Was the iPad Built for the Real Estate Professional?

Guest Contributor Kashoo Says:

The short answer to that question is, “probably not,” but the iPad is quickly becoming a mandatory go-to tool for the real estate professional. And for good reason! From email to presentations to virtual tours and meetings and much, much more, Apple’s wonder tablet is an ideal complement to the busy, always-on-the-go real estate pro. It’s “always on,” it’s beyond easy to use, battery life meets long day demand, and with 4G or wifi, it’s always connected.

But beyond being a fantastic tool for the real estate business, the iPad is an incredible tool for managing your real estate business. We’re talking about back-end stuff like accounting. The clunky, dreaded stuff. The tasks that, while vital to the health of your business, often fall to the back-burner.

The point is, the iPad is making it easier than ever for a real estate professional to run his or her business. And that saves energy, time and--most importantly--money.

Below we’ve outlined a few ways in which the iPad can help the real estate professional run their business so that they can spend more time doing what they do best: selling real estate.

Accounting - This might be the real estate professional’s least favorite part of the job. (Actually, it’s probably the least favorite part of any job.) Thankfully, the iPad gives you the ability to stay on top of your books from wherever you are. With apps like Kashoo*, you can quickly send invoices, monitor cashflow, track and review expenses, enter transactions, sync and reconcile with your bank, and more, from anywhere you’ve got an Internet connection. And on a timely note, iPad-based accounting apps make cranking out tax-related reports a snap--something that’s sure to not only ease your tax time anxiety but also make your accountant’s life much easier (which, in turn, will save you time and money!).

Banking - Is it any surprise that most business banking iPad apps are better than the web experience? Banks have invested a lot in iPad apps. And this makes sense. Independent entrepreneurs like real estate professionals are constantly on the move, and rather than trying to thumb out banking tasks on the small screen of a smartphone, doing so on an iPad is multiples easier. Some banks even have a photo check deposit functionality where you can literally take a picture with your iPad of that crisp new check you were just handed and the deposit has been made. Is there a better example of time saved?

Document Storage - Real estate professionals are constantly firing off emails with big attachments. Floor plans, hi-res photos, massive contracts...the list goes on. With an iPad you can store frequently used files either directly on the device’s hard drive or via a cloud-based storage app like Dropbox. So next time you’re having lunch between showings, you can send what needs to be sent without having to wait to get back to the office.

Calendaring - Normally, something as basic as calendar management wouldn’t make the cut in an article like this, but a real estate professional’s calendar is anything but basic. The great thing about the iPad calendar (and calendars on most mobile devices) is that it syncs with your master calendar. Add an appointment from your desktop in the office and it’ll be there on your iPad when you’re on the road. What’s more, your iPad calendar can (and perhaps should) serve as your primary calendar. After all, it’s always on and always with you, right?

At the end of the day, the simplicity, ease-of-use and efficiency of the iPad makes you think that it was built with the real estate professional in mind. (That claim is currently unconfirmed.) But in all seriousness, running the back-end of your business is as essential as executing your day-to-day--and it’s currently easier than ever thanks to this wonderful device.

Jim Secord is CEO of Kashoo.com*, a provider of cloud-based accounting software for small businesses. And other than having built the Kashoo iPad app, he has no vested interest in Apple.