If you’ve been ignoring the mobile trend, assuming it’s “just a phase” or just not finding the time to deal with it, we urge you to reconsider. Mobile is hot, and real estate mobile is here to stay. In fact, all studies point at one direction – more and more people will choose to access the Internet through their smartphones, and more and more people will expect the ease and convenience of mobile apps.
Smartphones are convenient, and more and more consumers are seeing them as part of managing their hectic modern schedule. As of Q1 ‘10, Nielsen data shows that 23% of mobile consumers now have a smartphone, up from just 16% in Q2 ’09. Experts agree that penetration will near 100% by 2013. And the global market for mobile applications is expected to more than triple from just under $10 billion at the end of 2009 to $32 billion in 2015.
But what does mobile have to do with real estate? A lot! As a real estate professional, you must assume that a growing number of prospects will have smartphones, and Internet access on the go. Be conscious of that as you plan your marketing and make sure you make the most out of that Internet access. Include QR codes in your print media and on your lawn signs, for fast access to a listing’s site. Optimize your website and property sites for mobile viewing, or at the very least create special optimized landing pages and make sure the QR codes direct to them.
Another great way to make the most out of the mobile Web is to develop a real estate mobile app, that would enable prospects to access the Internet directly, will provide an optimal Internet experience, and will – of course – have a “cool” factor that would make it fun to access the app and use it. After all, “fun” and “cool” are just as important as “fast” and “useful” when it comes to the mobile Web in general, and to mobile real estate in particular.