SimpleumSafe for real estate agents
Protect property documents.From instruction to completion.
Keep listings, property documents, viewing notes and confidential client data encrypted on Apple devices.
Confidential files from instruction to completion
A property listing for approval, floor plans and supporting documents for an appointment, or notes from a viewing: real estate agents work with a mixture of public, internal and personal information.
Not every document is confidential. Owner and prospective buyer data, proof of finance, unpublished property documents and key or access information do, however, require appropriate protection. SimpleumSafe provides a separate encrypted space for selected files on your Apple devices.
Everyday tasks
Protect property documents
Keep listings, floor plans and internal documents organised by property in the Safe.
Prepare for viewings
Have notes, proof of finance and approved documents available for appointments on your own device.
Capture property photos directly
Save supplementary photos from your iPhone directly in the Safe without placing them in the general photo library.
A protected space alongside your real estate software
SimpleumSafe supplements your existing storage with an encrypted space for selected property and client documents. The Finder-like interface on Mac makes storing and organising them easier. No cloud is required for local use; encrypted synchronisation between your own devices is optional.
Decide which documents are kept in SimpleumSafe and how edited or approved versions return to the intended workflow. Your CRM, real estate software, communications, approvals and primary property record remain in the systems intended for those purposes.
Data protection throughout the file workflow
Contact details, correspondence, viewing notes and proof of finance may contain personal data. Article 32 GDPR lists encryption as one possible measure within a risk-based set of technical and organisational safeguards. The software alone does not make your agency's organisation GDPR-compliant.5
Limit personal information in listings, working copies and exports to what is necessary for the specific purpose. For residential lettings, German data protection authorities distinguish between a viewing, a specific intention to rent and the decision for a particular applicant; different information is necessary and permissible at each stage. Retention periods, access rights and deletion of copies that are no longer needed are part of the process too.7
Data protection and security in detail
How does SimpleumSafe protect your documents, and what still needs attention during property instructions, viewings and data sharing? Open the topic you would like to explore.
Encrypt files and file names
SimpleumSafe protects file contents and associated information, such as file names, using AES-256. A closed Safe therefore does not reveal which owners, prospective buyers or properties it contains through its file list. You can use multiple Safes, for example for selected properties or to separate professional and personal documents.1
Protect access to confidential documents
You open your Safe with your Safe password or, where supported and configured, biometric authentication. A strong, dedicated password and a protected, up-to-date device go hand in hand. Keep recovery and setup information safe too.
Readable content may be accessible on an unlocked or compromised device. Encrypted storage therefore does not replace device protection or clear access rules in the office and while travelling. Key and access information should only be available to people who actually need it.1
Check stored data for errors
The integrity checker examines the Safe's internal structure and the links to stored file data. Additional options also allow you to check whether files can be read and decrypted.
A successful check applies to the areas examined. It does not replace a backup or confirm that a property record is complete, or that a document is correct, current or approved.2
Prepare backups and emergency access
Back up your Safes regularly and independently of your working device, for example to a separate storage device. Files stored in the Safe remain encrypted in a complete Safe backup too. Check that the backup can be restored.
Create a recovery password in advance and store it safely, separate from your device. It allows you to reset a forgotten Safe password. It does not replace a backup or restore deleted files.1
Assess a loss or theft correctly
If a device or a copy of a Safe is stolen, effective encryption can prevent unauthorised people from reading the contents. Whether access credentials, key material or an unlocked device are also affected is crucial to the assessment.
Communication to affected individuals is generally required where a personal data breach is likely to result in a high risk. Under the conditions of Article 34(3)(a) GDPR, effective encryption can make that communication unnecessary. Notification to the supervisory authority under Article 33 must be assessed separately; the incident still needs to be documented.5
Synchronise your own devices in encrypted form
SimpleumSafe can be used locally without a cloud. You can optionally synchronise changes between your configured Apple devices in encrypted form, through iCloud or directly between devices; a shared folder is also possible between Macs. Each configured device has its own local Safe.
Normal synchronisation data does not contain the separate Safe key file. Copied synchronisation data and the Safe password alone are therefore insufficient for decryption. This statement does not apply unchanged if setup information, key material or a configured device is also compromised.
Synchronisation also propagates deletions and unwanted changes and does not replace a backup. For cloud services, contractual arrangements and data protection requirements must still be assessed separately. Encryption does not automatically remove the need for a required data processing agreement.36
Capture property photos and documents directly in the Safe
Using the camera in SimpleumSafe for iOS, you can photograph paper documents or supplementary property views and save them directly in the Safe. They are not stored in the general photo library. This can be useful during a property visit or viewing.4
Encrypted storage does not replace permission to take the photograph or the need to check which people, private belongings or access information it shows. Clearly distinguish approved marketing images from internal photographs.
Account for approvals, editing and exported copies
Importing brings a file into the Safe. Depending on the import method and settings, the original may remain in its previous location. Importing does not retroactively protect copies in an email inbox, Downloads folder, CRM or property portal.
A file must temporarily be readable for editing. On Mac, SimpleumSafe can provide a working copy in a protected temporary area. The editing application may create its own copies or cloud backups. Exporting or sharing creates a decrypted copy outside the Safe. Before sending it, check the version, approval, recipients and any personal information it contains.47
Sources and product documentation
- SimpleumSafe: Security and Encryption method – access, file information, backups and recovery passwords.
- SimpleumSafe: Integrity checker – scope and additional options.
- SimpleumSafe: Extreme secure synchronisation – device synchronisation, key material and limitations.
- How SimpleumSafe works and Take photos directly into the Safe.
- GDPR, particularly Articles 32–34.
- EDPB Guidelines 07/2020, “Hosting services” example, p. 16 – storing encrypted data on behalf of a controller.
- German Data Protection Conference: guidance on information collected from prospective tenants, version 2.0 – permissible information at each stage of the letting process (in German).
Keep selected property documents protected
Would you like to keep listings, viewing notes and confidential property documents encrypted on your Apple devices? Explore SimpleumSafe’s features and find the right purchase option for Mac, iPhone or iPad.
What you can do with SimpleumSafe
Learn more about the features and protection for your files on Mac, iPhone and iPad.