Building a Commercial Real Estate App: Tech Trends and Revenue Models 

By 2026, the market for commercial real estate apps is projected to reach $7.5 billion, accounting for a 2,9% annual growth rate. Convenience, accessibility, and constantly updated property pools make these apps a preferred medium for clients. Obviously, the demand for affordable housing is set for further growth along with the demand for commercial real estate apps.

So let’s take a closer look at the top tech trends and revenue models of mobile app development for commercial real estate.

Benefits of Investing in Real Estate Software

Modern technologies have truly reshaped the way we buy and sell property in recent years. Today, clients demand instant access to pricing, images, documentation, and other details required to help them make a quick preliminary assessment.

There are solid reasons why a real estate company should invest in a dedicated app:

Enhanced communication
The commercial real estate app makes it easier for customers to reach out and for brokers to respond to requests quickly. A software solution enables customers to access property info and make inquiries on the go, helping them make carefully thought-out decisions.

Maximized engagement

A mobile software solution can help companies engage with their customers more effectively using push notifications and personalized content. Keeping customers informed and updated accelerates the sales process, accounting for higher revenues.

Competitive edge
Apps for commercial real estate are a sure means of differentiating yourself from competitors. By offering an attractive design, convenient navigation, and unique functionality, organizations can build their brand image and gain a competitive advantage. 

New business opportunities

Mobile apps can help companies reach a larger audience, including customers who prefer to use smartphones to access information and transfer payments. If you  plan to expand into new geographic locations and reach customers in different regions or even countries, commercial real estate app development is the way to go. 

Advanced marketing features
A mobile app can offer push notifications, location-based marketing, targeted advertising, personalized content, referral programs, and social media integration features. This can help companies increase marketing outreach and drive sales.

Routine tasks automation 

By assisting agents with creating property listings, lead management, scheduling, and communication, a mobile application saves time and helps avoid errors. A software solution can also facilitate document flow and generate contracts and agreements. This helps agents stay organized and ensure that all necessary documents are in place. 

By leveraging the unique capabilities of mobile apps, commercial real estate organizations can gain a competitive advantage and ensure growth and success.

Generating Revenue With A Real Estate App

If you intend to build a commercial app for real estate, one thing you should decide on as early as possible is its revenue model. Overall, common types of revenue models include:

Featured listing
In this model, property owners pay for listing their offerings on the app’s pages. Featured listings may be modified to include photos, videos, and text to help owners promote their offerings. The software charges fees for featured listings based on the duration of the promotion, the number of properties, and the level of exposure.

Advertisements

Organizations can also place third-party ads in their apps to generate revenue. The ads may come in miscellaneous formats such as banner ads, native ads, or sponsored content. The software can charge third parties for ad placement based on various metrics, for example, the number of impressions, clicks, or conversions.

Commission

In the commission model, an app offers a medium for connecting buyers and sellers or tenants and landlords, which interact through the application platform. The software solution earns a commission derived from the sale or rental price. The commission percentage or fee amount will be dictated by the property type, the location, and the service provided.

Aggregator model 

This model aggregates listings from multiple sources and generates revenue by providing value-added services to users and partners. The sources include agents, brokers, property owners, or other real estate apps. The digital platform can provide a unified search experience to customers by consolidating and organizing the listings enabling clients to easily find relevant properties.

Dedicated model
The software using the dedicated revenue model is designed for a specific niche or target audience and earns revenue by providing specialized services and content.

Such apps may cater to a specific market segment, for example, luxury venues, vacation rentals, commercial properties, or student housing. The solution can provide specialized search filters, customized user interfaces, or unique content to meet the demands and preferences of its clients.

Surely, the choice of revenue model depends on the business goals, target audience, and core competitors. It is best, however, to decide on the revenue model before you start building your software since the type of monetization will dictate the app architecture.

Top Tech Trends for Real Estate

The digital acceleration in the real estate industry is driven by a range of constantly developing technologies. The current list of trending tech for real estate includes:

Extended reality

VR and augmented reality real estate technology helps customers visualize design options and provides immersive experiences. A VR real estate app allows one to explore properties remotely and view them as if they were physically on set. The use of AR in real estate can superimpose virtual objects in real-world environments, such as decorations, furniture, or landscaping. 

AI

AI and ML are leveraged to generate individual advice, evaluate a property, and provide predictive analytics for customers. For example, an AI chatbot can offer instant assistance and automate routine tasks, while ML algorithms analyze data from multiple sources to pinpoint rising trends and investment opportunities.

Metaverse
Digital real estate metaverse apps can manage and monitor properties by integrating smart home devices and sensors, and receive alerts about maintenance needs or potential issues. Another exciting emerging trend is metaverse property trading. Real estate in the metaverse can take many forms, such as virtual land, buildings, or other digital assets. Although the metaverse is still in its development stages, joining it could prove to be the best decision you ever make. 

Big Data
Big data is reshaping real estate, allowing people to make smarter decisions faster by applying advanced data analytics. Big data in commercial real estate is used to drive insights from behavior patterns, user preferences, and historical information to offer personalized advice. The use of big data in real estate is bringing highly relevant property valuation and management suggestions to both customers and sellers. 

Blockchain

Blockchain technology is leveraged to increase transparency, accelerate transactions and prevent fraud. Blockchain can enable secure and immutable recording of ownership, and other legal documents, as well as facilitating smart contracts that automate payments. In commercial real estate mobile app development, blockchain is also used for the tokenization of assets, creating a secure title registry, identity verification, and property management. 

These technologies are creating lucrative opportunities for innovation and growth in real estate. The list above should also suggest some ideas for creating a commercial real estate app.

Conclusion

A well-built and well-executed commercial real estate app can provide value to users and generate a strong ROI for real estate market players. However, investing in building a real estate solution requires research and planning.

Mobile app development for commercial real estate begins with careful analysis of the current market and existing competitors, and writing a well-planned software specification. In this regard, a tech partner with expertise in commercial real estate app development solutions could become a valuable asset.