The Apple of our i(Phone)!

by Glenn Kelman | 13 Comments

The Ravens just beat the Browns 16 – 0, but those of you without a Tivo may have noticed something else about the Monday Night Football telecast: a new Apple iPhone ad featuring the Redfin iPhone app. On seeing it, Scott Nagel, Vice President, Real Estate Operations, hardly one given to over-the-top displays of emotion, got high-fives all around from his football-crazed children.

Redfin for iPhone Superbowl Ad

We knew the ad was coming, but Sasha Aickin put the fear of Apple in us and for once we kept a secret. To Conan Reidy and all the other people who say I can’t keep clam because of a few minor middle-school indiscretions, this is but one of many examples of really, really juicy stuff I’ve kept to myself…

Many thanks to the folks at Apple for hooking us up, and to the Redfin iPhone team for building such a sweet real estate app.

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Discussion

  • http://www.lahomephotography.com Gregory

    I saw it tonight and was extremely excited for you and the Redfin team. I had to rewind and slow-mo it. The app looks very cool. Hopefully you can quickly port one for Android phones so all of us non-AT&T people can enjoy Redfin’s mobile bliss.

    P.S. – Just posted some suggestions on http://blog.redfin.com/blog/2009/08/at_last_redfin_releases_its_iphone_app.html

  • http://blog.redfin.com/blog/author/glenn%20kelman Glenn Kelman

    Yeah, it looks especially good in slow-mo… we know we need to do an Android version, but we have a lot of other stuff to do too… we’ll do our best to get to it Gregory! And we’ll check your suggestions too!

  • Brad Cerenzia

    Very cool, Glenn! I already have it on my iPhone, but I’m ditching the iPhone for the Droid soon, so I’m glad to hear you guys are thinking forward.

  • http://www.drivebuytech.com/ Ian Greenleigh

    Glenn-

    Any idea why your app was chosen (besides it’s sheer awesomeness)? Great exposure!

  • Raymond

    I love your website, and I already love the iPhone app. If you don’t mind me asking. Do you have an in-house user experience staff or are did you use a consultant? If consultant, who? I’m a Director of User Experience for GlobalEnglish, (not a competitor!). Just really admire the site and use it as an example of great User Experience.

    Raymond

  • http://www.redfin.com Sasha Aickin

    @Raymond:

    Thanks for the kind words. We developed the app and site in-house, but we actually don’t have a user experience staff per se. We just have product managers and engineers who care a lot about user experience and are willing to sweat the details. We also have a management/exec team who is willing to give us the extra time it takes to get some of the small stuff and polish done right, and that was especially true in the development of the iPhone app.

    Of course, that’s not to say we don’t mess up UX sometimes; we know that we do. It’s also not to say that it’s the absolute right way to set up a team or that you can’t succeed with a dedicated UX staff; it just seems to be the way that’s worked best for us.

  • JanelleS

    This makes me smile. I’m so proud of the people that made this happen. Kompai!

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  • tom

    I have the Verizon droid and would love to see an android version. Please make it a priority.

  • ex-realtor

    One ex-Realtors opinion, now that I am free of Realtors I have some opinions to share:

    Finally got into a smart office with no NAR! Breath of fresh air. Real ethical people, not those pretending to be good. Not paying a price to believe it. Ethics should be free!

    I HATE NAR, WAR, SKAR & SCCAR too! Nearly a decade of problems with them. I am not meaning to offend those agents thet do not know the true intent behind NAR.

    They have attacked their own current members, our offices. In fact, they don’t know who their members are or aren’t, as they are incompetent! Their web sites are full of old offices that havent’ been their members in years! Our brokers withdrew our membership as we got sick of getting letters saying to stop using the trademark when we were paying members. Of course, we all had a party to celebrate that wonderous event!!! NAR doesn’t update to deceive the public! We estimate that less than 15% of all agents in WA are Realtor membersand not the large numbers they put out there. We did a count and subtracted the offices that were closed down, changed names or left NAR embership not the extra offices that NAR has had the states hey leave up on their web sites to deceive the publie.

    I was embarrassed to be a member. Only a fraction of the money we pay goes to protect rights. The rest goes into their fat corporate pockets, salaries, trips, etc. or are used to fight over stupid trademarks or words! Think about what you are really paying for!

    Wake up people!!!

    Mafia style tactics, as they threaten and attack their own members! Loyal members for decades are being attacked by NAR’s legal council, Chris Osborn. Who doesn’t research who or what a party has done before he files a lawsuit. This is unconshinable behavior, not becoming of a BAR member! He threatedn or files irresponsible suits against those that have been paying members for decades. Giving them no reason or examples for the suit.

    Pay us our you die!!! Who wants to be in that type of membership?

    Shouldn’t memberships be an option for those who wish to be members? Isn’t this America? How can they get away with racketeering? Strong arming and cause good agents grief!

    NAR stinks!!!

    In my opinion. avoid their membership always or they may try to get you!! That’s what bullies do!

    BE ethical avoid joining the National Association of Realtors!!!

  • Katherine

    Droid user here, dying for the app!!!

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  • http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=716535735 Liana Leahy

    Yay for iPhone users… but don't forget Droid