Mobile Apps: A Realtor's new best friend

It's the age of technology. From your humble groceries to expensive gadgets, haute-couture options to holiday packages and ticket bookings, slowly but surely every conceivable need is now available at the click of a button on your tablet or mobile phone.

It’s a growing trend that is fully corroborated by the numbers. According to a recent survey, there are estimated 5bn mobile phone users in the world, of which about 1bn use a smartphone. Between the year 2010-2011, the use of mobile apps nearly doubled, during this same period the number of retail apps increased by a whopping 350 percent.

In 2012, an average smartphone user was believed to have about 41 apps. By the end of 2013, it was widely believed that there will be more smartphones than people in this world. By 2016, it’s predicted that mobile shopping will account for an estimated US$163bn in global sales, roughly 12 percent of the global e-commerce turnover.

For the uninformed, mobile applications or apps are software applications that are designed to operate on tablets and smartphones, in addition to other mobile devices like iPhones, iPads, Android etc.

Recognising the growing popularity and reach of the online space, some of the country’s leading developers have now begun embracing technology in a major way. Leading the way are customised mobile apps for smart phones that can provide key information ranging from project specifications, configurations, amenities on offer, location specifics, construction status, price details and even pictures of the project.

A novel feature of some of these cutting edge realty apps is their ability to take interested buyers on a virtual tour of the selected property, an option that is particularly useful for overseas buyers and property investors, who are unable to undertake a physical site visit for obvious reasons.

Mumbai-based Tata Housing Development Company has already set the ball rolling on this front, having tried out two such apps for its Arabella (Delhi) and The Promont (Bengaluru) project and is said to be launching a third for - The Gateway - its upcoming luxury residential project in Mumbai’s central suburb of Mulund.

According to informed sources, interested buyers using the app will get an opportunity to interact with top international designers and will even have a say in the interiors.

Taking the cue, other leading developers like the city-based Godrej Properties is said to be working on similar lines for its upcoming projects and is actively considering ISO and Android-based apps for its under-development projects spread across cities like Ahmedabad, Mumbai, Gurgaon and Pune, in its bid to reach out to a larger pool of potential customers.

The Kalpataru group, also based in Mumbai, has also got onboard this mobile tech platform and launched apps to assist customers and investors to stay informed on the latest developments with regard to their projects. The company recently unveiled its newest tech initiative - the Radiance App - that will provide customers with the latest updates with regard to its under-construction Radiance project at Goregaon, a western suburb of Mumbai.

With Mumbai seemingly taking the lead on this front, other cities have been quick to sit up and take notice of this emerging trend. For example, Kolkata-based Siddha Group has unveiled its Siddha Mobile app, wherein the company hopes to reach out to a large section of NRI and foreign buyers and investors and keep them abreast of the latest information with regard to their projects.

However unlike some of the other apps which give information about specific projects, the app launched by the Kolkata realtor enables a client who has booked a property in an under-construction project to sign in and keep himself updated on its progress. According to the company’s MD, Sanjay Jain, the company’s long-term objective is to ensure that customers who use the app get a fast and reliable service support that enhances the overall experience.