RealScout - Detailed Review
Search Tools
RealScout - Product Overview
Introduction to RealScout
RealScout is a powerful engagement platform specifically designed for real estate professionals to drive more transactions and foster stronger client relationships. Here’s a breakdown of its primary function, target audience, and key features:Primary Function
RealScout’s main goal is to help real estate agents, teams, and brokerages nurture and convert potential buyers and sellers by keeping them engaged and informed about the real estate market. The platform integrates seamlessly with existing technology stacks, including various CRM systems, to streamline the process of capturing, nurturing, and converting leads.Target Audience
The primary users of RealScout are real estate agents, teams, and brokerages. With over 100,000 agents across more than 200 markets using the platform, it is particularly beneficial for those looking to maximize their marketing databases and stay top of mind with their clients.Key Features
Lead Capture and Integration
RealScout allows agents to capture leads through CRM integrations (such as Follow Up Boss, MoxiWorks, and Cloze), spreadsheet uploads, or widgets installed on their websites and landing pages.Buyer and Seller Nurture
The platform offers features to nurture both buyers and sellers. For buyers, it provides high-converting listing alerts and a full-featured home search experience that rivals national portals. Buyers can also designate preferred home features and use a visual home search powered by machine learning, which allows them to compare listings side by side. For sellers, RealScout Pro introduces features like Auto Nurture, Home Value Alerts, and market activity alerts. These alerts help agents stay top of mind with sellers and provide them with multiple home valuations, which can be updated and sent automatically.Agent-Client Collaboration
RealScout facilitates agent-client collaboration through an immersive, agent-branded search experience. This environment is free from ads and distractions, allowing agents to collaborate closely with their clients. The platform also calculates commutes to points of interest and allows clients to view and compare listings in detail.Activity Tracking and CRM Integration
The platform tracks client activity and can funnel this data back into select CRMs, ensuring all information is centralized and easily accessible.Proven ROI
Agents using RealScout have seen significant increases in transaction volume, with a median increase of 54% to 218% more residential transactions compared to other agents in the same period. In summary, RealScout is an essential tool for real estate professionals aiming to enhance their client engagement, streamline their lead nurturing process, and ultimately drive more transactions. Its integration with existing technologies and comprehensive features make it a valuable asset in the real estate industry. RealScout - User Interface and Experience
User Interface
The user interface of RealScout is designed to be user-friendly and intuitive, making it easy for both real estate agents and their clients to use. The interface is described as “sleek” and easy to use on both the front-end for buyers and the back-end for agents.
Main Features
- The main dashboard provides a clear and organized layout, allowing agents to track client activity, manage searches, and view client feedback in a live feed. This includes features like seeing which buyers are actively searching for homes, leaving comments on properties, and viewing homes that clients have favorited or commented on.
- The search functionality is similar to popular real estate platforms like Zillow, making it familiar and straightforward for users. Agents can set up saved searches, explore inventory, and communicate with clients effectively.
Ease of Use
Installation and deployment of RealScout are relatively simple. Agents can easily connect their WordPress website and integrate with other lead generation tools such as Zillow, Trulia, Realtor.com, and Real Geeks. While some minor tweaks may be necessary to customize filters and fields, this process is not reported to be problematic.
User-Friendly Design
- The platform is praised for its usability, with many agents and clients finding it more user-friendly compared to traditional MLS systems. The interface is set up to be very similar to consumer-facing real estate websites, which helps in making it accessible to a wide range of users.
Overall User Experience
RealScout enhances the collaborative home search experience by allowing buyers to compare properties side-by-side, including room-by-room comparisons. This feature helps buyers make informed decisions and moves them further along in the buying process.
Agent Benefits
- Agents appreciate the ability to track their buyers’ search history and provide targeted recommendations based on their preferences. This feature helps agents focus their efforts on active clients, increasing the chances of closing deals.
- The platform also includes marketing integrations with tools like MailChimp, Follow Up Boss, Facebook, and Real Geeks, enabling agents to generate leads and follow up with targeted email campaigns. This integration streamlines lead management and follow-up processes.
Overall, RealScout offers a seamless and efficient user experience, making it a valuable tool for both real estate agents and their clients. Its ease of use and comprehensive features contribute to a positive and productive experience in managing real estate searches and client relationships.
RealScout - Key Features and Functionality
RealScout Overview
RealScout is a sophisticated real estate search tool that leverages AI and various integrations to enhance the home search and client management process. Here are the key features and how they work:AI-Driven Home Search
RealScout uses AI to match buyers with listings that best fit their criteria. The system analyzes buyers’ activity and interactions to push listings that are most relevant to them. This ensures that buyers receive personalized listing recommendations, increasing the likelihood of finding their ideal home.MLS Search and Criteria Matching
RealScout allows for an extensive MLS scan, considering up to 100 different criteria such as waterfront views, high ceilings, and more. When new MLS listings match these criteria, the system automatically generates emails or app messages to the buyer, which can be customized by the agent. This feature saves agents time and ensures buyers are promptly informed about relevant listings.Room-by-Room Comparison
Buyers can compare listed homes online room-by-room, with the ability to view up to three homes on the same screen. This feature, highlighted by Inman, enables agents to collaborate with buyers more effectively, making it easier to compare different properties in detail.Client Search History Tracking
Agents can track their buyers’ search history to recommend specific listings that align with their preferences. This tracking helps agents understand their clients’ needs better and provide more targeted recommendations.Automated Listing Alerts
RealScout integrates with various tools, such as Whippy AI, to send automated listing alerts to clients. These alerts can be delivered via multiple channels like SMS, email, WhatsApp, and voice calls, ensuring clients are informed promptly about new listings that match their preferences.Seller Lead Nurture Features
With the launch of RealScout Pro , the platform now includes features for nurturing seller leads. These features include:Auto Nurture
A set-and-forget feature that automates database marketing for agents and teams, allowing them to send nurture content to both buyers and sellers.Home Value Alerts
Provides prospective sellers with multiple automated valuation estimates, including Zillow’s Zestimate, to give a comprehensive view of their home’s value.Market Activity Alerts
Keeps sellers informed about market activity, helping them make more informed decisions.Integrations
RealScout offers several integration options to streamline workflow:Direct Integrations
With apps like Follow Up Boss, Zillow, and Realtor.com, though CRM integrations should be connected through RealScout.Brokerage Level Integrations
With tools like Moxi and Spacio, available for brokerages that have partnered with RealScout.Zapier Integrations
Allows connection to thousands of other apps through Zapier, enabling automation of tasks and data syncing.Workflow Automation
The integration with Whippy AI’s workflow automation tool helps in streamlining the process of notifying clients about new property listings. This automation enhances customer engagement and improves client satisfaction by providing timely and relevant information. These features collectively make RealScout a powerful tool for real estate agents, enhancing their ability to collaborate with clients, automate tasks, and provide personalized and timely information, all driven by AI and advanced integration capabilities. RealScout - Performance and Accuracy
Evaluating the Performance and Accuracy of RealScout
Evaluating the performance and accuracy of RealScout in the Search Tools AI-driven product category reveals several key strengths and some areas for improvement.
Performance
RealScout is highly regarded for its advanced market analysis and real-time MLS integration. Here are some highlights:
Real-Time Listings and Market Insights
RealScout provides buyers with real-time accurate listings, eliminating the need for clunky MLS sites or relying on platforms like Trulia or Zillow. This ensures that buyers and sellers have access to the most current market data.
Buyer Preferences and Market Strategy
The platform uses the Buyer Graph data to offer insights into local buyers’ preferences, helping listing agents advise sellers on fair pricing for faster sales. This feature is praised for its ability to match buyer criteria with local MLS listings, enhancing the home search experience.
Automated Alerts and Nurturing
RealScout’s Auto Nurture feature automates the process of sending relevant alerts and emails to clients based on their preferences and search history. This helps in keeping clients engaged and informed about new listings that match their criteria.
Comparative Home Viewing
The platform allows buyers to compare listed homes online room-by-room, which is a significant advantage in helping buyers make informed decisions. Agents can also collaborate with buyers to view comparable rooms side-by-side.
Accuracy
The accuracy of RealScout is supported by several features:
MLS Integration
The platform integrates seamlessly with MLS listings, ensuring that the information provided is accurate and up-to-date. This integration helps in matching buyer criteria with actual listings, reducing errors and miscommunications.
Home Value Alerts
RealScout’s Home Value Alerts feature provides multiple valuations and updates automatically, which helps in maintaining accuracy in home valuations. This is particularly useful for sellers who need precise and current valuations.
Client Tracking
Agents can track their buyers’ search history and recommend specific listings based on this data, ensuring that the recommendations are accurate and relevant to the buyer’s preferences.
Limitations and Areas for Improvement
While RealScout has many strengths, there are some areas that could be improved:
Technical Issues
Some users have reported technical bugs and compatibility problems, which can disrupt the user experience. Addressing these issues promptly is crucial for maintaining user satisfaction.
Help Resources
There have been requests for a better help page and more comprehensive support resources. Improving the support infrastructure could help users resolve issues more efficiently.
Lead Generation
Although RealScout does not claim to help agents find clients, some users have mentioned difficulty in finding new clients. While this is not a direct limitation of the platform, it highlights the need for agents to use other tools in conjunction with RealScout for lead generation.
Conclusion
In summary, RealScout performs well in terms of providing accurate and real-time market data, automating client engagement, and offering advanced market analysis. However, it is important for the platform to continue addressing technical issues and enhancing its support resources to ensure a seamless user experience.
RealScout - Pricing and Plans
RealScout Pricing Model
RealScout offers a structured pricing model that caters to various needs of real estate professionals, including individual agents, teams, and brokerages. Here’s a breakdown of their pricing structure and the features associated with each plan:
Agent Plan
- Cost: $39 per agent per month.
- Features: This plan includes key features such as “Safe Search” to protect leads from competing agents, “Rapid Listing Alerts” for personalized emails to clients, agent-branded home search, listing alerts, side-by-side home comparisons, and CRM integration.
Team Plan
- Cost: While one source mentions a team plan starting at $349 per month, another specifies that team plans are billed quarterly with additional licenses at $24 per month. The base team plan includes 2 licenses and 1,000 Nurtured Contacts pooled and shared among the team.
- Features: Similar to the agent plan, with added features like pooled Nurtured Contacts and the ability to purchase additional contacts in packs of 500 for $9.99/month.
Brokerage Plan
- Cost: Starts at $299 per month for the basic plan, but can go up to $499/month for the Pro plan, depending on the license quantity specified in the partnership agreement.
- Features: Includes all features from the agent and team plans, plus additional analytics and management tools. The Pro plan introduces usage-based billing for agents with more than 100 Nurtured Contacts, where additional packs of 500 contacts cost $9.99/month.
RealScout Pro Plan
- Cost: Included in existing brokerage customer accounts free of charge, but agents may incur additional fees for exceeding the Nurtured Contact limit (100 contacts). Additional packs of 500 contacts cost $9.99/month.
- Features: Adds features like Home Value Alerts (AVM), Market Activity Alerts, and enhanced agent communications. Agents with more than 100 Nurtured Contacts can opt for a 30-day risk-free trial before deciding to pay for additional contacts or revert to the classic RealScout experience.
Free Trial
- RealScout offers a free 14-day trial for the agent and team plans, allowing users to explore the platform’s features without any commitment.
Additional Services
- RealScout also offers additional services such as Agent Image for website design, Paid Search Advertising Packages, and SEO Packages, which are priced separately.
This structure ensures that RealScout can cater to a wide range of real estate professionals, from individual agents to large brokerages, each with their unique needs and budget constraints.
RealScout - Integration and Compatibility
RealScout Integration Overview
RealScout, a platform used by real estate professionals to engage, retain, and convert clients, offers several integration options to streamline workflows and enhance compatibility across various tools and devices.Direct Integrations
RealScout has direct integrations with several popular real estate and CRM tools. These include:Follow Up Boss
This integration allows for the import of new clients from Follow Up Boss into RealScout, updates to client information, and the deletion of clients in RealScout when they are trashed in Follow Up Boss. It also enables the transfer of leads to team members.Zillow and Realtor.com
While these integrations should not be used with a CRM integration, they can be connected directly to RealScout to provide seamless access to listing data and other real estate information.Brokerage Level Integrations
For brokerages that have partnered with RealScout, there are additional integrations available:Moxi and Spacio
These integrations are specific to brokerages and help in managing client interactions and data at a brokerage level.Zapier Integrations
RealScout also integrates with Zapier, which allows users to connect RealScout to thousands of other apps. This enables automation of tasks, data synchronization, and increased productivity using the tools you already use. Some of the Zapier integrations include Cloze, a CRM tool.App Compatibility
RealScout offers two distinct apps:RealScout Agent Dashboard
This app is for agents and is available on both iOS and Android platforms. It features a blue pro banner, a black background, and a white and grey “R” house icon.RealScout Home Search
This app is for clients and is also available on iOS and Android. It has a white background and a black and grey “R” house icon.Data Synchronization and Automation
Through its integrations, RealScout allows for the automatic synchronization of client data, enabling agents to send high-converting listing alerts, home value estimates, and market activity updates. This helps agents stay top of mind with their clients and act on immediate sales opportunities.Conclusion
In summary, RealScout integrates seamlessly with various CRM tools, real estate platforms, and other apps through direct integrations, brokerage-level integrations, and Zapier. This ensures that agents can manage their client databases efficiently across different devices and platforms. RealScout - Customer Support and Resources
Customer Support Options
RealScout provides several customer support options and additional resources to help users make the most of their AI-driven search tools.Contact Support
For immediate assistance, users can contact RealScout’s support team via email atsupport@realscout.com or by leaving a message at 650-397-6500. The support hours are from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM PST, Monday through Friday.
Member Support & Learning Center
RealScout has a comprehensive Member Support & Learning Center that addresses various frequently asked questions related to billing, subscriptions, and account management. This resource includes guides on how to update information, billing dates, subscription auto-renewal, and how to cancel an account.Product Documentation and Videos
The support section also includes detailed documentation and overview videos that explain the platform and its new features. For example, there are guides on how to access new tools, such as Listing Alerts and Market Activity Alerts, and information about upcoming features like reverse prospecting.Agent Dashboard and Apps
RealScout offers two apps: the RealScout Agent Dashboard for agents and the RealScout Home Search for clients. These apps are available on both iOS and Android platforms. The Agent Dashboard includes features like sending invites to clients and managing contacts, which are well-documented in the support section.Integration with Other Tools
RealScout integrates with other tools like Cloze, which provides AI-generated recommendations and automated alerts. This integration helps agents engage potential buyers and sellers more effectively. The support resources explain how to sync client messages with Cloze and use its AI-powered tools to manage nurture campaigns and client interactions.Community and Additional Resources
While the primary support is through direct contact and the learning center, RealScout also ensures that agents can engage with their clients more effectively through personalized engagement and automated lead nurture. The resources provided help agents manage their to-do lists, reconnect with past clients, and generate content-rich nurture campaigns.Conclusion
By leveraging these support options and resources, RealScout users can ensure they are using the platform efficiently and effectively to engage clients and close more deals. RealScout - Pros and Cons
Advantages
Unique Buyer Data
RealScout provides a sophisticated search platform that integrates local MLS data with buyers’ preferences, allowing agents to match homes more accurately to buyers’ needs and wants. This includes over 400 criteria such as high ceilings, waterfront locations, and the number of bedrooms.
Exclusive Client Engagement
The platform allows agents to create branded searches, ensuring that only buyers invited by the agent can access the listings. This helps in maintaining an exclusive relationship between the agent and the client, avoiding exposure to competing agents’ ads found on sites like Realtor.com, Trulia, and Zillow.
Real-Time Updates and Collaboration
Agents can track their buyers’ search history and receive updates about new preferences. The platform also enables buyers to compare listed homes online room-by-room, facilitating better collaboration between agents and buyers.
Ad-Free Environment
RealScout ensures that the search experience is free from distracting ads, providing a clean and focused environment for clients to interact with the listings.
Advanced Home Comparisons
Using machine learning technology, RealScout automatically displays home comparisons side-by-side, making it easier for buyers to make informed decisions.
Disadvantages
Technical Issues
Some users have reported technical bugs and compatibility problems with the app, which can hinder the user experience.
Need for Better Support
There have been suggestions for a better help page and more comprehensive support resources to address user queries and technical issues more effectively.
No Client Acquisition Help
RealScout does not claim to help agents find clients; it is primarily a tool for managing and engaging existing leads and clients.
Limited Customizations
While RealScout allows for some personalization with the agent’s headshot and contact information, additional customizations are limited to maintain the platform’s neutrality and avoid driving traffic to national portals.
Overall, RealScout offers a powerful tool for real estate agents to enhance their client engagement and listing management, but it may require some technical adjustments and does not assist in client acquisition.
RealScout - Comparison with Competitors
When Comparing RealScout to Competitors
RealScout’s Unique Features
- RealScout is an engagement platform that helps real estate agents, teams, and brokerages drive growth by nurturing and converting potential buyers and sellers. It offers natural language listing alerts and a full-featured home search experience that competes with national portals.
- The platform includes Home Value Alerts with multiple valuations, which can be automated and sent to clients. This feature helps spark new conversations with sellers.
- RealScout integrates with existing technology, automating lead ingestion and alert creation, making it easy to add clients and manage interactions.
- Agents using RealScout have been reported to close 54% more transactions by volume compared to other agents in the same period.
Competitors and Alternatives
HomeLight
HomeLight is a significant competitor that simplifies residential real estate transactions for buyers, sellers, agents, and lenders. It offers a platform that includes tools for home valuations, agent matching, and transaction management. Unlike RealScout, HomeLight focuses more broadly on the entire transaction process rather than just engagement and lead conversion.
Smart Alto
Smart Alto specializes in real estate marketing automation and property intelligence. It provides a suite of services that include automated follow-ups, lead scoring, and property analytics. While RealScout focuses on engagement and conversion, Smart Alto is more oriented towards marketing automation and data-driven insights.
RealSavvy
RealSavvy develops custom websites and apps for brokers and agents to collaborate with buyers in home searches. This platform is more focused on the technological infrastructure for real estate professionals, whereas RealScout is centered on engagement and conversion tools.
Homesnap
Homesnap is another major competitor that operates in the Software, Internet & Computer Services industry. It provides access to MLS-based listings and connects users with partner agents. Homesnap is perceived as one of RealScout’s biggest rivals, with a strong focus on listing access and agent connections.
Lofty (formerly Chime)
Lofty is a platform that combines an AI-powered CRM with tools like Dynamic CMA, automated social media marketing, and IDX websites. It is known for its ease of use and includes features like an AI assistant that engages with leads 24/7 and geo-farming tools. Lofty is more comprehensive in its CRM capabilities compared to RealScout’s focus on engagement and conversion.
Kunversion
Kunversion is a lead acquisition and relationship management solution trusted by over 40,000 real estate professionals. It captures a large number of buyer and seller leads and offers features like IDX websites, lead generation, and automated follow-up. Kunversion is more focused on lead generation and relationship management, whereas RealScout is geared towards nurturing and converting leads.
Homematch
Homematch is an AI property search engine that searches for active MLS listings in seconds, even when users are not actively searching. It allows agents and home buyers to upload photos to find similar properties based on architectural style and personal preferences. Homematch is unique in its AI-driven property search capabilities, which differ from RealScout’s broader engagement and conversion tools.
Each of these alternatives offers unique features that cater to different aspects of the real estate industry, from marketing automation and property intelligence to comprehensive CRM solutions and AI-driven property searches. Depending on the specific needs of real estate professionals, one of these alternatives might be a better fit than RealScout.
RealScout - Frequently Asked Questions
Frequently Asked Questions about RealScout
Q: What is RealScout and what does it offer to real estate agents?
RealScout is an AI-driven platform that enhances the home buying and selling experience. It uses advanced AI algorithms to match buyers with properties that meet their specific criteria, saving time and increasing the likelihood of successful transactions. It also provides real-time market data, collaboration tools, and features to analyze buyer preferences and match them with suitable properties.Q: How does RealScout’s buyer matching feature work?
RealScout’s buyer matching feature uses AI to analyze buyer preferences and match them with properties that meet their criteria. This includes considering various parameters such as waterfront views, high ceilings, and other specific buyer needs. The system generates alerts and notifications when new listings match the buyer’s criteria, making the search process more efficient.Q: What are the key features of RealScout?
Key features of RealScout include buyer matching, market insights, and collaboration tools. The buyer matching feature ensures buyers are shown homes that meet their needs. Market insights provide real-time data and trends on property values and neighborhood statistics. Collaboration tools facilitate communication between agents and clients through shared property lists, messaging, and scheduling features.Q: How does RealScout’s Auto Nurture feature work?
RealScout’s Auto Nurture feature automatically nurtures your marketing database with high-engagement listing alerts, home value alerts, market activity alerts, or email drip campaigns. This set-and-forget feature ensures that all contacts receive relevant information, whether they are hot or cold leads, buyers, sellers, or homeowners. It updates search criteria based on contact activity and alerts agents when a contact shows interest.Q: Can RealScout replace IDX (Internet Data Exchange)?
RealScout and IDX can coexist. While RealScout can run independently, it can also integrate with IDX to push leads into the RealScout pipeline. Agents have the option to use RealScout with or without IDX, depending on their preference.Q: How much does RealScout cost?
RealScout offers a flexible pricing structure. For individual agents, the cost is $39 per agent per month. For larger brokerages, the starting point is $299 per month. Both plans offer a range of features, with the brokerage plan providing more expansive analytics and management tools. RealScout also offers a free 14-day trial for agents and teams, and a demo for brokerages.Q: Is RealScout a CRM (Customer Relationship Management) tool?
No, RealScout is not meant to be used as a full-blown CRM or lead generation tool. It is designed as a lead nurture and conversion tool, focusing on the middle of the sales funnel. It can integrate with other CRM tools to streamline the workflow.Q: How can agents add owned property addresses to contact records in RealScout?
Agents can add owned property addresses to contact records in several ways: by manually adding the address, importing a list of homeowners with addresses, inviting contacts to “claim their home” and enter their address, or capturing leads through various marketing activities such as Facebook posts or QR codes.Q: What is the best way to get started with RealScout for a new team?
For a new team, the best way to get started with RealScout is to use the provided resources such as the “getting started” video and the FAQs section. These resources explain how to set up the platform, integrate it with other tools, and use features like Auto Nurture effectively. RealScout - Conclusion and Recommendation
Final Assessment of RealScout
RealScout is a sophisticated real estate technology platform that offers a range of advanced tools and features, making it an invaluable asset for real estate agents, brokers, and their clients.Key Features and Benefits
- Advanced Search and Comparison Tools: RealScout provides a unique collaborative home search feature that allows buyers to compare properties side-by-side, enabling them to make more informed decisions. This feature is particularly useful for buyers who want to evaluate multiple properties based on various criteria such as location, amenities, and pricing.
- Marketing and CRM Integrations: The platform integrates with popular marketing tools like MailChimp, Follow Up Boss, Facebook, and Real Geeks. These integrations enable agents to generate leads, follow up with targeted email campaigns, and keep clients informed about listing changes. This helps in maintaining strong client relationships and increasing the chances of closing deals.
- Data-Driven Insights: RealScout offers data-driven listing tools that provide insights into local buyers’ preferences. This data helps agents advise sellers on fair pricing and market strategies, leading to faster sales and higher client satisfaction. Agents can also track buyers’ search history to recommend specific listings that match their preferences.
- Client Engagement: The platform allows agents to interact closely with their clients through advanced local MLS searches and automated alerts for new listings that match the buyers’ criteria. This enhances client engagement and helps agents stay in touch with their clients more effectively.
Who Would Benefit Most
RealScout is particularly beneficial for:- Real Estate Agents: Agents can leverage the platform’s advanced search tools, marketing integrations, and data-driven insights to better serve their clients. This can lead to increased client satisfaction, more closings, and higher production levels, as evidenced by significant increases in sales reported by some users.
- Brokers and Brokerages: Large brokerages can utilize RealScout to provide their agents with sophisticated tools to manage client relationships and listings more efficiently. The platform’s ability to analyze local buyers’ preferences can help brokerages position themselves as experts in their market.
- Buyers and Sellers: Buyers benefit from the ability to compare properties and receive alerts for new listings that match their criteria. Sellers can benefit from real-time insights on what local buyers are looking for, helping them price their properties more competitively.