Real Estate App Development: Must-Have Features and Monetization

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Businesses that deal with customer data and serve customers directly should consider mobile app development as an essential phase. Many organizations are experiencing a significant hike in business profits after launching mobile apps.

Apps can bring numerous benefits to the organizations as well as to the end users. For any business, it is important to let users know about your brand. Mobile apps can be beneficial to increase brand visibility. The mobile apps are built as per customer requirements. It is a term in marketing called ‘hammering.’ Whenever a user sees the app logo, it acts as a reminder about the brand. The ultimate results are brand enhancement.

Every mobile app has some social media integration. Users can directly post anything from an app on their social media accounts. Many users post their experience, images or upload live videos on the app as well as social media accounts. The users themselves market the brand to other prospects. Many applications offer a few schemes such as free vouchers, discount coupons, etc.  To get the vouchers, users themselves promote the app to their friends.

All major industries are making optimal use of mobile apps including healthcare, real estate, retail, education, etc.

When we talk about real estate mobile apps, it is essential to make app end-user oriented. Real estate industry has many problems which can be easily solved with mobile apps. Users do not get proper information about all real estate properties. The user needs to visit the place personally by spending much time to analyze the property. Getting the direct contact number of property owners is difficult.

Real estate mobile app developers target these issues and develop amazing real estate mobile apps. Most of the real estate apps for house hunting. Some apps are developed for real estate agents. In this article, we are going to focus on house hunting real estate apps. As per a survey conducted in the year 2017, 44% of customers searched online for great property deals. Only 17% of users contacted a real estate agent, and 6% drove to the neighborhood to search for a suitable property.

First, let us see what the need for real estate apps is:

  • The customer does not have time- many customers lack the time and cannot wander around searching houses.
  • Lack of information- Traditional way of property hunting involves asking friends and family members. Customers usually consult people around to find an excellent home for themselves. However, this idea does not always work.
  • Budget- Many people do not get houses in their budget, and that is why they use real estate apps. How to find the right place in the budget and that too as early as possible? Without real estate mobile apps, it is not possible. Also, real estate agents charge a reasonable amount which adds to the cost.

Related Article: Is it possible to design a real estate app like Zillow and Trulia?

How to make a real estate app successful? There are some must-have features a developer needs to consider while building a real estate app.

Following are the top trending must-have features of real estate app:

Loginization:

It is essential to let the user open a personal account. Loginization is done in three ways. By using social media account like Facebook. Let them log in through Google. Alternatively, phone number authorization and verification. It is a best practice to combine all three ways. In real estate apps, it is vital to get all necessary user details such as name, email address, contact number, etc. It helps businesses to keep connected with users and offer enhanced service. Have a different loginization system for sellers. If the app is not for the particular real estate company, developers need to build a different login system for property sellers. This includes much more information and legal documentation. Copy of authenticated property documents,

Listings:

Every real estate app must have a listing feature. This listing must involve a list of available properties with every detail. The listing must involve primary details in the front. When the user clicks on the listings, other details are displayed.

Show them images:

It is a good practice to capture property photos and upload them online on the app. 80% of users decide whether to buy the property or not from the images displayed. If the property images are appealing, the user considers other details as well. Many real estate apps are also offering videos of the place. It gives an augmented reality effect.

Map:

This is a must-have feature and developers must not skip it. Maps are connected with the help of third-party integration. This feature helps customers reach a given destination easily. People new in the city find this feature very helpful as the map navigates the complete route. The app can also suggest properties near the user’s current location using the map feature.

Favorites list:

Every real estate app must have a feature of favourites. The user can keep the favourites in one place. It becomes easy for users to find out properties they like quickly.

Search and filters:

The search feature requires certain keyword types such as location, the name of the property, etc. By merely putting the right keywords, the user can get the desired details. Filter feature of any real estate app requires much time for development as numerous filters are offered. These include filters on the basis of location, size, price, type of property (bungalow, office, apartment, etc.), rent or buy, terrace, number of rooms, the age of the property, parking facilities, etc. As per these filters, the user can search and find the best suitable property in no time.

Real-time messaging:

Any real estate app must offer a real-time messaging feature. The user can directly communicate with the property dealers and owners without having personal contact numbers. Make sure the messaging feature is fast and hassle-free. A poor experience can cost the loss of a customer.

Detailed property information:

The details must include all information like name of the property, location, how many rooms are available, number of bathrooms, size of the area, other facilities like club house, gym, parking, etc. Also, display ratings by other customers.

Monetization of real estate apps

After reading all the points mentioned above, you must be having a clear vision that real estate mobile app development is a time-consuming task and much money needs to be invested in it. The question arises here is what profit does the app developer make?

Here is the way, real estate app developers can make good money:

  • Charge fees:

Real estate apps can earn by charging fees to the sellers. The property owners who display their property details have to pay a certain amount to the app development company. The fees can be on a monthly basis. The fees are decided from the type of property. Commercial properties have to pay different fees. Residential properties have to pay different fees. Once the property is sold out, the app removes the details of that property.

  • Premium users fees:

The app development company charges a certain amount to the premium members. Many real estate app companies offer a free trial to users with limited access. If the user wants more access to more property details, a fee is applied.

  • Ads:

Ads are the best and most popular way of making money from any app. In a real estate mobile app, the ads should be relevant. Mortgage ads, bank house loan ads, furniture ads, interior decorating service ads, property insurance ads, etc.

Conclusion:

The real estate mobile app development company can add all the above feature to offer a high-quality app. There are a lot of real estates for mobile apps. It is essential to stand firm in this growing competition. For this, the developers must think out of the box. Also, take care of the UX UI design and navigations. Make sure the design is user-friendly and not much complex.

Hemendra Singh
Mr. Hemendra Singh, Managing Director, also the co-founder of The NineHertz is a visionary leader who oversees the corporate direction and successful growth of the Company and its employees, alike. With a career spanning nearly 10 years and a degree in Information Technology, Hemendra is the epitome of the new-age entrepreneurship in the emerging Digital India, who has catapulted The NineHertz to be counted among one of the foremost IT Companies in India.