It is time to discuss how to build a real estate app using the examples of the industry leaders such as Booking.com, Zillow, Trulia, and others.

Real Estate App Development: A Stepwise Guide

How is real estate app development helping the real estate industry today? Hundreds of people regularly search for apartments, compare housing offerings, sign rental contracts, buy new properties, or sell old homes. Growing demand and the accelerated pace of life are leaving less time for people to handle property-related issues alone. As a result, agents, property management agencies, and buyers are constantly looking for new ways to attract clients.

A mobile application is a top solution. Our real estate application development company knows the secrets of creating a real estate app. The types of applications we offer include:

  • Software for agencies. It will help reduce the process of selecting an apartment for a client due to the built-in catalog of apartments with a description of all the conditions.
  • A solution for a startup project. Such a real estate mobile app development project introduces new ideas to the market.
  • Applications for development companies. Facilitates the sale of properties.
  • Booking tools. They will help to find suitable accommodation during a vacation or business trip.

OpenGeeksLab suggests that you read our post to learn more about real estate mobile app development, as it has many peculiarities.

What Are Property Mobile Applications?

“Where can I find a place to buy or rent?” “How can I sell my property?” Mobile apps for property deals answer these questions. Those are software specifically designed for a particular mobile platform (iOS, Android, Windows Phone) that helps with a great variety of activities associated with a property.

Residents who wish to find a place to live or stay benefit from using mobile applications. Property managers who manage and maintain properties also use such solutions actively as they assist with handling administrative tasks and communicating with potential buyers, tenants, or residents.

Real estate app development companies create software with different features for various purposes.

Renting/House Hunting Apps 

One of the most used tools for buying, selling, and renting apartments worldwide is Zillow. Zillow is a popular US platform, letting you find millions of homes for sale or rent. iPhone and iPad users can explore neighborhoods directly within the Zillow app using the Apple Maps Look Around feature.

The most popular mobile business app for renting houses and hotel rooms is Booking.com. It includes about 500,000 hotels from more than 200 countries, which guarantees the possibility of finding a suitable room in any world capital. Booking, by the way, is possible not only in a hotel but also in a hostel or tourist lodge. Among the advantages, users recall convenient filters and the ability to ride to their place of residence.

Airbnb allows users to search for apartment offerings using filters and a CouchSurfing service. It makes it possible to quickly rent a room or apartment from the owner and meet them to assess the accommodation.

Real Estate Agents’ Apps 

Mobile applications for agents help in their work, such as placing ads, building a pool of clients, and much more. So let’s look at free and conditionally paid applications that are desirable for professionals.

If potential buyers have questions about the structure or condition of the property, they can quickly find the information they need with the MagicPlan real estate app. This solution includes detailed floor plans, professional photos, and a neatly compiled list of improvements when selling homes. The key features are new floor plans, renovation prices, and the ability to scan the room for instant floor plans.

We have already mentioned Zillow. Zillow Premier Agent is a must-have app for agents who use Zillow for listings. Agents can input potential clients into the sophisticated CRM from a variety of sources, including Realtor.com and BoomTown.

Another popular example of real estate app development for agents is Connecteam, which provides realtors with everything they need in the shape of a digital portfolio. Agents can manage their listings, schedules, client interactions, paperwork, and more on the go. It also allows for the instant signing of contracts, deals with sellers and buyers, and takes care of commission payments.

As you can see, today’s agents have many apps at their disposal to automate, simplify, and speed up their work. They mostly look for ways to organize the agent’s accounting and view offers on the market.

Real Estate Investment Software

Real estate application development for investors allows for finding better offers and closing more deals much faster. Such tools allow users to stay in touch with potential partners, see the best deals on the go, and help save time doing business. Mobile apps like Trulia and Ascendix analyze demographic data about a neighborhood, such as income levels, attractiveness, education levels, and even safety statistics in the area.

Which type of property software is more popular today? Does creating such a solution make sense considering current events? A brief industry overview with statistics might give a clue.

 

Overview of the Industry

Despite the pandemic and other circumstances, the real estate market is rising. Its total value reached a whopping $326 in 2021, up from five trillion in 2020, according to The Private Property Reporter. Another source says that the global market is expected to grow to $3741.06 billion in 2022 at a CAGR of 10.5%. High demand for real estate and rising prices are the main traits of the market today. Why is this market booming?

Real estate market in the United States keeps on growing intensively despite the pandemic.

Image Source: Grand View Research

Opening of the Borders

The coronavirus pandemic that has gripped the world since 2020 has been a shock. Borders were closed as countries were forced to impose quarantine measures. Gradually, the world began to learn to co-exist with COVID-19. In 2021, the situation got way better. Multiple borders opened. Potential investors began to look again at various objects, choosing the best options.

Vaccination

The second important factor that revitalized the global real estate market is the successful fight against COVID-19. Mass vaccination gave hope that the coronavirus would be over soon. Therefore, people became more confident in purchasing properties or acquiring companies. Not only has vaccination been able to solve health problems, but it has also helped to open borders and strengthen the economies of many countries. A striking example is the UAE. According to statistics for 2021, the number of transactions in Dubai has grown by a staggering 88.37% compared to 2020.

Steady Growth in Prices

Many investors want to buy property today because, in the short term, it will increase in price. This means that the investor will receive a tangible profit. According to the Global Property Guide, by the end of 2022, inflation-adjusted housing prices may rise:

  • In Montenegro – 32.4%
  • In Sweden – 17.97%
  • In Australia – 16.08 %
  • In the Netherlands – 15,33 %
  • Puerto Rico – 14.5%

Today, most investors have a chance to buy property at an affordable price, the cost of which may increase at times by the end of the year.

Rent Regulation

To make housing more affordable and the rental market more regulated, many governments have introduced regulations of the real estate market, its taxation, and renting. For example, a tax on short-term rentals of apartments was introduced. In Spain, restrictions were felt by owners of ten or more properties. In China, restrictions on rent were introduced.

Overall, these measures have positively affected the market. Housing has become more affordable and attractive to investors.

Innovation in Taxation

The government of some countries stimulated the market with benefits. Such practice was used by Greece and Indonesia. The UK, on the other hand, did it differently. The government decided to introduce tax vacations on stamp duty, which made high-end housing more affordable. This measure caused a surge in buying activity in the United Kingdom, both among residents and non-residents.

Some countries, on the contrary, imposed taxes and raised rates to reduce activity in the market. This was done to funnel money into the fight against coronavirus infection (for example, in Cyprus).

Categories of the Most Popular Property Types

Consider the general trends in the real estate market:

  • Apartments in new buildings. These objects are in huge demand in any country. The prices of new buildings are higher. The highest price increase is detected in cities with more than one million residents.
  • Secondary housing. The second position in terms of demand among buyers.
  • Elite apartments. Wealthy investors are willing to invest in luxury.
  • Apartments in the countryside. In a suburban niche, conceptual villages with autonomous infrastructure are the most popular. Sales are growing faster for objects with fully finished communications.

Commercial property is an opportunity to invest your money to work and bring profit. There is currently a rise in sales of such property. Stores, shopping centers, cafes, offices, restaurants, warehouses, and production facilities are in great demand.

Every category of software for rent or sale has various features. Decide which functions your project may need by considering the key options below.

 

Real estate mobile app development at your fingertips!

We cover all phases of real estate mobile app development, from idea to release and maintenance. With our expertise, you’ll obtain the perfect software for your business!

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Key Features of a Real Estate App

Must-have features for a real estate mobile app vary from smart search and filters to a virtual offerings tour.

Any application, including listing apps, involves two types of features – basic features that serve as the skeleton and additional features that expand the possibilities of users and serve as an app enrichment. What should a mobile real estate application include?

  • Advanced property search filters. A real estate app makes it possible to select a home or the best place for an office based on size, location, and amenities. That is not all – advanced property search filters software allows users to learn the opinions of people already living in the area. Potential buyers and renters may even discover the crime rate in a particular district, the likelihood of natural disasters, traffic intensity, store availability, infrastructure, and more.
  • Property list. The property catalog design should be as clear and visually appealing as possible. As a rule, the catalog is made of object cards. Each profile contains images, a small text description, and other elements.
  • Favorites and shortlisting. It is an opportunity to limit the wide range of options to several choices. A user then won’t have to search for the preferred options to, for example, compare and contrast them.
  • Comparison feature. Comparing various options based on specific parameters significantly eases and speeds up the property selection.
  • Maps and geolocation-based search. Many buyers and sellers prefer buildings in specific regions. This feature allows them to detect their current location and estimate how far the building of interest is, for instance.
  • User profiles for users, sellers, and agents. This feature allows access to information about any other registered user to see their rating, feedback, and offers. It helps decide how reliable a person or agency is.
  • Communication options. Users may have to contact each other to discuss details not included in the initial description. Also, it’s about obtaining quick support from the client care service. The more options – the better (direct messages, live chat, phone, social media).
  • Trend on blockchain. For example, the DAO structure minimizes the barrier to entry for real estate by tokenizing the asset. Those who own the indaod.io DAO token can enter the market cost-effectively and reap the benefits of property passive income. It also mitigates the risk associated with alternative asset investments.
  • Virtual tours. Sometimes, images and video alone are not enough to fully introduce a property. That is why many users are interested in taking a virtual tour around to feel the atmosphere. This feature can significantly impact their final decision.
  • Property cost calculator. Prices matter for most users. For some, the cost to develop a real estate app is a primary factor as they have limited budgets. Thus, it is necessary to let users make estimates based on various parameters to plan their budget better.
  • Push notifications. It’s a good way to stay in touch with the user and remind them of a service’s offers. Push notifications assist with improving retention rates. Push notifications reach the user even when they are not in the app.

These tiny messages may be used for promotional purposes. For instance, to let a user know what they will get for buying a property within a restricted period or investing in two apartments at a time.

  • Calendar. That is how users may schedule a meeting with each other and discuss further deal’s details.
  • Ratings and reviews. Objective feedback from clients may strongly impact the decision-making process. A rating alone is sometimes enough.
  • Administrative panel. Managing all operations via the administrative panel should be as easy as possible. Two major roles should be implemented in the admin panel – an administrator and a moderator. The first one has full access to all functions and reports (statistics, finances, user and moderator activity). The second one has access to editing and blocking ads and viewing user messages and comments to resolve controversial issues.
  • In-app analytics. Analytics can show how popular a property or district is. It may also show changes in prices, as well as other interesting figures.
  • E-signing. Using this feature, users can sign all documents safely online.

Think about who your target audience is. Which features will they need in the first turn? Perhaps, some expert hints will help.

 

Real Estate App Development Tips and Tricks

These tips will help you better prepare for the real estate app development process.

Before you move to work on your project, consider several helpful tips for real estate app development.

  1. Learn from competitors. Analyze this market, paying attention to features offered by your rivals. What do users think about them?
  2. Focus on bringing value to the end-users. Start with developing an MVP – see how it works.
  3. Create a robust database. If you don’t how to build a real estate database, use this check-list:
    • Connect to multiple listing services (MLS)
    • Partner with syndication platforms
    • Take data from other apps and FSBO listings
    • Allow users to post propositions in the app
    • Use a data company

Remember: databases are one of the main reasons why both sellers and buyers use such tools.

  1. Gain ground with an effective monetization strategy. In-app purchases, Freemium, subscriptions, in-app ads – which works best for you?
  2. Prepare a strong set of features. They may include user sign-up/sign-in, user profiles, listings, databases, filters, categories, property profiles, favorites (shortlisting), maps, communication, push notifications, and more.
  3. Find a reliable real estate mobile app development company and start small. OpenGeeksLab might be right what you are looking for – read what our real estate software development services offer below.

So you know the best property software building practices. Another question you may have in your mind is, “How much would it cost me?”

 

Our real estate mobile application development company knows the secrets of creating a real estate app.

Check out our projects

Real Estate App Development Cost

Different apps demand various resources. Several factors impact real estate app development costs: technology stack, professional skills, and working hours needed.

Developing a real estate app with complex user features such as geolocation, search filters, and push notifications for users can cost much more than several thousand dollars as you need highly qualified experts and more resources. For lower-level software creation, real estate mobile MVP with basic features can start relatively low, but you may soon recognize adding more features is inevitable.

What Does Our Real Estate Application Development Involve?

You may wonder what we include in the cost of real estate mobile app development, so we guarantee our team takes care of everything, from business analysis to post-launch support.

If you choose OpenGeeksLab as your software-building partner, you can be sure that we make real estate apps from A to Z.

Planning

Before building real estate apps, we define the target audience: traits, characteristics, key goals, needs, and objectives. It allows us to decide on features that an application should have. We will discuss them along with the budget and deadline with you.

Then, our team of professionals comes up with the design of all screens and elements. We make sure graphic solutions are clear. You get a real estate mobile app design that will make you stand out among your competitors.

After that, we start MVP prototyping. At this stage, we form the project’s structure. Next, we work on the navigation and interface.

Development

Our developers receive the design and refine the design estimate. Their job is to design each screen and write the code that connects them logically and allows the approved functionality to work. They also use the code to establish communication between the visible part of the application (the front-end) and its invisible part, where the data is stored (the back-end).

Final Testing

Testing eliminates all bugs and technical inconsistencies in the application. Ignoring this stage means losing the first users immediately after launch because some modules may not work on a particular device.

Similarly to testing websites, the web application is first tested for layout and compliance with the design. Then the functional part of the project is tested.

Implementation and Integration

Once the app is ready, our experts will help with packaging, managing, and deploying it. We even help add it to the app store. We ensure your application complies with the policies of the publishing platforms.

Post-Launch Support

Our team keeps an eye on your app performance. We’ll optimize speed if needed. Our team also gets rid of any remaining bugs and suggests improvements.

As we offer full-cycle development services, everything is included in real estate app development costs. You won’t have to deal with any of these stages on your own.

How Do I Manage a Digital Investment Platform?

Selecting an experienced real estate application development team will take care of your digital investment platform setup and management. We prevent our clients from handling any tech work. Our team makes sure it functions smoothly. However, we expect that you prepare content and tweak aspects of the platform’s setting to suit your business. In addition, training new employees is vital. Thus, plan the induction and onboarding process carefully.

Want to Discuss Your Real Estate Mobile App Development Idea?

The industry is developing at a rapid pace. As the world continues to evolve, mobility has become the new normal. Today, it’s hard to imagine a successful real estate business without a mobile app. On-demand applications may have overtaken website creation today.

Those who think about developing a real estate mobile app should know there will likely be barriers that can roadblock them. They include a competitive market, costly real estate mobile app development, high-security needs, and a lack of hard skills.

Start your journey in real estate mobile app development by conducting a thorough analysis of the industry, including competitors, and then follow these actionable steps to create a successful app. Analyze the current trends based on statistics. For making a successful real estate app, look at some app examples. Then, come up with a prototype and design. Only after that a real estate web application development process starts. Remember that launching a product is not the final stage. Providing constant support, as well as adding new features, is just as important. Altogether, these steps might look like a challenge. However, you should not cope with it on your own!

With OpenGeeksLab, a real estate app development company, all the above won’t bother you as we take everything on us. We cover all phases of real estate mobile app development, from idea to release and maintenance. We always advise custom real estate application development from scratch, allowing you to include the features needed to cover your targets. This approach makes it easy to control business expansion without limiting it to off-the-shelf solutions. Fill out this form. With our expertise, you’ll obtain the perfect software for your business!

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