Real estate tech roundup: Hubzu and Brookfield Residential

Online real estate marketing platform Hubzu has launched a new mobile app, available for residential real estate buyers. The app offers potential buyers tools to find, research and bid on homes via a competitive auction format. 

Hubzu is an end-to-end asset management platform for residential foreclosure, short sale, REO, deed in lieu, CWCOT and retail property auctions. Since 2009, it has facilitated the more than 4.5 million bids and the sale of more than 225,000 homes.

“Our app is a must-have for real estate investors,” said Michael Jansta, general manager of Hubzu in a statement. It’s reflective of our commitment to invest in technology and continuously improve the Hubzu marketplace.”  

The company said that by the end of the year, the app will include proxy bidding capabilities so buyers can acquire homes at foreclosure sales from anywhere in the world. 

Brookfield Residential expands smart-home platform

Brookfield Residential has announced the expansion of Empower, a set of tools for homebuyers that to offer more choices and smart-home options for their home purchases. 

In 2019, the land developer and homebuilder began offering buyers on-site, self-guided, interactive tours on demand through Empower in Washington, D.C. and Denver markets. Its new tool myTime allows private access not only to model homes, but to Brookfield Residential’s supply of move-in ready inventory homes.

Also included in Empower is myCommand, a voice automated technology that incorporates Google Home, Amazon Echo and Apple HomeKit into smart-homes. With myCommand, users can choose one of the platforms to “plug-and-play” into their new home and do things like adjust lighting, shades, temperature, security features and door locks.

“By embracing all major platforms – Amazon, Google and Apple – the technological reach of myCommand greatly heightens flexibility for homeowners,” said Brookfield Residential President and COO Adrian Foley. “At the same time, myTime expands the home-shopping experience with on-demand tours at almost any time, even after hours.”