Agents who do presentations out of the office

It has never been easier to project your presentation on to a wall or screen at a clients home or office.   They are less than 3 lbs and fit in the small bag and put out 50,000 lumens.

The paperless office redefined by Adobe

If you have wondered what format most real estate professionals use to store their documents you must think to Acrobat 9 Pro: It will protect documents and accelerate information exchange with PDF. The PDF format can be used for print or Web delivering your clients an easy to read and store document.

For newer brokerages it is standard for the old school it is a must to embrace technology to move forward.

Webographer Blog Interview

1) Tell us a little about yourself and your business.

My business has evolved over the years from hardware to building custom website applications to providing a service by using SaaS Tools to deliver fast easy to use applications to real estate professionals.
2) What is your background?

My background varies from early retail and food service while in school to jumping on one of the 1st Internet Companies providing eCommerce back in 1994. That evolved into working with one of the largest search engines up in San Francisco, LOOKsmart. I was following the stock options which lead me back to one of the original founders of one of the largest Mall on the Web as an server administrator heading up a development team where employees local and abroad collaborated with us. Technology has always been my focus with a high regard for customer service and usability.

3) Why did you undertake the REAL ESTATE WEBOGRAPHER™ (REW™) certification?

It was one of the few educational programs I found that can bring an agent or broker up to speed. ePRO is passe'.


4) Which course (or courses) did you find the most value in?

All of them were valuable. Even if I knew the answers it doesn't hurt to have a refresher now and again.

5) In what ways will you utilize the technologies you learned in the REW certification to enhance your career or business?

It will allow my wife's brokerage to grow utilizing the latest technologies to speed transactions, provide our clients with the best customer service and save time and money. Her company Triple8 Associates Inc is as paperless as they come. We can chat offline about what we do and why.

6) How long did it take you to complete the certification and what are your impressions of the online experience?

I could of tested out as fast as I could get through it but I took my time to review the lessons, got busy putting out fires and missed my deadline and had to reinstate. My background gave me the tools so I had a built in knowledge base. I recommend it to any agent who I speak with.

Thank you Scott for taking the time.

ScottLau@Webographers.com

Choosing a Notebook, Netbook or PDA or other Mobile Device

Most real estate professionals need to stay connected during their work day but what device you choose directly relates to how tech savvy you are as well as your over-all office infrastructure.

Just a few years ago, most agents would go into an office and use the company computers, phones and resources while trying to grab or be assigned an incoming lead to the bullpen.

Those days aren't entirely gone. Really they are alive a well with some of the largest real estate companies in the United States. I was recently in a class on Marketing and the instructor started speaking about "Farming" in terms of mailing postcards. Even most citizens who grew up on a farm and their families were Farmers don't FARM anymore. Their land has been sold off due to competition and lack of resources or subsidies from the government.

Anyway, enough of my rant on to the technology. Your choices are the following:

• Desktop with 500GB mobile storage (limited use)
• Laptop - (larger market)
• Tablet or Convertible - (great for new online signing software - Recommended)
• Netbook (newer - not for everyone)
• iPhone or PDA Blackberry (good multi-use hardware - has limitations but should be standard for all agents)

If you have questions about brands, new technologies coming out drop me an email. Getting good advice before you head off to Best Buy or Frys is advisable because just because something is cheap doesn't mean it is good. It could be last years model that isn't going to be supported and if you had the knowledge to wait 3 weeks it would have you a ton of money and big headache.

Jason

Are you a mobile professional?

Are you a mobile professional?

If you havent been living in a cave for the past 20 years you at least own a cell phone but that dosent make you a mobile professional.

Own a Desktop or Laptop OR possibly a Netbook?

If you answered Desktop, that is great but you should have a notebook with an internet connection when you are out and about with clients or traveling. A PDA works but MLS data is limited.

If you answered Laptop or Tablet you are on the right track, especially if you utilize digital signatures and paperless software. In many instances, it is at the brokerages discretion to implement these policies which is costly in the short run but slingshots their business over the competetion over the next five + years.

If you said Netbook, you would be an early adopter due to the fact some of the models are anquicated and cute but only serve limited purposes. The newer models fix many of the original issues including more Memory and Hard drive Space which is directly linked to the Operating System your device comes with. Wireless connectivity is great if you can find a Starbucks or other WiFi Network to crash but to be fully capable the device must be connected full time using services like At&t 3G or Verizon 4G built into the board so you do not have to fool around with pc cards or usb devices.

The new HP Mini 5101 takes it to the next level - Check it out here weighing in at a little over 2 lbs.

Why aren't you backing up your pc or notebook?

Why aren't you backing up your pc or notebook?

Really, once a week is sufficient, nightly is better with the hardware being super cheap there is no way you can't opt for a $100 USB drive to backup your system. If you don't backup and lose all of your data look forward to getting drilled by the recovery guys, IF they can recover any data.

Best Buy, Frys they all have small drives that you plug-in at night and setup the software to run incremental backups. This means the software will only backup the items that change.

You will sleep better if you even pay attention to the value of your email and stored data to $$$$ and time. If you don't worry and are oblivious of the time lost so be it.

Here is one of the lowest cost and portable drives: Western Digital My Passport Essential 320 GB USB 2.0 Portable Hard Drive WDME3200TN (Midnight Black)

Of for $20 I would recommend upgraded to 1 Terabyte Western Digital My Book Essential Edition 1 TB USB 2.0 External Hard Drive WDH1U10000N It makes sense in the long run whether you have a 250 GB hard drive or larger.

Also if you have a home network plugging in a networked drive large enough will allow all of the computers in the house to backup over CAT-5 or your wireless connection. Check out the Iomega Home Media 1 TB Network Attached Storage 34337 for network storage. You will be seeing more and more network attatched storage especially if your home is wired has a DVR, Playstation, XBox or any other media device.

For questions, email me.

Off Topic - Check out my wife's cousin's bank "Gabe Dixon Band"

Agents without PDA, IPhones or Blackberry Mobile MLS

The mobile MLS is free to GLVAR members so when you are driving clients around and you are not carrying a notebook with a 3G card you can check homes that you drive by for clients.

This is a key factor in being a mobile tech savvy real estate agent.

Having your client call on a sign to ask if it is available or vacant makes you look bad when the selling agent or whoever is answering the phone that weekend asks a few questions like are you working with an Agent? When the buyer says yes, the agent, broker or service should tell them to look it up in the MLS.

This is where your PDA comes in handy.

Get a Blackberry Bold, IPhone or other compatible phone with a browser that is compatible with the MLS. You will look professional to your buyers and the selling agent won’t have to do you work.

To buy or not to buy - Netbooks

Netbooks are all the buzz and getting alot of hype but they are not ready for prime time for business users who demand more ram and hard drive space. Built in wifi is good but built in wifi using At&t, Verizon or other 3rd party celluar broadband service. The lightweight design is great, portiblility is super but the current lightweight OS will soon be Vista with much larger hardware upgrades. I say wait a bit till they work the kinks out and bump the hardware horsepower.

Awesome Paperless Tools

The most important tool in going paperless is the way you scan documents in your work flow process and insure that they are the best quality while keeping the file size down. ScanSnap Fujitshu does at great job with the S150 and S150

Best Smart Phones for Real Estate

Tmobile, Verizon, Att&t, Virgin Mobile, Sprint, Wirefly, or Boost Mobile - where do you start? Most of these will work with most free email services and well as connect to your pop mail, surf the Web, take pictures, voice mirrors and video.

• iPhone 3G
• Blackberry Bold 3G
• Google Mobile G1
• HTC Smart Phones
• Pal Treo
• Motorola Q

Make sure you get a phone/pda that is on a high speed data network. There are some curves out there that are not 3G compatible. Also you can increase your storage on most of these with transflash memory.

Marketing 101 - Less Agents more Buyers

There are fewer agents and more buyers either waiting or buying who have been looking for 18 months on the Web.

How are they going to find you? Twitter, Facebook, My Space, And Your Free MLS Pro Website?

How can you project within seconds, I am the one to call to assist you with your Las Vegas Real Estate needs!

What does your home page say? I read one the other day explain how "Sandhurst is having a grand opening and don't forget Ivana Registration is coming soon! Painful but good for the rest of us who update their Website regularly and advertise your domain name on everything and everywhere along with branding yourself not your brokerage you can gain a potential clients trust to make a connection.

Smart House Technology

The Ultimate Smart house is hear but not affordable at this time but soon we will be able to equip our homes to emulate "Sara" from the sci fi show "Eureka" when she sets preferences in the home pours a beer when you walk in the door and monitors your vital signs... yes all of this and more is just around the corner.

Just a few years ago in Las Vegas more and more builders were including CAT-5 wiring in their electronic packages some as standard features to run low voltage systems over like network connections, voice communications intercom and multimedia and lighting systems.

The market is still there but at a price. We will have to wait to the market improves and until we can make convincing argument that a smart refrigerator is a good buy or installing a PC in the kitchen is a must have.

If you have questions about this subject I am familiar with most of the home network systems and can direct you in the correct direction. Jason

Property Management Software

If you are one of the hundreds of agents who have run out to get their property management permit and "get in" on where the $$$ is well you have better be prepared to not only know how to be a property manager but utilize software to make your life as a property manager a little less complicated. The number #1 complaint from owners is "I never hear from or get info from my property mgr."

Ready Set Go....

• www.Propertyware.com
• www.rent-right.com
• www.tenantfile.com
• www.rentmanager.com
• www.landlordmax.com
• www.yardi.com
• www.irealtymanager.com

Are just a few of the players in this arena.

Low Cost Scanning Systems - Must have technology

Are you still scanning pages using a flat bed scanner or a old school one sheet at a time? I say stop the madness now and purchase a low cost scanner that will scan, compress to a pdf file ready to email. Most of these units have a 30 sheet capacity so they are perfect for contracts.

The software is easy to install and operating the unit is even easier. In most cases, you connect via USB port, load the documents and press scan. You will be able to scan 30 pages in about 4 minutes and be ready to email. The prices are listed below are for new products and potentially onsale so if you choose a used product it may be less expense or the price may be entirely different.

Here are my recommendations:

• HP ScanJet N6010 Document Sheetfeed Scanner - Document scanner - Legal - 600 dpi x 600 dpi - up to 18 ppm (mono) - ADF ( 50 sheets ) - Hi-Speed USB $412
  
• Simplex Color 18PPM 600DPI 24BIT USB 2.0 50 Page Adf Scanner $367
  
• Fujitsu ScanSnap S510 Sheet-fed Scanner $399
  
• ScanSnap S510M Instant PDF Sheet-Fed Scanner $499
  
• Microtek Artixscan DI 1210 ( 1108-03-550011 ) $285
  
• Plustek Smartoffice PS282 Smartoffice PS282 Duplex Scanner $371
  
• Canon 2454B002 imageFORMULA DR-2010C Compact Color Scanner $422
  

Thanks if you have any questions please send me an email.

Adobe Acrobat 9 Released

View CNET Video on the new Google Phone

View CNET Video on the new Google Phone with the Android OS.

Check out Streaming TV on the Web for FREE

One of the latest technologies to hit the Web is instant television. Miss a show no problem because you can catch it later on the Web. Tivo is great but Hulu is better. Check out one of the funniest real estate shows on Cable. Flipping Out.

Amazon is coming, Amazon is Coming

Did you know Amazon.com is opening a massive warehouse in North Las Vegas? First, CDW now Amazon moved part of their operations to Las Vegas, NV possibly due to the favorable business climate compared to CA.

The technology boom happened in SF but the costs of office space and an overheated valuation of the companies eventually lead to SOMO or South of Market demise. Las Vegas is primed to be ground zero of the next technology boom where startups can find low cost office space, pay no state taxes, and import high tech talent to Vegas where housing has settled down to an affordable range.

Technology Startups are coming. Scott Blum built a technology startup incubator in Orange County in an area where commercial space is off the charts - Think Vegas Scott - if you are listening restart it in Vegas.

New GLVAR Panoramic Tours

Free Tours via the MLS are great for all REALTORS® so take advantage of it and add those tours for your million dollar listings as well as your condo rentals.

Pictures and Video do make your listings stand out in a MLS that is flooded with listings with no images. Not one image. Not only are there no images the descriptions are usually weak and directions incorrect. Gate code good luck. These are generally the short sales and bank owned properties.

Here is the rub - we tour as many foreclosures as possible on a weekly basis’s and I shoot at least 30 to 50 pics if they are good, less if they are mediocre and 50 if they are really bad, but I actually offered a REO agent free gallery if he gave us permission to market his listing and you know what - he never responded.

A Free 50 photo gallery so he could even use a few photos for the MLS and the Agent NEVER responded.

Keep taking photos and video and spice up your listings - it does make a difference.

A Few Must Have Software Programs

Protecting your information and your clients information is very important so I recommend the following programs on your home desktops and notebooks/tablets for mobile use. You must put safe guards in place to protect against data theft and personal information. Always shred documents or use a shredding service. Shred-it in Las Vegas provides "Shred Day" a few times a year around the valley. Take advantage. If you have any questions on the software below you can call me to schedule an appointment or email me.

Virus Protection:

1. AVG Virus and Spyware
2. Norton 360
3. McAfee

Spyware:

1. Spybot - Search and Destroy
2. Ad-Aware 2008 by Lavasoft
3. Spyware Doctor

Firewall Software:

1. Zone Alarm
2. Sunbelt Personal Firewall

Privacy Software:

1. Speed Tracks Eraser
2. Total System Sweeper
3. Wash and Go

Personal Lock Services:

1. LifeLock

Thanks and stay safe online and off

Jason

Do you use RSS Feeds?

If you haven't heard there are a ton of news readers and aggregators on the Web like Newsvine, Digg, Fark, Technocrati, Reddit, StumbleUpon, Delicious, Slashdot, Propeller, Mixx, Furl, Twitter, MySpace, Facebook, Google, Yahoo, Windows Live, Ask, MyAOL to name a few.

Your Website should be taking full advantage of these tools to speed information from the World Wide Web to your Website into your hands and the hands of your customer. A professional, well designed Website will give you a competitive edge over your competitors. Believe me when I say, “Just having a Website and a Domain Name isn't enough."

If you are going to put up a site that is under construction or with outdated content don’t bother. Free sites, generic sites are passé'. There are a few keys to building a Website are Usability, Accessibility, Fresh Targeted Content and Design.

We use proven methods to meet all of the criteria and more to generate the best Website we can to meet your Vision on the Web.

DOJ & NAR Settlement

Getting a Ton of SPAM - File a Complaint

If you are getting bombarded from eflyer companies who send SPAM on a daily basis please file a complaint at https://www.ftccomplaintassistant.gov/ .

These companies claim to comply with CAN-SPAM Act but they violate the law right out of the box.

SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS.\In this Act: (Click Here to View)

(1) AFFIRMATIVE CONSENT.—The term ‘‘affirmative consent’’,when used with respect to a commercial electronic mailmessage, means that—
(A) the recipient expressly consented to receive the message, either in response to a clear and conspicuousrequest for such consent or at the recipient’s own initiative;and
(B) if the message is from a party other than the party to which the recipient communicated such consent,the recipient was given clear and conspicuous notice at15 USC 7702.
PUBLIC LAW 108–187—DEC. 16, 2003 117 STAT. 2701the time the consent was communicated that the recipient’s electronic mail address could be transferred to such otherparty for the purpose of initiating commercial electronic mail messages.

What are your choices for PDF Software?

eFax and most other online fax programs utilize .PDF for documents. You have a few choices in the software realm to choose from:

1. Adobe Acrobat 8.0 (Special offers on Adobe products.)
2. Nitro PDF (Website)
3. CutePDF (Website)

In order to edit documentss and add stamps you need an editor besides efax software or high end software such as Adobe Photoshop or Illustrator.