Capitol Federal® lending staff recently attended the American Bankers Association 2014 Real Estate Lending Conference which provided some excellent tips for staying in touch with your clients during the buying process and once the closing concludes. Maintaining a connection with your clients keeps your clients informed while searching for a home, and after they move in, it keeps your name close for when they or a friend may need your assistance in the future. Your client will remember you helped them purchase a home, but more importantly, they will remember you for the things you did during the transaction that were helpful on a personal level, showing you cared about them. One way to connect in this way is to utilize technology and more specifically, helpful SmartPhone or Tablet apps.
Some suggested apps you may find helpful for yourself or for your client are Homesnap, Videolicious and Genius Scan. Homesnap can be used by your client as they shop for a new home. The app enables them to take a picture of a home, and the app database returns an approximate valuation and information about the property using the GPS locator in the smartphone or tablet and local public database repositories. This could help your client determine if they are window shopping in their price range. You can use Videolicious as a quick and easy way for you to show a certain home feature to a prospective buyer by taking pictures or a short video and adding comments and/or music and send to your client to view. This is great for customers who are relocating and may not have the ability to view the home with you. If you are spending the majority of your time outside the office and you need to get some documents scanned and emailed, you might find the Genius Scan app very useful. Following the closing, you could use the Postagram app (available for iPhone and Android devices), by taking a photo with your Tablet or SmartPhone of the newly purchased home (with that great SOLD sign in the yard), then having a postcard created and sent to the homeowner with a personal message from you. At this time, the cost of the Postagram is $1.00 each.
Also, there are useful websites, such as mykidseatfree.com, on the day they move into their new home, send a quick message suggesting the website. They will appreciate the information.
Research these and other apps and emails to stay in touch with clients, friends, peers and potential clients. It’s quick, easy and fun!
