As Blackberry loses its market share further and failing to roll out its BB OS10 this year, I’ve mawkishly swapped to the latest iPhone 5 since we are promised by Apple that it should have a better standby battery life and talk time (the main disadvantage of the phone since the battery is integrated).
Geared with the iPhone as the main arsenal to my business, here are my must have apps for work which you might find them useful for you as well:-
1. Streetsine
The best tool ever developed to help agents get the earliest possible information on the local property market real-time. Use this and you look like a pro anytime, anywhere :) I’m on the investor subscription since Streetsine was born and I’m still loving it. Benefits of using this app includes
- real-time update of property prices
- location & amenities around 2km vicinity
- comparative projects around search subject
- useful listings from fellow Realtors using Streetsine
If you do not deal with commercial properties, you can opt for the Professional version (S$659 annually). If you’d like to use two instance of the app in both your iPad and iPhone, go for the Investor version ($959 annually).
Look out for “Streetsine” in the AppStore.
2. Sugarsync
We can start the Dropbox vs. Sugarsync debacle again, but this is what I use. This great cloud storage offers 5gb free and has solutions for all your smart devices (Android, Blackberry, iPad, iPhone duh). Sugarsync can be useful when
- You need to access files on the go when you are out of your office. We do forget to bring stuff sometimes.
- Sending e-mails quickly when huge attachments are involved, since you can send a link to the intended file and this speeds up the process
- Access group information. As SRI5000 grows, plenty of partnerships are formed. These folders are created for real-time sharing and is more systematic to my business approach.
I am currently on the 60gb plan (US$99.99 annually) and its suffice for my very heavy usage sharing between my iPhone, blackberry, iPad, laptop and desktop (for now).
3. Evernote
Evernote is the best cross platform to remember everything. I am a heavy user for this as it allows me to organize my leads, create notes and have them filed in real-time with all my devices. Imagine the convenience of having noting down your client’s preference on your iPhone and having access to these files when you are in your office’s Desktop or home laptop? It has some sick features like image OCR, which allows you to search for images and text that you have noted down whenever, wherever. Almost your own mini-google :)
This is free for sign ups and they offer 60mb per month (which is a lot still) and premium accounts at US$45 a year.
Look out for “Evernote” in AppStore.
4. Facebook
I know, I know. It’s obvious you already have this, but it doesn’t come installed by default, so head down to your AppStore and have this newly improved Facebook app in your phone. This app is basically for social exposure and connecting with friends. On the professional side, we can share photos of our Realtors’ listings, post major breakthroughs of my Realtors to raise profile, brand and share real-time information through niche groups.
Look out for “Facebook” in AppStore.
5. Week Cal
The basic calendar for iOS6 for your iPhone didn’t exactly improve since the last iOS. I am heavily reliant on the calendar functions of my smart phones ever since embarking in the business, so WeekCal is the solution. It is so similar to your Outlook calendar that its a boon to use. With iCloud sync, this basically allows you to store your calendar online and you can have a 3rd party to create events for you to accept (great for those who has personal assistant). This cost US$1.99. Well worth every penny!
Look out for “Week Cal” in AppStore.
6. Masterplan08
URA has this app developed since a year ago and I find it extremely useful since I deal a lot with shop houses. The critical information is available with the zoning of the area, and it allows you to check on vital information such as the plot ratio, height restriction and whether the area is a primary conservation area.
This is a free download and should be a must-have for all Singapore Realtors especially if you deal with a lot of land-type properties. I’m somewhat sure they would release the Masterplan for 2013 once it’s out next year.
Look out for “URA” in AppStore.
What Apps Are You Using for Your Work?
If you have any interesting apps that you use for work and would like to share with us, feel free to hola! I’m sure everyone would like to hear what do you use to improve your workflow.
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