If you’re keeping an eye on the current trends in web apps, you should know that real estate is a very popular topic right now. And why wouldn’t it be? Such web apps are a great tool for people who are searching for a place to live. With their help, it is much easier to find a home with enough space in the greatest neighborhood for the best price. However, if you want to try yourself in real estate web application development you should be prepared for some challenges. So, whether you have a real estate company or you’re a web app developer, here are a few tips that you will find helpful.
Real estate app functionality
The first thing you need to do before starting the real estate app development process is to figure out which functions you want your application to have. There are different ways you can implement them, but there are some features you definitely should include in your design:
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- map integration – first of all, users need to make the right decision about the place of their future home. Integrating your app with Google Maps will definitely be the best way to help your customers with it.
- adding photos and videos – photos are one of the best selling points for an apartment or a house. Posting photo and video tours will help users who will use your web app for buying or renting an apartment.
- built-in payment methods – these are very important tools that should not be overlooked. Make sure to use APIs of the most trusted payment services in your area. Don’t forget that you will have the responsibility to ensure the security of your clients’ personal data.
- a messaging system – communication between the buyer and the seller is very important. There are different instant messaging systems you can implement easily and fast, so there shouldn’t be any problem finding the one that suits your business.
Real estate web app development tips
If you’ve made up your mind about starting real estate app development, here are several tips that will help you get started and make sure your mobile platform will be profitable.
1. Start with a formed client base
In order to make sure someone will use your app, you should have enough offers to rouse people’s interest. If you don’t have a database of your own, you can make a deal with another real estate company.
2. Create a different experience for buyers and sellers
People that are going to use your web app are going to have different roles. They will also need different features to make their experience whole and pleasant. However, you will need to appease both of these group. That’s why your real estate software development should basically be the development of two applications sewn together. Make sure there is a quick and easy way to switch between these account types because selling one apartment may lead to buying another one.
3. Add information about the neighborhood
The more information you provide, the easier it is for users to find what they’re looking for. A lot of real estate web applications provide such information about the area as crime rates, the number of nearby schools, natural disaster possibility, etc. You can also add some info on nearby supermarkets, cinemas, other types of entertainment and quality-of-life details.
4. Use more filters
Just like in any other product, it should be possible to sort the offers in your app based on a number of different parameters. The most common ones are the location and the price of an apartment, the number of rooms and the size of the house. As for additional filters, you can make it possible to sort property by the year of the construction and the number of bathrooms or beds. The more filters you offer, the easier it is for users to find the house of their dream.
5. Make sure your app is supported by all most popular browsers
The more browsers your web app supports, the more people you’ll be able to reach. Of course, you will need more resources to develop an app that works well in a variety of browsers, but it is definitely worth it. This way, you will definitely broaden your database and help more people get the deal they want.
6. Optimize it and make it faster
Optimation is a big part of real estate application development. People are not very patient – if they want something, they want it right here and right now. So, it’s not very good to have even the smallest delays in your app’s responses. Such an app is especially difficult to build if you take into consideration the sheer number of high-resolution pictures that are often there. Make sure to find a fine balance between quality and speed.
7. Create your own blog
If you want at least some of your clients to keep using your web app after buying or renting the house, you have to consider some options to make your users more engaged. Making a blog is only one of the many ways to do it. Keep your posts related to real estate or even better – to home improvement, decoration, and maintenance. Overall, make it something that is interesting to people even after the closed deal.
All in all, creating a real estate web application is a task that requires specific knowledge. If you don’t feel ready to take on such a project yet, you should ask a professional about it. However, this task is also very rewarding, so if you’re ready to try out your skills, you should definitely do it.
