This is 2022 and almost everyone has had a PC by now – either Windows-based or Mac. We pretty much know what they are, what they do, what they are good at and what annoys us sometimes. In articles on our site, we’ll be looking at Laptops for realtors but also Tablets and a third option – Chromebooks.
Before we look at the competition, let’s see where the Chromebook fits. Realtors are looking at Chromebooks as an alternative to both the PC/Laptop and Mac and also Tablets.
- They are lightweight, in fact not much more than a Tablet and unlike a tablet, you can do some serious keyboard entries on.
- They are very easy to set up – way easier than a Windows PC
- They have very fast, smooth and robust software, so are easy to use you are much less likely to get viruses and glitches, than a Windows PC
- They typically draw less power than a PC so are quick to charge and will run for a whole lot longer before the next charge is needed
- They are very affordable – way more so than an equivalent Apple product, when considering are Chromebooks good for realtors
With Apple Laptops or Tablets, you know you will get smooth user experience and no worries about viruses and few about software compatibility because Apple is a closed system. On the downside, you will pay top dollar for an Apple product and you have little choice about the software or hardware upgrades and options.
What’s more, with Apple there can be a huge price ticket on accessories. Many Apple products are really expensive and probably overkilling for what you need as a Realtor – you are probably not a graphic designer – and their high price makes them expensive to replace if they get lost on your travels, broken or stolen. OK have one or two in the office but don’t take them on the road.
With a Windows-based Laptop or hybrid windows Tablet/PCs, you get a huge amount of choice of hardware, software, upgrades and options. It’s a more open architecture than Apple. On the downside, they can be way more complex to set up, upgrade or simply maintain, if you are not especially IT literate. If the Apple route is not ideal for a Realtor, neither is a Windows PC. You are not an IT engineer – you are in Real Estate.
Do you really need an in house designated PC expert to clean yours up after you get a problem? Then one day your in-house IT manager goes on holiday, gets sick or quits. Only he or she knows exactly what’s where and why. How is that going to work for you? Windows can be a jungle and navigating around it a real headache.
Kindles or other Tablets are fine as far as they go – but have you ever tried to type a letter to a client quickly on them? Or make a quick visualization of a Condo layout? How about spreadsheets to do some calculations of rentals? Yes, you can do all these things on a tablet but in a very clumsy way. Tablets are good at being tablets – like any tool they have strengths and weaknesses.
It’s quite true that Chromebooks don’t do everything a PC or a Mac does and they do need to be connected – but you already have PCs or Macs, right? A Chromebook does have what you need for documents, quotes, presentations, spreadsheets, etc.
There’s plentiful software out there and Chromebook vendors also include highly reputable names like Samsung and Acer.
Best Chromebook for Realtors
- Best Overall Model: Lenovo ChromeBook Flex 5
- Great Alternative Model: ASUS Chromebook Flip C434
- Best Hybrid Model: Acer Chromebook Two in One
We are not suggesting Chromebooks replace everything else, most likely you will use them alongside other devices, for specific things that you need to do. Where they really hit a home run is out on the road. Their lightweight nature makes them more pleasant than lugging around some big PC or Mac in a bulky specialized computer carry bag. The robust Chrome OS (operating system) is well designed and Chromebooks aren’t likely to give you much hassle in operation either. Most importantly in the unfortunate case, one does get left behind, lost or stolen while you are out around properties, it’s not the end of the road.
What’s more, since they typically store documents, presentation, spreadsheets, etc. in the Cloud, if one is lost, unlike storing on a local PC drive or USB, you don’t have to worry those important documents – vital for real estate agents – that you forgot to back up from your PC, are lost too.
