Ask HN: Lean real-estate start-up - advice needed
I have domain experience (13 years overseeing a property rental and management business), however, it seemed paramount to get out and speak to potential customers.
Below are the results of an afternoon of walking into customers' offices cold, asking a few questions.
What I want to ask of you all are thoughts on the feedback vs product.
10 out of 13 agents visited in Stoke Newington gave me time for a solid Q&A:
Q1. How long after client instructs till property advertised online: 2x 3-6; 5x within 24 hours; 4x more than 24 hours
Q2. (after detailing app creates descriptions automatically, and uploads instantly to property portals with photos) Would Listing App impress client: 5x yes; 2x no; 3x speed not an issue
Q3. Who (in their office) goes to see new clients: 7x Manager; 3x all negotiators
Q4. What phone do they use: 2x Blackberry; 1x Android; 7x iPhone
Q5. Will a client sign terms immediately (at client visit in property): 3x always; 3x often; 2x sometimes; 2x never and always wait before marketing.
Other observations:
- All used signed T&Cs - none took instructions on verbal agreement or handshake
- Current process: 50/50 between copy and paste descriptions and freestyle descriptions.
- half had property management desktop software: Eurolink, PBS, Resource Technologies, EstatesIT
- other half just copy and pasted into Rightmove and Zoopla's online CMS
- of 13 agents visited: 11x stayed seated; 2x stood up to greet and chat to me.
- of those who were interested, they valued two things: quick/instant and quality of photos.
- only two were concerned that iPhone photos would not be good enough, but without prompting stated they would like to use the iPhone instead of DSLR