9 proptech upstarts hoping to strike it big at Inman Connect New York

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If it’s technology to empower real estate business, it’s being showcased in and around the Hilton Midtown at Inman Connect New York.

There are enterprise CRMs; alternative, tech-driven mortgage companies; 3D content providers; and drivers of back-office business. Many have been here before, but it’s always the new kids that get the attention.

As has become tradition at Inman Connect, a number of upstart proptech companies are here to find customers, get feedback and gain momentum from the event’s captive, tech-savvy attendees. Here’s who’s hoping this year’s East Coast event will be the start of something big.

Dipt

Dipt is out to renovate the home improvement business. The company is leveraging technology to help homeowners design new rooms, choose the people to do it and stay updated on progress along the way.

Dipt builds a local team of contractors to refer to customers and manages their bid process. And, if your seller doesn’t know where to start with a renovation, Dipt provides a number of professionally designed room packages for purchase.

Dipt is currently operating in New York City and Austin, Texas.

Empower Transactions

No one likes paperwork, even if it’s the very conduit to commission. This deal-driven company is out to make transactions faster, keep them compliant and get agents paid.

Outsourced transaction management can be critical when it comes to keeping pace with today’s fast-moving, cash-rules market, and it helps to have as much of it handled by a dedicated team member. Empower Transactions goes beyond juggling all the tasks of escrow by helping with listing input to your local MLS and offer preparation. Don’t forget to use it as a recruiting advantage.

Sugar

Sugar is a prime example of the recent surge in renter-focused proptech, and its resident lifestyle experience app stores a lot of potential.

Happier tenants can equate to on-time rent, more renewals and even a better maintained apartment community — which are only a few of the potential byproducts of Sugar. The software helps property managers easily build a per-property digital community. Managers can broadcast news and important updates, such as how to prepare for an upcoming storm, or when the new pool-house lockers will be installed. Tenants can make transactions, unlock doors, submit requests and even sell stuff using the onboard marketplace.

Roomvu

This video content and marketing solution for real estate agents isn’t exactly new to the space, but it may be new to this year’s crop of Inman attendees.

Reviewed in 2021 by Inman, Roomvu is noteworthy for its on-board editor, publishing calendar and ability to encourage agents to simply create. Videos can be created automatically according to category and when connected to your local MLS, can present animated, up-to-the-minute market updates.

Instashowing/Hitch

With its home-showing coordination app already active in the industry, Instashowing is using its momentum to launch a new product at Inman Connect New York: Hitch.

Hitch is aimed squarely at the lethargic home equity loan approval process and is a credit tool for making it much easier for homeowners to gain access to the money stored in the market value of their house. It’s not a credit card, it’s not a loan — it’s Hitch.

OfferForm

Also the subject of a recent Inman review, OfferForm is making it fun again to submit your buyer’s offer to purchase.

Light but comprehensive, OfferForm leverages logic-based forms led by clever Q&As, as well as integrates term and clause education and even agent-recorded video tutorials to give agents the confidence to turn over offer creation to the person actually buying the home.

TextLuke

A fully functioning brokerage wrapped in a software interface, TextLuke, or Luke, is a virtual home buying assistance platform.

Primarily to be used on mobile but equally effective on a laptop, agents under the Luke brand are provided innovative tools for engaging with aspiring homeowners, such as smart, automated home recommendations and built-in tour scheduling.

Luke isn’t all digital though, as actual agents are on hand to help their clients find the best match on the market. The company is now live in New York City and aiming to expand into Miami.

Inspectify

Waiving inspections is so 2021. In markets where they still happen, Inspectify is there to make them easier to book and review.

The software lets buyers find and compare regional home inspectors, book them and then quickly see a standardized report. Brokerages and teams are partnering with the product to expand their library of inspectors and inspectors are using it to book more business.

Property Llama

You can never go wrong with naming your company after a unique animal, or helping people make more money in real estate.

Property Llama is a financial analysis product for agents and their real estate investor clients, developed to be white-labeled by agents and brokerages. Agents can use it to help buyers optimize their portfolio by matching it with what the market is offering and provide per-property income reports. There’s also an automated advisory tool that delivers investing coaching help and a long-term scenario planner.

(Note: Property Llama’s website is in the midst of being transferred to new severs after its Ukraine host was affected by Russia’s invasion. Here’s an example of how one client is using it.)

What other technology did you see at Inman Connect New York that you think has the potential to make change in the industry?

And remember, be nice to the new kids; you may be working with them soon.

Email Craig Rowe