Free municipal Wi-Fi network LinkNYC is enabling New York residents using its Internet access to open the StreetEasy mobile application on their smartphones and view available apartments in their vicinity, showcasing the potential of marrying real estate with mobile in a more pervasive way. 

LinkNYC has begun its official rollout by joining forces with StreetEasy, a map and photo-search service for apartment and home rentals and sales, to enable New Yorkers to more easily find ideal places to live during the peak summer season. The partnership is indicative of the lucrative potential that real estate companies can find on mobile platforms, particularly for those attempting to appeal to millennials and younger demographics.

?Real estate is inherently mobile, particularly in Manhattan where so much exploration is done on foot, and with LinkNYC, we can deliver curated listings directly to consumers,? said Peter Edwards, senior director of marketing and analytics at StreetEasy. ?Being the first company in the real estate space to partner with LinkNYC allows us to take our ad campaign a step further to reach people in real time, within their desired neighborhoods.?

Just in the neighborhood
LinkNYC, a municipal Wi-Fi network that is entirely funded through advertising, is helping StreetEasy connect with more city residents by effectively bridging the gap between them and their potential next home.

Through the partnership, New Yorkers can sign onto LinkNYC?s complimentary network via their smartphones and download the StreetEasy application for Android or iOS devices. StreetEasy is also available as a desktop and mobile site.

Passersby may spot digital billboard ads around various city neighborhoods promoting the collaboration and encouraging them to check out nearby available listings. Listings will be refreshed each day, by way of StreetEasy receiving direct access to Link?s API.

?StreetEasy is taking advantage of many of LinkNYC?s unique features, including its location and context aware capabilities and API, which allows StreetEasy to keep the listings fresh and relevant to the neighborhood around the Links,? said Dave Etherington, chief strategy officer at Intersection. ?When you're walking through Chelsea, you're only seeing the most up-to-date listings in proximity.

?LinkNYC's ultra-high-speed bandwidth also helps drive immediate calls-to-action, allowing passersby to download the app or access the listings within seconds.?

Therefore, individuals in the market for a new home or apartment rental could be persuaded to use StreetEasy?s service instead of another real estate brand. Additionally, the convenience of swiping through nearby listings on a mobile device could plant a seed of inspiration among consumers thinking about a near-future move.

Handing over mobile?s keys
LinkNYC?s partnership with StreetEasy could pave the way for a series of future collaborations with other mobile-optimized real estate platforms. Millennials? tendency to carry around their smartphones at all times of the day requires marketers to maintain a strong presence on mobile, with real estate companies being no exception.

Several brands have already made waves in this respect, opting to leverage mobile campaigns and digital video to entice new customers.

Several months ago, Zillow brought a streamlined real estate experience to mobile in a bid to attract consumers searching for new homes, allowing them to undertake video walkthroughs prior to viewing the property in-person (see story).

Additionally, Century 21's use of text overlays and a strong call-to-action during a 2015 mobile native video campaign resonated well with users, with more than 25,000 video views at a cost of $0.02 per view after the first five days (see story).

Hyper-localized mobile ad campaigns are perhaps one of the most potentially lucrative advertising methods for regional real estate brands.

?We?re excited to offer consumers a new way to engage with StreetEasy?s comprehensive real estate listings in a live, hyper-localized way,? StreetEasy?s Mr. Edwards said. ?Our partnership with LinkNYC will enable New Yorkers to view available properties in their area and empower them to act by downloading the StreetEasy app to connect with agents more quickly.?