Conducting business in a paperless office is rapidly becoming the norm for organizations in a broad range of industries, most notably healthcare, education and enterprise software. Real estate is one of the fastest-changing modern workplaces, particularly as agents become more mobile and communicate with clients through text, email and paperless real estate office software. Boundless paperwork is one of the most notorious frustrations for many in the process of obtaining a mortgage for a new home or other property, but with new advancements in cloud security for real estate document management software, realtors and clients alike feel empowered to ditch the physical stacks of paper while understanding their private information will be kept secure.

Many of today’s real estate offices encourage the use of electronic services like Dotloop or DocuSign to facilitate gathering necessary signatures, and for good reason. Coordinating schedules and traveling from location to location to obtain quick initials can be time consuming. Now, a cloud file sharing solution, such as BrickFTP, can make storing, organizing and granting specific permissions to users part of the streamlined communication process between realtors and buyers or sellers. Because cloud security is top of mind for many professionals and their clients, choosing this type of cloud file sharing solution will ensure important data, such as credit card numbers, legal contracts and personal contact information, are safeguarded using strong encryption measures and brute-force protection.

It’s the responsibility of today’s large real estate services to create a cohesive plan and process for their agents to conduct business in a paperless environment. Choosing one central storage location helps ensure client information is locked with tight cloud security protections but can be easily accessed by authorized individuals no matter their location. Storing forms, contracts, photos and other information related to the listing, selling and purchasing of property helps realtors streamline communication with clients and offers a convenient way for those clients to keep track of all pertinent details involved with the property they are in the process of selling or buying in one place.

The ability to access client documents and information on the go using paperless real estate office software is a convenient option that can help speed up the process of selling or buying a home or other property. However, cloud security must be a major priority for any modern real estate company — not just the operators of the file-sharing software it selects. Selecting a file storage solution like BrickFTP ensures all contact information is secure using multiple layers of protection. In fact, storing files in the cloud is often safer than collecting private documents in an office or transporting them in a briefcase. Documents uploaded to a secure cloud file sharing solution are encrypted, and access can be limited to specific users.

BrickFTP’s custom branding options allow real estate companies to personalize each client portal, and custom password rules, flexible read, write and delete permissions, defined user groups, at-rest and in-transit encryption and activity notifications keep clients’ information safe and offer peace of mind to all parties. BrickFTP utilizes Amazon Web Services (AWS) as its subprocessor, and major players in the real estate sector, particularly Zillow, have adopted AWS to store and manage listings, pricing, photos and neighborhood graphics, according to Bloomberg Businessweek.

Storing real estate files in the cloud eases the workload for many real estate companies as it takes care of many backend functions, like processing large videos (think virtual tours of newly listed properties), and uses countless data points to help industry pros estimate sale prices in real time. Using cloud computing services like AWS is not only widely trusted in the industry, it also adds agility, speed, accuracy and efficiency for realtors, real estate services and related listing sites.

Choosing the right secure paperless real estate office software is the simple part. Enacting a policy to store client information and related files in the cloud is the next step. All documents can be scanned or created as digital documents or PDFs and uploaded by verified users in your cloud file sharing solution. If your real estate organization chooses to completely eliminate existing paper forms and documents, such papers can be stored in an offsite facility or shredded and properly disposed of once their digital versions are created and saved. It's vital to facilitate an understanding and cohesive company policy among agents and other employees in your company to understand why the move to digital documents and cloud storage is necessary for the progress of your modern organization.

Implementing and enforcing a strict protocol regarding the safekeeping of files, particularly those containing protected client information, is key. This is crucial to protecting the privacy and security of every individual employed in your company and the clients they do business with. Cloud-based real estate document management software is an important part of the equation, but the big picture should involve a company-wide policy that encourages the use of one unified system to avoid mixed use of physical and digital documents, which can ultimately lead to confusion and security concerns.

After a security and file sharing policy has been put in place at your real estate business, adopting a solution like BrickFTP will allow for large file size uploads, customizable permissions and access controls, streamlined sharing and communication and a central place to house important documents for specific clients. Going paperless and moving documents to the cloud is an easy way to make life easier for individuals who are in the process of buying or selling a home. Selecting a cloud-based solution that includes strict security features is an important way to gain clients’ trust in your realtors and entire operation.