As mobile app downloads continue to grow, apps are becoming a significant way for consumers to engage with brands. With this in mind, RentalHomesPlus.com has rolled out apps for Android, Kindle Fire, iPhone and iPad devices while Apartments.com has launched an iPad app and enhanced its iPhone app.

“Mobile apps play a significant role during the apartment search,” said Dick Burke, senior vice president and general manager of Apartments.com, Chicago, IL. “People want fast and easy access to information on the go, including apartments and homes, which can be conveniently tapped from their mobile device.

“To enhance this experience, we’ve updated all our existing mobile offerings as well as launched some new apps for our sister website RentalHomesPlus.com,” he said. “Now, shoppers can conduct their apartment or rental home search from the mobile device of their choice and receive an excellent apartment search experience tailored to the size of their device.

“Our initial focus has been on the clean and elegant way of presenting search results and information about rental properties. We will be launching interactive map-based search, as well as property reviews and social capabilities on our mobile devices.”

Customized search
Whether consumers are shopping for an apartment or a rental home, renters on-the-go are embracing mobile to help in their search for a new place to live.

For this reason, Apartments.com has made mobile a priority in order to provide customers with a strong experience that meets their needs.

Renters looking for a single-family home can search thousands of listings from a wide range of mobile devices using the new RentalHomesPlus.com apps for Android, Kindle Fire, iPhone and iPad.

Key features in the apps include the ability to search by city, state and ZIP code, GPS functionality to display apartments nearby and searches customized by floor plans, photos, amenities and other attributes.

Users can also save searches so they can return to them later, directly contact a property representative via phone or email and view maps and get directions to visit a property

Results are provided in a map or list view.

The site also offers an Android app which uses responsive design to enable renters to search for an apartment from any Android phone or tablet, with the screen adjusting automatically to the size of the device.

Mobile investment
Apartments.com recently expanded its mobile presence with the launch of an app for the iPad. At the same time, the site updated its existing iPhone app, which originally launched in 2009.

The iOS apps offer many of the same features as the new Android apps and also enable users to email their entire favorite list with one click of a button.

All Apartments.com listings are also accessible on any mobile browser for users who prefer the mobile Web.

“Since our initial launch of mobile in 2008, we’ve seen fantastic adoption and excellent growth in mobile traffic of 96 percent year-over-year, which is why we will continue to invest in both our mobile Web site and apps,” Mr. Burke said.

Final Take
Chantal Tode is associate editor on Mobile Commerce Daily, New York