Realtor.com app updated, launch is intriguing
In light of tight inventory levels in most markets, and an environment of multiple offers in select areas, Realtor.com uses the current housing climate to promote the newest update to their mobile app for iPhone, iPad and Android, telling homeowners “If you are searching for a home, you don’t want to fall in love, only to find out that home was sold months ago.”
Did you catch that?
It was subtle, but make no mistake, that is very nuanced commentary on the weaknesses of their main competitors, specifically Trulia and Zillow who aggregate data from a variety of sources, with the top complaint by users typically being that listings are out of date, inaccurate, or infiltrated by bad user behavior (spam and the like). Realtor.com has boasted for years they are not, as they are sourced directly from over 800 MLSs, updating every 15 minutes as opposed to daily which is the frequency of some other search companies, they say.
The latest version of their app still lets users search their “millions of real estate listings for sale, plus recently sold, price reduced and foreclosed properties, and like other real estate search sites, users can sign in and save searches and favorite listings.
Updates to the Realtor.com app
Regarding yard signs, the company said in a statement, “sometimes the listing data is more accurate than real life. You can now zoom in on the map results to see listings which have recently been taken off the market. Maybe it’s pending sale or maybe it’s just no longer for sale. Either way, you can now figure out what the latest status is on that For Sale sign on the lawn. This status lasts for 21 days or until it appears in the Recently Sold feed, whichever comes first.”
The updated Realtor.com app offers price change notifications on saved listings to users’ mobile devices, because they say in many areas, pending and in-contract listings are still listed for sale. These notifications allow buyers in a market with tight inventory to move more quickly with more accurate data so they don’t lose out, which is increasingly common in many markets.
Richard De Vita
January 25, 2013 at 2:56 pm
Seems they are only stating the obvious truth. The update to status and price features will be appreciated by consumers. The younger the buyer, the more they seem to prefer mobile apps. Thanks for the article, I sometimes share them with my buyers and co-workers. They seem to enjoy many of them too. Have a great day.
Greg Fischer
January 25, 2013 at 5:23 pm
I like how they still tout that users can browse “millions of listings”. I don’t know about you, but I think the process should be a little simpler than that, no? We hardly have 1 Million residents in our city limits. Thinking about searching 1 Million listings might be a little overwhelming.
Also, I wonder if the messaging is right regarding their home signs comments? I mean, essentially they are criticising their advertising base (Realtors) of not properly maintaining their inventory (which even though may be true sometimes, is an interesting marketing strategy play to the consumer)
Greg Fischer
January 29, 2013 at 10:35 am
Thanks for the response @movetrends:disqus – I would love to see some of that feedback from consumers when you get a chance. It would be valuable for you guys to share with your real estate brokerage partners