7 Hot Tech Trends in Real Estate

September 29, 2021

Real estate practices have changed over the years. Where once catalogs and flyers were the staple of a real estate agency, online listings and videos are now on the scene. Agents used to keep a rolodex, and now they use CRM solutions. How real estate is bought, sold, and managed may have evolved over the years, but the end result is the same, people get places where they can live and do business.  Not only has technology disrupted human interactions, it’s changed the ways people interact with buildings and do their business in them. Using technology in your home or business, or to help build your real estate empire just makes sense. Here are some of the hottest trends in real estate right now, and where it’s heading in the future.

Keyless Entry for Commercial Real Estate

You might think of a hotel when you consider keyless entry, but advanced access control systems are finding their way into more and more offices and investment properties. With a system like Genea access control, property owners can provide tenants with cloud-managed security features that take a lot of the headaches out of managing who has access to the building – and when. Access can be given (or taken away) with ease from a cloud-hosted portal, providing greater security control. And you’ll be able to access logs when needed, too. A system like this is especially well-suited for owners of office buildings and coworking spaces.

Smart Homes

Smart homes are equipped with state-of-the-art systems, and more and more home buyers will be looking for properties with this feature. From voice activated temperature control, to window shade that can be programmed to lower and lift based on light, smart homes are a technology lover’s dream. Adding smart home technology isn’t just about getting smart appliances either. Truly smart homes can be customized at the sound of your voice for whatever you need. Whether your clients are going to live in a tiny condo and want furniture that rearranges at their command, or they need more floor space, or they want things lifted to the ceiling – a fully smart-equipped home can make it happen.

Augmented Reality

When it comes to home buying and selling, augmented reality is the way of the future. It goes beyond the 3D Matterport systems and puts the buyer in the room. They can “walk” around and get a feel for the space. Some augmented reality systems allow buyers to be in the space and see what it would look like with furniture. This technology has many real estate applications and is already helping buyers find the properties they want and need. It may be prohibitively expensive for some of your listings today, but in the next five to ten years, it will become standard in any listing agent’s arsenal.

Live Video

When a real estate agent goes live from a property it helps them to connect better with potential buyers online. They can show off the best features of a home or commercial space, answer questions in real time, and help people see the space from different perspectives. While photos are a little helpful, seeing a real person in a space in real time is even more powerful. Live video can be used in many different ways. It can be an exclusive live show where only the people who have registered can view it.

Online Home Buying

Auctioneers have been using online systems for their buyers for a long time. Online home buying is just gaining in popularity for regular home buying. 2020 helped people realize they could still find an amazing home even if they never stepped foot in it. There are many ways to do this and a great real estate agent will help every step of the way. Online home buying is the way of the future especially in hot real estate markets. A home can be on the market and under contract within hours.

Automated Lead Generation

How can you talk to potential clients in your sleep? You leverage a chatbot to smartly answer the most asked questions. Automated lead generation is changing the face of real estate and while many agencies have been slow to adopt it, this technology is a game changer. Real Estate is all about meeting and connecting with as many people as possible. Using a funnel or chatbot is a powerful way to connect with new people on the go. It helps to differentiate between buyers who are ready and just looky-loos who are not. And it helps capture potential client information so clients can follow-up with a personal touch.