Empowering Real Estate Professionals: The Rise of Prospects Mobile and MLS Touch
In a rapidly evolving digital landscape, the real estate industry faces unique challenges, particularly concerning information accessibility. Approximately five years ago, Charles Drouin, the astute President and CEO of Montreal-based Prospects Software, observed a significant imbalance: real estate clients were often equipped with as much, if not more, information than the agents meant to guide them. Consumer-facing applications like Realtor.ca and Zillow-Trulia, while beneficial to the public, inadvertently tipped the scales, leaving agents at a disadvantage when it came to unique, comprehensive market insights.
Drouin recognized this critical gap. “We realized we needed to develop a tool specifically for agents,” he states. The objective was clear: create an application that fundamentally served the professional, not the consumer. This vision led to the inception of a powerful solution designed to restore and enhance the agent’s informational edge.
A Paradigm Shift: Introducing Prospects Mobile and MLS Touch
This pressing need catalyzed the development of Prospects Mobile in Canada and MLS Touch in the U.S. These innovative platforms were simultaneously launched in Montreal and Los Angeles in 2011. (It’s important to note that the term ‘MLS’ is trademarked by CREA in Canada, necessitating the distinction in branding.) From its very foundation, the company’s ethos has been unwavering: to champion the real estate professional.
“Our core mission is to serve agents. This singular focus is our fundamental differentiator,” Drouin emphasizes, speaking of his now 30-employee strong company, which initially launched in 1999 with pioneering customer relationship management (CRM) software. Prospects Mobile and MLS Touch are more than just apps; they are comprehensive mobile ecosystems designed to provide agents with unparalleled access to critical real estate data. This includes all active, sold, and expired listings, an extensive array of search criteria, real-time market statistics, and crucial sales comparables – precisely the in-depth information that is typically inaccessible to the general public.
Charles Drouin
Designed for the Agent On-the-Go: Unrivaled Functionality
The primary aim in developing these mobile applications was to create an indispensable tool for agents, particularly when they are out in the field showing properties or meeting clients. Imagine an agent, armed with their mobile device, having the capability to instantly access a wealth of information. With Prospects Mobile/MLS Touch, agents can conduct detailed searches across active, sold, and expired listings, quickly pull up sold comparables to justify pricing, efficiently plan property tours for potential buyers, and obtain live, up-to-the-minute market statistics. This comprehensive suite of features transforms the agent’s mobile device into a powerful command center, enhancing productivity and client service.
This deep functionality is crucial in a fast-paced market. Agents no longer have to return to their office to gather vital information; they can access it instantly, allowing for more dynamic and responsive client interactions. From a buyer’s perspective, this means an agent can answer questions about neighborhood trends or recent sales on the spot, building trust and demonstrating expertise. For sellers, an agent can present robust data to support a listing price, providing confidence and clarity.
Widespread Adoption and Growing Influence
Prospects Mobile has garnered significant traction across Canada, currently serving approximately 40,000 Realtors. Its widespread adoption is often facilitated as a member benefit by various real estate boards, demonstrating its recognized value within the industry. The app is actively utilized in key Canadian markets including throughout Quebec, Calgary, Fort McMurray, Winnipeg, Northern B.C., Okanagan Mainland, and by all boards integrated with ListCentral, among other regions.
The U.S. market has seen even broader penetration, with about 100,000 agents relying on MLS Touch. The client roster is impressive, featuring major MLS providers like Navica, which alone represents 160 boards and 40,000 members. Additionally, prominent boards in diverse locations such as California, Staten Island, N.Y., Vail, Colo., and bustling Texas cities like Austin and San Antonio have embraced the platform. This widespread acceptance underscores the app’s effectiveness and its critical role in modern real estate practice across North America.
“We are, in essence, a fully-fledged mobile MLS system,” Drouin proudly states. “Our goal is to replicate the comprehensive experience agents have on their desktop MLS systems, seamlessly transferring it to a mobile device.” This commitment to a full-featured mobile experience sets Prospects Software apart. While many real estate boards have robust core MLS systems, these are often not optimized for mobile use. “When we demonstrate our solution to boards, their immediate reaction is often, ‘This is precisely what our agents need,'” he adds, highlighting the clear market demand for their specialized mobile offering.
A key advantage of the Prospects Mobile/MLS Touch system is its ability to provide all the intricate search criteria found within a traditional MLS system, details that are typically absent from consumer-facing websites. Furthermore, to ensure agents always have the most current information, the app is meticulously synced with the MLS system every 10 to 15 minutes, offering near real-time data updates.
Technological Reach and User Acclaim
The platform’s accessibility spans various operating systems. Drouin estimates that approximately 70 percent of users access the app on iPhone, 28 percent on Android devices, and a small percentage, around two percent, continue to use Blackberry. The strong positive reception is evident in user feedback: as of early September, the app boasted 219 reviews on the App Store, with an impressive 136 reviewers granting it a perfect five-star rating and another 44 awarding four stars. These high ratings reflect user satisfaction with the app’s functionality, reliability, and the tangible benefits it delivers to their daily work.
Game-Changing Features in Prospects Mobile 2.0
Drouin specifically points to two features in the current iteration, Prospects Mobile 2.0, that are particularly impactful and have received widespread acclaim from users.
- Instaview: This innovative feature directly addresses a common scenario for agents. Imagine touring properties with clients when they suddenly spot an unlisted house or a “for sale” sign you hadn’t discussed. Clients often inquire, “What about that one? You didn’t send us that listing.” With Instaview, an agent can simply point their device at the property, activate Instaview, and instantly retrieve comprehensive listing information. This eliminates the need for manual searches or awkward pauses, allowing agents to respond instantly and professionally, enhancing their perceived knowledge and responsiveness.
- Sales Comparables (Comps): Generating accurate sales comparables is a cornerstone of an agent’s work, whether preparing for a listing presentation with a seller or advising a buyer on an offer. Prospects Mobile/MLS Touch offers highly customizable comps functionality. Agents can define precise criteria for finding comparables, such as specifying a timeframe (e.g., properties sold within the last six months or two years) or a price range (e.g., properties priced within 20 percent of the asking price). “You can fine-tune your criteria, and the app will intelligently find the precise comparables you need and want,” Drouin explains. This level of customization ensures agents can present highly relevant and defensible data to their clients, solidifying their expert advice.
Adding further to its utility, a recently integrated “hot sheet” feature provides agents with immediate updates on all new listings, price reductions, and recent sales that have occurred within the previous five days. This allows agents to stay perpetually informed about market shifts, react swiftly to new opportunities, and proactively communicate relevant developments to their clients.
The Road Ahead: Future Enhancements and Sustained Growth
The commitment to innovation at Prospects Software is ongoing, with exciting new features already in the pipeline. Upcoming developments will empower agents to plan property showings directly from their phone, not just a tablet, offering greater flexibility. Another anticipated enhancement will allow agents to effortlessly set up and dispatch customized market reports to clients with a single touch, streamlining communication and information sharing.
Drouin observes a distinct divergence in strategy within the competitive landscape, particularly among U.S.-based competitors. “They are primarily gravitating towards serving the consumer market, while we remain steadfast in our commitment to focusing exclusively on agents,” he asserts. This unwavering agent-centric philosophy continues to be the bedrock of Prospects Software’s success and market positioning.
While Drouin anticipates continued market share growth for the app in Canada, he forecasts even more substantial growth in user numbers within the United States, a natural consequence of the sheer size and scale of the U.S. real estate market. This expansion strategy underscores the global potential of their specialized agent tools.
Looking to the immediate future, November marks a significant milestone with the planned launch of Prospects 3.0. This major update will introduce a brand-new user interface, promising a more intuitive and streamlined experience. Crucially, it will also feature enhanced integration with the company’s long-standing CRM software, which continues to represent a substantial portion of Prospects Software’s overall business. This strategic integration will offer agents an even more cohesive and powerful platform for managing their client relationships and daily operations.
The development cycle at Prospects Software is highly responsive to its user base. “We receive invaluable suggestions from our members every single day,” Drouin notes. “This continuous feedback loop fuels our innovation, allowing us to build new features almost every week.” This agile development approach ensures that Prospects Mobile and MLS Touch remain at the forefront of real estate technology, continuously evolving to meet the dynamic needs of the modern agent.