CAR offers free iPhone app
Other associations can brand, license new tool
By Inman News, Tuesday, July 21, 2009.The California Association of Realtors has developed an iPhone application that's now available for free download to members at the Apple iTunes store.
CAR -- which is also offering versions of the application for BlackBerry and other Web-enabled smart phones -- claims to be the first Realtor association in the country to offer an iPhone app.
But the group says it will allow the scalable, data-driven application to be licensed and branded by other local and state real estate associations.
The "My CAR" iPhone app provides market data for 21 regions in California, current loan information, highlights from a "Market Matters" newsletter, and other association resources. The application can also search for license renewal and continuing education courses, and receive "hot item" news alerts.
CAR said an extension of the WINForms/ZipForm software for the iPhone is in development.
To download the app from the iTunes store, members can search for the keywords "My CAR" in the applications section.
The access code required to use all of the application's features can be obtained from the CAR Web site, at www.car.org/tools/mycar. The access code is entered in the "REALTOR ID" field in the application's user profile page.
Custom-built software applications for the iPhone and other Web-enabled smart phones have become increasingly popular in the real estate industry, in part because of the ease of developing and distributing them to users (see story).
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Submitted by Victor Lund on July 21, 2009 - 1:32pm.
Marilyn Wilson of the WAV Group published a review of the strategic positioning of this application and the role it plays in the relationship between the agent and the consumer. There is also a link to a video of the application for those of you who are not CAR members.
http://waves.wavgroup.com/mycar-iphone-application-goes-live-another-gre...
Victor Lund
Partner
WAV Group
http://waves.wavgroup.com
http://www.wavgroup.com
Submitted by Marilyn Wilson on July 21, 2009 - 1:38pm.
I love where this application is going. It is helping agents position themselves as experts anytime, anywhere. When the inevitable question of "How's the real estate market going?" agents can use this application to instantly pull up monthly market statistics in their region. The app. also allows you an agent to review mortgage rates and pull up the C.A.R. newsletter - best yet - it is free to C.A.R. members!
I can't wait to see what comes next to make mobile work even harder for agents.
Submitted by Albert Tran on July 21, 2009 - 2:32pm.
Thanks for the positive feedback. Two things we've learned today watching the downloads--
1) Be sure you upgrade (free)to the latest iPhone operating system.
2) If you search by "My C.A.R." it's pretty far down the list thanks to the commanlity of the word "car." If you search by "REBS" (our company)it comes right to the top. Much easier. Enjoy and we look forward to user feedback!
Submitted by Albert Tran on July 21, 2009 - 2:33pm.
spell that "commonality" :-)