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Technology is already present in almost every aspect of our life. For shopping, playing sports, training, working… and also for finding a home.
The housing sector is not falling behind and, in recent years, it has been using technological solutions to streamline processes, reach more potential customers, guarantee security… and, above all, to help you save money and worry less.
The so-called proptechs are leading the technological transition of the sector. We will explain them to you.
Because the good life goes hand in hand with technology. 📱
What is a proptech?
Proptech is a combination of two words: property and technology and stands for “proprietary technology”.
The term is currently used to refer to companies in the real estate sector that make use of technology to streamline processes, improve the services they offer, reach potential customers… and even manage estates. What is the goal? To make life easier for customers like yourself so that, for example, when you buy a house, the procedures are much simpler and you can save time and money.
Proptechs use technology such as big data, machine learning, blockchain… The key is to make technology the foundation of the company, not a secondary element. This makes people less vulnerable to unforeseen events such as COVID-19.
How do proptechs work?
There are many different types of proptechs, depending on the services offered. Services range from real estate marketers, such as Sonneil, to solutions that use Information Technology to help owners manage their real estate assets.
Let’s take a look at a couple of examples of how proptechs work:
Proptechs for real estate marketing
We are very familiar with this one. 😉 These are proptechs like Sonneil, which have technology in their DNA and use it in every step of their sales process.
At Sonneil, we use it to offer our potential customers the housing developments that best suit their needs. We also use it to streamline our relationship with them and to make the purchase of a home a much easier process, saving our customers time on endless paperwork.
The technology we use also helps our team of agents to manage contacts and classify them according to what they are looking for (location, price, number of rooms…). This way, we can accompany you in every step of the buying process, understanding your needs and foreseeing the needs that may arise in the following stages.
And all this will also help you save money in the transaction!
In addition, technology makes it possible for us to reach customers (almost) everywhere in the world. And, with tools such as virtual tours and webinars, we make it easier for those interested to see the property even when they are miles away. If you want to know more about how we work, visit our website.
All these tools are part of our operation and allow us to offer you a constantly improving service.
Proptechs for real estate management
Property managers can also benefit from the services of specialized proptechs. For instance, to collect data and manage building maintenance through an application that brings all the data together.
Tenant payments, guest registration, task management, etc. can be all centralized in the application. And landlords can send push notifications to inform tenants about any building related updates (like a broken lift, for example) in order to raise interest and awareness about what’s going on in the building. And why not partner with local food businesses for potential sales opportunities?
The cleaning of communal areas such as gyms or swimming pools also plays an important role here. This is highly valued by tenants because, specially now, it makes them feel safe at home.
In this sense, proptechs can be used to ensure that cleaning tasks are carried out and to monitor them with sensors and apps. Forbes predicts that, in the future, biosensors will be used to measure air quality and detect pollutants such as bacteria and viruses. The platform/app would notify users about the need to change the filters or ventilate the building.
These are just some of the ways in which proptech apps are being used, but the goal is always the same: to create a better experience for tenants.
What are the benefits?
Through technology, proptechs are trying to overcome long-standing issues in the real estate sector, such as long chains of intermediaries, paperwork and complicated procedures, lack of flexibility…
The benefits of proptechs make life easier for both customers and companies:
✅ Improved consumer search experience. Proptechs can analyse and study consumer preferences and suggest homes that suit their needs.
The search is also enhanced by virtual visits, updates on offers by email, constant information through different communication channels…
In this sense, chatbots are very useful, as they can automatically answer frequently asked questions.
✅ Simpler and more efficient processes. Bureaucratic tasks and paperwork are less time-consuming when using digital methods for signing contracts, among other things.
And by automating lead generation, marketing campaigns, transactions, support tasks… employees can focus on strategic issues, saving not only time, but also money.
Proptechs in the future
While we are not soothsayers, the development of proptechs gives us a glimpse of certain future trends. 🔮
The adoption and longevity of any technology ultimately depends on whether it improves the lives of its users. Therefore, some domains will be enhanced by technology while others may be completely replaced by it.
It is not hard to imagine, for example, a future where a company is able to find and acquire properties using big data. And blockchain technology can be used to speed up the purchasing process dramatically.
Similarly, 3D printing can be used to generate a model or mock-up of a property that has been renovated, and interactive home tours can be carried out with virtual reality to support the sale.
But this is only one possible scenario. The technological scene is becoming more and more complex and we will have to keep an eye on the evolution of proptechs in the future!
At Sonneil, we use technology to help you live the good life by the sea. Are you ready?
