Best apps for self-employed real estate agents

Running a real estate agency can be a lot of work, especially if you’re the only one. But you can still lighten the workload even if you don’t have a team to support you. 

By using various apps and technology, you can turn a stressful situation into a more manageable one. We’ve put together a list of the best apps for real estate agents, and split it into the categories below:

• Financial
• Communication
• Time management and scheduling
• File storage
• Navigation

We’ve split up the apps into the following categories, so you can skip straight to the ones you need the most for your business.

There are countless fees and payments you have to deal with as an estate agency, so why make things harder for yourself? Using accounting software instead of just a bank account can simplify your entire financial process.

If your biggest concern is trying to keep track of your finances, you don’t need to hire an accountant. Instead, download the Countingup app!

The Countingup app is a two-in-one business current account and accounting software. It’s filled with features designed to make your day-to-day a lot easier.

Instead of having to manually create an invoice for each client, you can use the app to do it right from your phone. Even better, these invoices can be completely customised to include your company’s logo.

Plus, when payments do come through, the app will automatically match the payer and the amount to the relevant invoice. Genius.

But don’t just take our word for it, check out the app for yourself!

The way people communicate is changing. These days, people tend to avoid talking on the phone. 

If you look to the younger millennials and Gen Z groups, instant messaging is a preferred method of communication. That means your business should use the same communication style too. 

Freshdesk Messaging allows for nearly instant responses to clients. How? By combining all your channels (Facebook, WhatsApp, iMessage, etc) into one single inbox.

With all your messages in one place, it suddenly becomes so much easier to manage your existing clients, and convert new ones. You can even build your own chatbot to deal with the bulk of your messages. 

Or if you prefer dealing with things yourself, you can respond to each person individually, just like using any other messaging service. 

While there are paid plans available, the free version should be more than enough for your business. 

As an estate agent, you probably have multiple properties on the go at once. Trying to juggle the properties between all the interested parties can be hectic, unless you have a way to plan your day.
These apps can help you manage your time effectively, as well as schedule virtual and in-person appointments. One less job for you to worry about.

Interested in taking online bookings? Calendly is the choice for you. Calendly helps your business by making your availability visible to potential customers. 

Once it’s embedded in your website, potential clients can book meetings with ease. Plus, once a slot is taken it becomes unavailable for other clients. 

You can also block off certain times if you want to avoid meetings on a particular day. 

Okay, this is a bit of a cheat entry because it’s two apps instead of one. Google Calendar functions as an excellent planning tool. You can create events and invite your clients to specific locations using only their email address. 

If you need to give them a digital tour, you can click a button to include a Google Meets link in the invite. The entire system is really intuitive, and can make your time management really quick and easy.

All of Google’s apps are linked by your account, so all your data is connected and instantly kept up to date.

Although, while you can embed Google Calendar in your website, you can’t take online bookings through it. So keep that in mind.

We don’t need to tell you there’s a lot of paperwork involved in the real estate market. Using an app to keep everything organised can help make sure that you retain a digital copy of all the necessary documents.

Using a Google account, you can also save, create, copy, and share files with Google Drive. These files are all backed up on the cloud, so you can access them from anywhere. 

The free version of Google Drive comes with 15GB of data storage, but you can upgrade this to 100GB, 200GB, or 2TB. And a Google file (unlike a Word document) doesn’t take up any space in your Google Drive. 

Dropbox functions similarly to Google Drive. Where Dropbox really caters to estate agencies, though, is the eSignature feature. You can send files to be electronically signed, all within the Dropbox app. 

Some plans also have access to Dropbox Passwords, their secure password management service. 

Unfortunately, Dropbox doesn’t have a free plan. Their cheapest is £7.99 a month for 2TB of data, on equal footing with Google Drive’s 2TB plan. 

Part of being a real estate agent is actually visiting the properties you’re trying to sell. That can be a challenge if you don’t know how to get there, or if you’re relying on paper maps.

Instead, try using one of these navigation apps to get you where you need to be.

Available on both Android and Apple, Google Maps isn’t just for checking the way from A to B. It also includes an accurate navigation feature for various transport methods. 

It can give you multiple routes, and search for petrol stations or parking along your current journey. Since it’s an app, you can have it installed on your phone and continue to navigate once you’re out of your car. 

The biggest benefit of using Google Maps is that it has an offline mode. This means if you’re driving through an area where signal is patchy, your current route will continue without issue.

Waze is a popular alternative to Google Maps. The display is a lot cleaner, and it allows for a lot more customisation. Waze also boasts the novelty of letting you choose different navigator voices, including some celebrities.

As a real estate agent, you’re probably visiting the same property multiple times. This is where Waze really shines. Waze remembers your common routes and destinations, making it a lot easier to revisit the plots you’re trying to sell. 

If a property lacks on-site parking, don’t worry. Finding a car park with Waze is a breeze, as the app can show you all the nearby parking spots with one button. 

If you’re doing research before you take the plunge and become your own boss, we’ve got you covered. It’s important to know both why and how to be a self-employed real estate agent.

If you’re a little fuzzy, then check out this guide on Are real estate agents self-employed?

If you feel like your prepared for some more clients, then why not switch your focus to attracting them? Writing a marketing plan can help give your business the direction it needs to start taking on clients left, right, and centre.

If you haven’t written one before or need a refresher, have a look at our guide on How to write a marketing plan for a small estate agency.