Of the 5 million apps out there, only a rare few will take your productivity to the next level. After years of trial and error, I hunted them down the same way I hunt for the right avocado at the grocery store.

In this article, I’m breaking down the AI tools that replaced my old workflows, the no-code builders that let me create apps without touching a line of code, the classic apps that are still standing strong, and the CRE-specific tools that give me an edge in the field.

The AI Layer

These are the AI tools doing the heavy lifting. They’ve replaced assistants, search engines, and entire workflows.

Claude AI

This is my new workhorse. The team feature is bonkers. You can collaborate with team members on ongoing projects, brainstorm deals, or clarify complex stuff, all inside one shared thread.

It has extensive memory. It handles complex, multi-step tasks. $150/month, and worth every penny.

Wispr Flow

Replaced Superwhisper for me. Ever been juggling three conversations while walking to your car? Wispr Flow turns my voice dumps into coherent texts and emails that actually sound like me.

It’s faster, cleaner, and now my default for anything I used to type.

Perplexity AI

I use this instead of Google for most searches now. Need to research demographics, lease rates, or comps? It’s almost as good as CoStar or Crexi for quick clarity. It’s right there, on the go, in seconds.

Manus AI

This one’s for simplifying big data sets. When I need answers distilled from messy information, Manus thinks like an analyst. Manus is like having a brand new “spreadsheet guy” on your team (and available whenever you need him).

Lindy AI

This is where your 24/7 employees live (at almost no cost). I use it for tasks my VA used to handle. Example: finding an email or phone number for a contact. Lindy skip-traces LinkedIn and the web. If it’s out there, Lindy finds it.

Another task this handles for me: scheduling. CC Lindy on an email thread, and it coordinates calendars, goes back and forth, and drops the invite into both calendars automatically.

ChatGPT

I hope, by now, everyone is using ChatGPT (even my dad does).

The Builders

No-code tools that let you build apps, presentations, and designs without needing a developer.

Lovable.dev

This is where you build fully functioning apps (with no coding required).

I created a due diligence checklist app for my team. Everyone collaborates on it. Everyone loves it.

Some people are building apps here and selling them. Wild times.

Gamma.app

Game-changer for slide decks, presentations, and flyers. You talk, it builds. Voice-to-slides. I’ve personally designed presentations that don’t feel like a bot made them anymore. Hands down the best presentation tool I’ve found.

Canva

Still here. Still your $13/month graphic design assistant. Flyers, social posts, marketing decks. All done in minutes.

The Classics

These apps survived the AI purge because they still do their job better than anything else.

Superhuman

Still my favorite email app. AI that corrects your emails. Swipe gestures. Snooze. Send-later. Team comment threads that kill endless back-and-forth. I hit inbox zero at least once a week.

Google Apps

Our command center. Universal folder hierarchies. Naming conventions across the team. GDrive’s mobile collaboration is still unmatched.

Apple Notes

My second brain. Daily planning, collaborative checklists, sending OMs on the fly. It does it all.

Notion

Where all my marketing happens. I’m writing this newsletter in Notion right now. The collaboration features are next-level.

1Password

Losing 15 minutes a day to password chaos adds up to 60 hours a year. 1Password solved that. Syncs across devices. Updates for the whole team. Stores logins, credit cards, everything.

Beehiiv

Best platform for sending emails to many. I use it for this newsletter and for investor communications. It has that human, one-to-one feel (not the cold MailChimp vibe).

CRE-Specific Tools

If you’re in commercial real estate, these are non-negotiable.

Industrial IQ

This is our in-house Small Bay Industrial acquisition software. Opening to the public soon.

It’s a superpower for getting in front of small bay owners. 10x (maybe 100x) speed on targeted acquisitions for small bay industrial.

I wrote a blog about this. Click here to read it.

Karl’s Mortgage Calculator

Negotiating seller financing? Running cash flow scenarios? I’ve calculated numbers on the fly mid-phone-call. This app is your best friend.

LandGlide

Plat maps at your fingertips. First thing I check before stepping out of the car. Square footage, neighboring owners, property lines, everything I need.

Bonus Apps

A couple more tools that make life easier.

• Riverside: best software for virtual podcast recordings. Records locally on both ends, automates short clips, makes post-production painless.
• Grammarly: spell-checks my texts on the go. When I’m not using Wispr Flow, Grammarly catches the typos.

Conclusion

That’s the stack. Here’s what matters: AI tools like Claude AI, Wispr Flow, and Lindy AI are replacing entire workflows. No-code builders like Lovable.dev and Gamma.app are letting you create without technical skills. And the classics like Superhuman, Notion, and Google Apps are still standing because they work.

The game has changed. What used to require a team of assistants and a mountain of subscriptions now runs on a handful of smart tools that actually talk to each other.

Tech helps, but the fundamentals matter more. I cover the essentials in my proforma lessons.

Use it, abuse it, and let AI do the heavy lifting so you can focus on deals.

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