me, buying in Austin right now is stressful!

Jerry Nash

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Steve Sanders

I highly recommend Kristen for all real estate needs.

Danielle Hughes

I had a great experience working with Bramlett Residential Real Estate. Jean Holm was my agent and she & her team made the whole process very simple. She explained everything very well, was knowledgeable, had great advice, and got our home sold. Definitely reccomend!

Jeremy K

I worked with Jeremy Vandermause to buy my first home. Jeremy was so patient throughout the process (which I definitely dragged out as I gathered all the facts). He consistently sent me homes I was interested in and was eager to show them off, and on the odd occasions where I found one he hadn't already seen he always made himself available to walk through with me. He was very helpful in those walkthroughs pointing out home features I would have missed, or providing context on neighborhood. As a native Austinite, he definitely knows the history and cultural fabric of the city and each neighborhood. I started with close to zero knowledge of the home-buying process and Jeremy walked me through every step with clarity and patience. So excited about the home I now own! Plus, he's just a legit cool dude. I always really enjoyed our conversations and could tell from the start he was someone worth knowing in Austin

Jian M.

This review is about Joe Gage, their real estate agent. I'm based in Sam Francisco and was looking for investment property in Austin. I tried out three different agents based on recommendations from different sources, including Yelp. Joe clearly stands out. He's very patient and responsive. I'm not familiar with the area at all thus had a lot of questions. His email reply contains detailed information of the neighborhood, including shops nearby, schools and so on. He regularly screen houses and give recommendations once he sees a good fit for investment house offered at reasonable price. He's very knowledgeable about the area. All his recommendations comes with details around why he thinks it's a good investment and sales/rental data in the neighborhood to justify the price he thinks it's worth as well as the expected rental income. I found him to be very methodical and organized. He's not a typical sales person. Maybe this is because he used to be an accountant. Needless to say he earned our trust and we went with him to make the purchase. I was very impressed through the whole process. He's very calm and never pushy. His recommendation on the bid price was right on and he was very good at following up with various parties to push things through. The process went through very smoothly. If anyone is looking for a good real estate agent in Austin, I'd recommend Joe whole-heartedly. His professionalism and calm personality make him a real pleasure to work with.

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