Technology has made many aspects of buying, selling, investing and even renovating a property far more straightforward than they used to be. While nothing can eliminate the stress of having to deal with a bank or co-ordinating contractors for a job, these apps below can smooth over a lot of bumps:
1. Realestate.com.au — the app version of the popular property sales website is free and available on Apple and Android platforms. You can search for properties to buy or rent, check home open times, sync them to your calendar and receive directions to the properties.
2. Onthehouse.com.au Property Values — provides a range of information that the home owner, buyer, investor or real estate agent will find useful. You can access descriptive property profiles, comparable properties for sale and recent sales history. The app is free and available on Apple and Android platforms.
3. BMT Tax Depreciation Calculator — this comprehensive app helps estimate depreciation deductions for a range of property types, very handy for investors, accountants, real estate professionals and mortgage brokers. It is free and available for Apple and Android.
4. CommBank Property Guide — a handy little app if you want a quick overview of an area. The CommBank Property Guide allows you to view auction results and suburb insights, including median prices, rental yields, population and demographics. The app allows you to bring up the last sale price of a property by facing your device at the home. The app also includes a mortgage calculator, links to home loans and house valuation services.
5. Magic Plan — allows you to create professional floor plans simply by taking photos. You can use Magic Plan to complete job estimates, view your space in 3D, plan DIY projects or furnish your home. The app is free to download, however if you want your plans available as a pdf or jpg prices start at $2.99 for a single plan, or $9.99/month for unlimited usage. Available for Apple and Android.
6. Houzz Interior Design Ideas —awarded Best App in 2016, Houzz will inspire your design projects with over 16 million high resolution photos of home interiors and exteriors. You can browse by style, room and location and save and share your ideas. You can also connect to home improvement professionals, from architects, to contracts and designers. Houzz is free and available on all platforms.
7. Money Smart Financial Calculator — this app has been developed the Australian Securities and Investments Commission. It provides a wide array of calculators and financial planning tools. Get instant calculations on your mortgage, interest-free deals, even your superannuation. Find out how fast you can save up for your next overseas trip or mortgage deposit with their savings calculator. The app is free and available on Apple and Android.
8. Paint My Place — Available for Apple only, this app allows you to trial paint colours from well-known brands digitally. Simply take a photo of the area to be repainted and either use the auto-fill function or colour in the area manually to get a preview. No more back and forth to the paint shop and hundreds of coloured card swatches lying around! The app is free.
9. Home Harmony — An Apple and Android-friendly app, Home Harmony is a home improvement visualizer that will let you test paints and flooring in your home with a single touch. The app is free.
10. Investment Property Calculator — provides quick analysing tools for landlords, investors and real estate agents to help evaluate the good deals from the bad. The app also lets you compare income properties and share them with friends or clients for free. Investment Property Calculator is free and available on Apple and Android.
