real estate technology Archives

April 30, 2024April 30, 2024

What’s the Latest With AI in Real Estate? Ask Claire.

A company named reAlpha is a publicly traded firm focused on property technology — proptech. And it’s very big on artificial intelligence.

But who’s Claire?

That’s reAlpha’s Smart Buyer’s Agent. Claire is powered by generative AI. Claire helps the home buyer pick out the best homes to consider. Claire then provides data-informed virtual tours, and offers support all the way through closing day.

With round-the-clock support, Claire is poised to make a home purchase, well…user-friendly. And if Claire’s your agent, you needn’t worry about paying commission.

April 22, 2024April 25, 2024

Deed Records Go Digital: Getting Up to Speed in Delaware County, PA

Delaware County (“Delco” to the locals) is home to more than a half-million residents, making it Pennsylvania’s 5th most populated county. It borders the southwest edge of Philadelphia. It’s a little bit country, a little bit urban. It includes scenic Ridley Creek State Park. Several universities stand at least partly within it: Cheyney, Villanova, and Widener.

The Delaware County Recorder of Deeds’ office, which holds 240 years’ worth of documents, is putting them all online. The public can already take advantage of the county’s new system. And this year, the Delco Recorder of Deeds has deployed keyword search software.

Search through public documents using keywords? What a novel idea! Let’s see what else people can do with this new online resource.

April 4, 2024April 25, 2024

Tech in 2024: Real Estate’s Transformation Speeds Ahead

Tech continues to transform the real estate world. It helps us assess the value of property. It enables people to spot trends. It assists real estate pros as they market, map, and make predictions. It enables “dream home” buyers to participate in the design work.

Most important of all, technology plays a housing affordability role.

Here, we take a peek at just a few innovations in real estate to watch.

March 6, 2024April 25, 2024

eRecording Is Next-Level Deed Processing. Know What It Is, and Why It’s Legal.

For centuries, deeds went through a manual filing process for transmitting, recording, and storing. This is changing, with eRecording emerging as the new standard.

Why the shift? The shutdowns in the early days of Covid jolted offices into a different mode of operating. Around the same time, county offices began strongly recommending eRecording.

Electronic signatures (eSignatures) and records, including sound files, are now as legally binding as traditional paper documents. And now, people can use encrypted digital signatures for identity protection.

February 4, 2024April 25, 2024

Can We Use AI Instead of Real Estate Agents Yet?

Real estate sites use AI to offer cutting-edge listing searches. And lenders use artificial intelligence when sizing up an applicant’s financial strength. Tech-focused online lenders employ AI to help them approve or reject loan applications right away. Additionally, AI can automate various business tasks, thereby reducing the risk of fraud.

But can AI manage a real estate deal? Not exactly. You can already use ChatGPT-enabled chatbots to review the public data on markets, specific homes and tours, and mortgage rates. But AI is a tool for real people — not a replacement for them.

January 31, 2024April 25, 2024

Ahoy There, Matey! Look Out for the Title Pirates

We all know about porch pirates… but look out for title pirates. They’ll take your whole porch.

Title piracy is deed fraud. It happens when someone uses a deed to deliberately take over someone else’s real estate. It’s an unusual crime, but according to the National Association of REALTORS® (which cites FBI figures), it’s been on the rise since the pandemic hit.