New apps make it easier for home sellers to connect with buyers

Now that every buyer and seller is accustomed to using an app to search for property information and the nearest coffee shop, tech companies are upping the ante on what an app or an online platform can do. Instead of just using technology as a supplement to a real estate transaction, several companies allow sellers to connect directly to buyers through an app or an online trading platform. Home builder Lennar Corp. has completed a year-long pilot program with Opendoor in Las Vegas to encourage buyers of Lennar homes to sell their properties to Opendoor and trade up to a newly built Lennar home. Sellers fill out an online form and Opendoor provides them with an offer within 48 hours. The homeowners can accept or decline the offer.