The future role of SaaS in the real estate industry

Throughout recent decades, the real estate industry has been able to access more and more resources which have increased the ease of doing business.

As cloud technology has become more accessible for smaller businesses and franchises, one of its features – SaaS – is proving to be of great use to specialists in this particular field.

So what is SaaS, and how is it likely to impact real estate in the future? In this article, the experts at Property Solvers – specialists in buying and selling homes fast – will explain.

SaaS: The basics

SaaS stands for “software as a service” and normally falls under the umbrella of cloud computing. Individuals and organisations who use SaaS tend to do so on a subscription basis. 

By “signing up” and becoming licensed to use the software in question, a person can access that software from any device. Some platforms require an internet connection for access, while others are accessible without and will update once back in range.

SaaS solutions are used by a wide range of companies in numerous fields. So why are they particularly handy in real estate?

The benefits of SaaS in real estate

Here, we’ll explain some of the reasons why many property companies have decided to invest in SaaS.

Accessibility

Many real estate specialists spend time out and about – showing potential buyers or tenants around properties, for example. For those employed by a “chain” or franchise, they may also be required to work from different offices on different days.

The ability to access the same software, in the same state, from any possible location makes it much easier to keep up to date with all tasks at hand.

Without the ability to ensure all data and information is current and correct, the processes involved in real estate would become slower, and many more mistakes would be made.

Affordability

No hardware is required to use SaaS solutions, which means no physical upgrades or maintenance is necessary. Furthermore, as SaaS options are scalable, business owners only need to pay for the features they will be using.

This makes for a much cheaper option in general.

Flexible

It’s extremely quick and easy to integrate other existing systems and data pools with SaaS, so services of this kind can be adapted to almost any business. Software of this kind is also highly customisable.

As mentioned, SaaS can be accessed easily and automatically on any device. It’s extremely easy to switch providers too.

Easy to use

Most SaaS updates automatically and requires minimal effort to operate, so busy real estate employees would need to spend little to no time struggling with complex systems.

The applications of SaaS in real estate

The above information shows how valuable SaaS systems can be to the real estate industry. But how exactly can they be used in this sector? We’ll explain below.

Managing properties

Updating information on several properties in a timely manner can be complicated – as can the administration involved in maintaining rentals and other matters. Add this to the complexities of being out and about for a large portion of the day and you’ve got a tough job.

However, with software that can be updated on the go and accessed by all relevant personnel, these issues become much easier.

Client relationship management

Keeping in touch with buyers and tenants and contractors is made a great deal easier with SaaS. Not only are emails accessible from any location, but it’s much easier to share information and receive updates from anyone and everyone who has access.

Task management is also made much more streamlined and easier to keep up with.

Marketing

Marketing methods – especially direct marketing, SEO and social media campaigns – are much easier to manage when using a cloud based system. 

The system makes it easier to work remotely on new campaigns, plus ability to directly engage potential customers and the handling of updates and responses to social posts and reviews becomes more streamlined.

Finally, the analysis and reporting of the effectiveness of a campaign can be easy to undertake and share via SaaS, helping you to develop a cohesive approach among all colleagues.

The future of SaaS in real estate

With businesses of all sizes quickly developing an understanding of the significant potential of “software as a service”, it’s likely that systems of this kind will continue to grow in popularity.

For real estate, this means that existing companies may be able to grow in prolificity without overspending. It may also lead to the birth of new, smaller, independent estate agencies due to the affordability of most SaaS.

The number of landlords – particularly landlords with multiple properties – may also grow, as the management of numerous sites and tenancies will become easier.

Of course, the only sure way of understanding the future role of SaaS in real estate is to observe its growth and the resulting effects. Taking into consideration the sizeable uptake of cloud computing across all forms of business, SaaS is likely to have a lasting impact.