Realestate.co.nz launches Android app

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Realestate.co.nz launches Android app

Property web site first in New Zealand to have location-aware home search app on both iPhone and Android


AUCKLAND, 10 October 2011 – New Zealand’s most popular mobile phone app for property searching, Realestate.co.nz, is now available on Android.

Realestate.co.nz’s Android app, developed in association with Westpac Bank, is location-aware and puts the majority of New Zealand residential properties for sale or rent at the fingertips of any home-hunter with an enabled smartphone via GPS mapping. It immediately flags local property listings and times for open homes in the immediate vicinity of the handset.

Alistair Helm, CEO of Realestate.co.nz, says he is delighted that the company has the first real estate app in New Zealand to be available on both Android and iPhone platforms.

“We have been thrilled at the success of the Realestate.co.nz iPhone app, which has been downloaded more than 40,000 times since launching in December last year. It is now accessed by around 750 users per day, and more than 1,800 per day on weekends.”

Mr Helm says the Realestate.co.nz iPhone app has consistently rated in the top 20 free lifestyle apps in New Zealand and that more than three-quarters of iPhone users who downloaded the original app updated it when a new ‘Rentals’ feature was added.

“Smartphone usage is clearly changing the way consumers look for property to buy and rent, and how the real estate industry will need to market properties into the future.”

Mr Helm says the recently released Nielsen Real Estate survey showed that nearly a third of New Zealanders with Internet-enabled mobile devices who research property online have accessed property information web sites from that device.

“The use of mobile devices for property searching is making the home buying process more immediate and dynamic,” says Mr Helm.

“For example, we know from tracking the iPhone app that use always surges on weekends, especially Saturday mornings, when people have time to go out and look for property to buy in their preferred locations.”

Mr Helm says that developing the Android version was the natural next step, and one that the company has been working towards solidly over the past few monrths.

“Considering that Android devices have now overtaken the number of iPhones used in the US, the UK and Australia, it’s clear that New Zealand will not be far behind.”

Features of the app include:

1. Open Homes are highlighted with a flag to allow users to easily see what is available to view that day or on the coming weekend.

2. Refine your search. From the area map you can refine your search, for example, to properties over $500k but less than $700k with three bedrooms. You can then zoom out on the map to see a broader range of options.

3. Check out photos. On finding a home listing, you can then tap on it to see the full listing details and photos of the home. If you like what you see, you can then just call the agent or send them an email.

4. Virtual open home notebook. When reviewing any property, especially open homes, app users can make notes on all aspects of the property. The ‘Inspection’ button lets you rate, make notes and add photos or video for any section of the property – the living area, the kitchen, bedrooms, outside etc.

5. Find out about property for sale anywhere in NZ. Users can access Realesate.co.nz’s full online database to see what is for sale in their dream location. The “Search” function on the home page lets you select by region, district and suburb, and you can instantly see what’s for sale there.

6. What you see is what you get. This app only shows properties on the map where there is an address supplied by the agent. If you want to check to see if there are other properties for sale then hit the “list view” button on the map result page to see all the properties for sale in the area.

7. Favourites. You can store your favourite properties and open homes as well as the most recently viewed properties in the “My Property” section so you can easily find and refer back to your favourites.

8. Affordability Calculator. Realestate.co.nz partnered with Westpac in providing an affordability calculator for each property, which lets you see what the fortnightly or monthly repayments might be for different terms and different deposits.

For more information about the new Android app available from Realestate.co.nz, visit www.realestate.co.nz/android

ENDS

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