The FREE Real Estate Software Tech Stack for 2021
Are you just starting out in real estate? Ready to save every red cent to get your business off the ground?
New real estate agents are especially prone to overspending. There are so many cool toys that seem like they could be the difference-maker.
But keep in mind that the average new agent, by my math, earns about $1.92/hr. You don’t have time to waste away money on software! Your focus needs to be on phone calls and filling your sales pipeline.
Here is an (almost) complete real estate tech stack using only free versions of software.
- CRM
- Transaction Software
- Listing Marketing
- Open House
- Video
- Social Media
- CMA
- Email Marketing
- e-Signature
- Virtual Tour
Oh, and this is a completely different list from my other article about free real estate marketing software tools, unique and free lead generation ideas, or a free real estate CRM.
CRM – Streak
Streak CRM
FREE+. Streak is a Gmail extension that turns your inbox into a full-fledged CRM! It has pretty great funnel tracking, contact management, and lest you easily nuture leads, set reminders, and categorize communications every time you check your email.
Alternative CRM Software
- Check out my list of other free CRMs.
Transaction Software – Transactly
Transactly
$127+/listing. Transactly offers listing and transaction assistants on a per-listing basis. This is a huge plus for brokerages and teams who don’t want full-time TCs or VAs but also don’t need their salespeople spending time on paperwork and transaction management.
Alternative Transaction Management Software
- Nekst is another TMS that also has a free plan available.
Listing Marketing – ListReports
ListReports
FREE+. ListReports is a lender/agent marketing suite that includes open house tools and listing marketing tools. It also includes monthly market and property updates that you can send to your sphere. It is free for agents, but there is a paid version for lender partners who are the main customer. You can also pay for some things like direct mail and signs.
Open House – Kleard
Kleard
FREE+. Kleard has a complete suite of both open house and self-tour tools. For self tours, “Kleard Now” offers signs with instruction or iPad stands, as well as smart locks for the home. The basic Open House sign-in software is free. Kleard can serve as a simple sign-in sheet, or an all-in-one solution for agents and brokerages looking get started with self tours.
Alternative Open House Software
Check out my list of open house software.
Video – Animoto
Animoto
FREE+. Animoto is sort of like a Canva for video. It makes creating simple and shareable videos very easy, with a significant stock and music library and the user-friendly tools to create animated videos. It is ideal for making housing trend reports, listing slideshows, and blog intros.
Alternative Video Software
- BIGVU is a video shooting app that has a freemium model.
Social Media – Hootsuite
Hootsuite
99+/mo. Hootsuite is similar to Buffer as a DIY multi-channel scheduling system, but with more reporting features. It’s a little more complex but a powerful and customizable way to populate all your social media channels in a single place. Consider Hootsuite if you are a team or are a more sophisticated social media master.
Alternative Social Media Software
- Buffer also has a free plan to get started with.
CMA – RPR
Realtor Property Resource (RPR)
FREE for Realtors. Realtor Property Resource (RPR) is the NAR-owned report and CMA tool that is one of the most popular options for creating CMAs and listing information for Realtors. The best part? It is a free CMA software! While not as sleek or feature-rich as some competitors, it has a lot of information and reports, allowing you to quickly add value and market expertise to your business.
Email Marketing – MailChimp
Mailchimp
FREE+. Mailchimp is an established email marketing service for small businesses. Their campaigns are highly customizable and can be quite sophisticated. It is a strong candidate for professionally managing your email newsletters and campaigns to ensure high deliverability.
Alternative Email Marketing Software
- SendPulse is another email platform that starts with a free plan for up to 500 subscribers.
e-Signature – Hellosign
Hellosign
FREE+. Hellosign is an easy-to-use digital signature software that is intuitive and easy to pick up. It does not have the same industry adoption as some competitors but may still contend for your business on the strength of its usable UI.
Alternative e-Signature Software for Real Estate
- zipForms is a common tool used by many MLSs and associations, and comes with DigitalInk. It’s possible you may already have free access to its e-signature tools if you are a Realtor.
Virtual Tour
Zillow Virtual Tours
FREE. Zillow provides a mobile app to use either a Ricoh Theta 360 camera or just a simple smartphone to capture virtual tours for your listings. The tour is hosted on Zillow which you can then link to from your MLS or website. Zillow claims that listings with tours get 2x the number of views. It’s a free and easy way to get virtual tours for your listings. You do not have to be a Zillow Premier Agent, either.
Alternative Virtual Tour Software
- Google Tour Creator is a very basic and free tool from Google.
Conclusion
You have no excuse! There are lots of freemium products for real estate professionals out there that allow you to start exploring solutions for your business on the cheap.
What isn’t included on this list? Websites. Even the simplest IDX website requires hosting and IDX fees. Though, for a cheap solution here, even a Facebook business page does a reasonably admirable job of being the digital storefront for your business.
Updated January 14, 2021; Originally published July 17, 2020
