Internet use on-the-go has gone through the roof in recent years. According to Juniper Research, there are currently 700 Million mobile internet users in the world. The research firm expects this number to reach 1.7 Billion by 2013 with an estimated revenue yield of $12.7 billion. Consequently, a large number of businesses have already started to re-position their marketing strategies to cater to the up-and-coming mobile-internet revolution.  

Things are especially hot in the real estate sector, where completion for innovation has also remained high. Certainly, there are a lot of mobile products available for real estate sector, ranging from text messages lead generation to downloadable web-applications, QR codes and LBS solutions. However for the sake of simplicity & conciseness, let us just consider the three most relevant mobile developments for real estate sector: 

Mobile Web

Conversion of traditional websites for use on mobile platforms has become the catch phrase of the industry. Indeed web designers and developers can no longer ignore the growth of mobile web. The drive towards mobile website is being fueled by an ever increasing number of mobile broadband connections and cheaper data services. This is especially relevant for our Middle Eastern markets. According to Juniper, mobile user base in Middle East/Africa is expected to expand by at an average annual rate of 10.5% till 2013 – which off course will included a heavy percentage of Smartphone users..
This is the main reason why a large number of real estate companies here in UAE, are rejuvenating & revamping their websites to become more mobile friendly. Some realtors are even developing downloadable mobile applications. The introduction of free real estate web apps by Apple and Android are also adding their weight to the craze.

GPS & LBS

In the last 2-3 year GPS has become the darlings of the mobile industry. Dr. Windsor Holden, the man behind Juniper Research, states: “a far larger number of things came together at the same time: advances in network infrastructure and on-device positioning technology, improvements in digital mapping content and improvements in user experience”. It can even be said the GPS has become the de facto search method for most smart devices of today.

Real estate is all about location; therefore the use of GPS and LBS is increasingly gaining popularity in the property business. Real Estate customers can now search in and around a particular area based on their initial search. Depending on the application, buyers can either check property listing on an interactive map, or use their phone cameras to check availability of particular buildings, sites or streets on their Smartphone screens. Users can even use Location Based Systems (LBS) to details like property blue-prints, prices estimates, photos, PO Box addresses etc. The idea has been implemented with great success in Paris by MeilleurAgents.com. The company’s Android application displays the price of every single building in the city.
This shift in trends holds great potential for realtors. The use of online GPS and LBS marketing on mobiles can enable them to communicate and engage prospective clients in an interactive and real-time manner, anywhere, anytime thus increasing the potential of their marketing mix.   

SMS 

SMS marketing has been around since the early 2000s; however it was only recently that SMS advertising has become interactive! The use of Mobile ID’s is gaining popularity across the world. For instance, a number of U.S. real estate ads now carry a Mobile ID (something like “To see ALL pictures TEXT 456 to 88600”). Prospective customers can send text to this ID and receive additional information and pictures for a specific property. Mobile IDs can be printed on direct mail shots, newspapers, magazines and flyer ads, for wider reach.
Mobile IDs also allow companies to capture additional information (e.g. cell number & name) on the potential buyer, which in turn can be exploited through the use of personal selling.

All in all mobile technology is evolving and holds great promise for the real estate sector. The statement holds singular relevance for the real estate markets of Dubai & Abu Dhabi, where cut throat completion between realtors in rife.

Johnny Huntington, Managing Director, Traffic Online JLT