Best of 2014: 15 Apps that Will Make Your Job Easier in 2015

We're continuing an annual tradition of counting down our top 10 articles of the year. The following article was originally published back in November and is #4 in our countdown. See #5 here.

It seems that every time you turn around, there's a slew of so called top apps that people claim to be "game changers." Well, as you may know, this is not always the case. Apps are supposed to make your job easier, but it seems that most them are just another thing to keep up with.

Homes.com's very own Joe Sesso knows a thing or two about the tools that can be truly valuable in the busy world of real estate. To help streamline your operations, better manage your business and help your clients enjoy their home, Sesso has created a list of the top apps that real estate professionals should be using and sharing in 2015.

1. Pro HDR (iOS, Android): Sharing high quality pictures is a key part of any successful content strategy, and Pro HDR is making this easier than ever. Whether it's the ability to capture multiple photos and combine them to form the perfect image or the sophisticated blending process that automatically adjusts your camera to apply the best exposure, Pro HDR is changing the photo editing game and it's being done right in the palm of your hand.

2. Storehouse: What is Storehouse? Simply put, it's visual storytelling at its finest. A picture might say a thousand words, but Storehouse has brought an entirely new meaning to this phrase. Clients want to know what you're all about, and with this innovative app, you can seamlessly combine photos and videos in a single location to create an eye grabbing collage that illustrates the story of your business like never before.

3. Phramed: Tired of having to switch back and forth between social networks to share the same picture? Phramed simplifies the process of posting to multiple platforms by allowing you to edit, combine and share the same picture(s) with all of your networks without ever having to leave the application. Have a new listing? Now you can snap a few photos of its unique features, add them all to a collage and instantly share them on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter, or even send direct texts to clients who may be looking for a new home!

4. GoPro App: There's been a lot of buzz around the multi-functional GoPro camera, and now there's an app that allows you to not only control what you are filming from your smartphone, but also to instantly share the footage you've collected with your social networks. Videos are in high demand in the real estate industry and with the GoPro app, you can now effortlessly share HD quality clips whenever and wherever you want.

5. Nest (iOS, Android): The home automation trend is evolving and Nest is leading the charge! Using Nest, homeowners can protect their home and cut down on energy costs right from their mobile device. From scheduling when you want the home to be heated or cooled throughout the day to receiving alerts when smoke or carbon monoxide is detected, Nest offers innovative ways to manage all aspects of a home, even when you're on the road. Consider providing this as a gift for your next client and they will be thinking of you every time they save money on their electric bill.

6. Genius Scan: With all the paperwork that is involved with buying or selling a home, wouldn't it be nice to know that you always have everything you need? With Genius Scan you can store all of your important documents in a single location, upload new documents and share them with your clients on-the-go, or even expedite your expenditures as quickly as they come in without ever having to run back to the office.

7. Waze: You know how it goes, you're on the way to a meeting across town and your commute comes to a screeching halt because of a traffic jam or roadwork. Waze is a community based traffic application that pulls updates on real time road conditions from other users to provide you with the best route to get to your destination on time. Waze gives you the peace of mind in knowing that traffic won't keep you from getting where you need to go before you even leave the house!

8. Pebble: A smart watch that conveniently displays important updates from your smartphone.

9. IFTTT: Integrates activity from different apps to work simultaneously.

10. Carrot: A to-do list app that helps you prioritize tasks that need to be completed.

11. Mailtracker: Provides real time notifications about when your emails have been opened, what device they were opened on, how many times an email has been viewed and much more.

12. Cloze: Pulls relevant information about people that are important to your business from social media, email correspondences and other online resources all to a single location.

13. Dashlane: A password management and digital wallet security app that makes logging into websites and financial transactions on your mobile device a breeze.

14. KeyMe: Creates a digital copy of any key and stores it on your mobile device, which can later be used to order a new key in case you ever lose the original.

15. SlideBureau: Mobile presentation creation and sharing service with user-friendly functionality and unique design templates that can be shared on your iPad.

Bonus: Homes.com Commute Widget – Do clients frequently ask about how far a property is from their office building or a local shopping district? The Homes.com Commute Widget can be embedded into your website, so visitors who are interested in a particular listing can look up the estimated travel times to their most frequented locations.

All of these apps can help make your job easier, so do a little research to see which of them can help grow your business the most! Meanwhile, download the full list of apps to get even more insight into these helpful tools and pricing options.

To view the original article, visit the Homes.com blog.