Real estate, real tech: How the cloud helps realtors

Around 30% of real estate pros believe their industry desperately needs a technical upgrade. While you might start with a website or an eSignature tool, you will eventually need to look at digitizing all your data; and then storing it. That’s where cloud technology comes in.

If migrating to the cloud boggles your mind, we get it. That's because there's not just a single cloud deployment model to consider but four main set-ups – with each option offering its own set of pros and cons. 

We're here to clear up the confusion. Let's deep dive into these cloud models so you know which one is the best fit for your business. 

Public cloud

Think of the public cloud like renting an apartment. A cloud hosting provider like Amazon Web Services or Google Cloud Platform will be your "landlord," and you'll pay a monthly fee to "lease" all their cloud infrastructure – stuff like servers and data centers. 

That means you don't need to spend cash on expensive equipment or fix it if it goes wrong. 

The public cloud is easy to scale up or down depending on the needs of your real estate company. However, the real estate and property management industry can have some strict security requirements and some providers might not take security as seriously as you do.

This means your data could be at risk when hosted on public infrastructure that other customers can access – including super sensitive info about buyers and sellers. 

You'll also be handing over control of your cloud environment (precious data!) to a third-party company, which might make you feel a little uneasy. 

Private cloud

We don't want to confuse you even more, but there are actually two private cloud deployment models:

1. The first is "on-premise," which means you host cloud infrastructure in your real estate agency. You'll need to invest in your own data centers, networking equipment and other cloud essentials. Plus, you'll require an in-house team of IT professionals to set up and maintain all this tech.
2. The second involves renting cloud resources from a third-party provider – AKA the hosted private cloud model. However, unlike the public cloud, you don't need to share infrastructure with anyone else, which is obviously great for security and complying with real estate data privacy regulations. 

Both models are harder to scale than the public cloud. 

However, you get more control over your infrastructure; you can actually get a tailored solution for your real estate platform that will ensure exactly you’re as technologically advanced as you need to be.

Hybrid cloud

So what if you want all the benefits of the public and private clouds? Consider the hybrid cloud, which combines the best of both models. 

You can keep some of your infrastructure on-premise, which means you have more control over your real estate data, and rent other resources from a hosting provider. 

Sounds pretty good, right?

The problem is that it's difficult to manage on-premise resources and deal with a third-party provider simultaneously, especially when you're busy helping people buy and sell houses! 

The hybrid cloud can also be expensive as you'll need to pay and maintain on-premise equipment and pay a monthly fee to a provider.

Multi-cloud

Multi-cloud models allow real estate tech pioneers to cherry-pick features they want from the above options.

Instead of working with just one provider, you use at least two companies, giving you an incredible amount of flexibility. You simply select the services that best suit your needs. 

Of course, doing all the above can increase the complexity of cloud computing. It's also a challenge to integrate different services from different providers. This is a fantastic option for larger companies looking to dedicate significant resources to reimagining real estate technology.

Which cloud deployment should you choose? 

None of the four main cloud deployment models are perfect. You'll need to choose a set-up that best aligns with your digital transformation goals. 

Don't want the hassle of buying and maintaining cloud infrastructure? Consider the public cloud. 

Want more control and data security? The private cloud might be a better option. 

Alternatively, for those with a dedicated IT department; it’s worth taking a look into the hybrid and multi-cloud models, which both offer lots of flexibility.

See you in the cloud!