Technology and Tools for Arizona Real Estate Agents
In 24 years, I have watched technology in this business go from a fax machine and a paper MLS book to a full digital ecosystem. The agents who use tools well are more productive. The agents who adopt every new platform and master none of them are constantly busy and constantly behind.
ARMLS: The Core of Your Market Knowledge
ARMLS (Arizona Regional Multiple Listing Service) is where the inventory lives and where transaction data is recorded. Knowing how to search it properly -- setting accurate criteria, reading days on market correctly, pulling comparable sales, and understanding status codes (active, pending, UCB, closed) -- is foundational.
Most agents use ARMLS at a basic level. The agents who use it well can pull hyper-local market data in minutes, identify pricing trends in specific zip codes, and build custom searches that generate alerts for clients automatically. Invest time in learning ARMLS beyond the basics.
CRM: The Tool That Actually Builds Business
A CRM (Customer Relationship Management) system is where you store your database and manage your follow-up. The specific platform matters less than your consistency in using it. Agents who log every contact, set follow-up reminders, and stay in touch with their database systematically build businesses. Agents who wing their follow-up lose deals to agents who do not.
Start simple. A well-maintained spreadsheet beats an underused enterprise platform. The goal is to have a record of every person in your sphere, a system for when you last contacted them, and a trigger for when to contact them again.
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Transaction Management and E-Signature
Your brokerage likely has a transaction management platform (SkySlope, Dotloop, or similar). Know it thoroughly. These platforms track document compliance, deadline management, and provide the audit trail your broker requires for file completion.
E-signature tools (DocuSign, Authentisign) are standard. Know how to set up a signing envelope quickly and correctly, including the right signing fields for each document type. A poorly configured signing envelope that sends buyers the wrong document to sign under time pressure is a professional embarrassment.
What Wastes Time vs. What Multiplies It
Time-wasters disguised as productivity: spending hours on social media posts that generate engagement but not leads, endlessly researching CRM platforms instead of using the one you have, attending every webinar and implementing nothing.
Genuine multipliers: a CRM you actually use, automated showing request software (ShowingTime) so you are not manually coordinating showings, digital transaction management so your broker's compliance team is not chasing you for documents, and pre-written email templates for common communications so you are not starting from scratch every time.
Live MLS search
See what is on the market in the Valley
Search live ARMLS listings in the Valley with the full map and filters, or tell me your criteria and I will set up automatic alerts so new matches reach you the moment they hit the market.
Written by
Jon Hegreness
REALTOR / Associate Broker, Howe Realty. AZ License BR540940000. 24 years in Phoenix Valley residential real estate.
I am a full-time Valley associate broker, not a call center. If anything here raised a question about your own move, ask me and you get a straight answer from the person who wrote this, every time.
Common questions
- What CRM do you recommend for Arizona real estate agents?
- The one you will actually use consistently. Popular options include Follow Up Boss, LionDesk, and Wise Agent. Some brokerages provide a CRM as part of their platform. The platform matters less than the habit of using it daily.
- Do I need my own website as a new agent?
- Eventually, but it is not your first priority. Your brokerage likely provides a basic web presence. Focus first on relationships and transactions. A personal website becomes more valuable once you have testimonials and a track record to feature.
- How do I pull comparable sales from ARMLS?
- Search closed sales in the subject property's area, adjusting for size (square footage), age, condition, and features. Filter by a recent date range (typically 90 to 180 days) and narrow the geographic area to the most similar neighborhood. Your broker or a more experienced colleague can walk you through the first few.
- What is ShowingTime and should I use it?
- ShowingTime (now Aligned Showings in ARMLS) is the showing management platform integrated with ARMLS that coordinates buyer tours and collects feedback. Yes, use it. It eliminates the manual scheduling calls and automatically requests feedback from showing agents, which is valuable data for listing agents.
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