With technology, one minute an app, software or platform could be deemed “the best,” and the next minute, a company has come out with something even better that vies for that title.

To create this issue and make sure we had the most accurate “bests” in each category as of press time, in addition to our own opinions, we asked an expert panel of five tech-savvy and highly qualified agents – some based in Chicago, some from outside Chicago – to give us their picks of what the best apps, software and websites are that all agents should be using to get ahead in their business.

Read through each category (we’ve included what we think are the most important categories agents need for their business; the rest of our categories are published online at chicagoagentmagazine.com/real-estate-tech) to find out what you should be using when it comes to lead generation, showings and social media, among others. But a big part of technology is also staying up to date with it, and making sure you know what’s the latest and what you should download and invest in. We’ve also got tips to help you stay on top of that here.

Do you agree with our best apps, websites and software, and our runners up? Disagree? Email me at stephanie@chicagoagentmagazine.com or comment on our cover story and let us know.