A Realtor’s Tech Tool Kit

According to the National Association of Realtors, the average work week of all realtors nationwide ranged from 40 to 59 hours. No doubt most of those hours are during afternoons, evenings and weekends. Plus, does it include time on the phone, traveling between appointments and fighting with a fax machine? The real estate business is definitely not for the faint of heart. It takes tenacity, stamina, creativity, patience and an eternally positive attitude. Then again, if you want to be one of those agents who makes more than the average $48k annually, you will need to have a firm grasp of technology and a willingness to go the extra mile.

For now, we will skip the lecture on finding new clients 24/7 and the endless pursuit of market statistics. Let's focus on the technological tools available to make a realtor's job more efficient, less stressful and more client focused. The first thought that may come to mind is a website. A simple web page with contact information, credentials and a bit of a personal prospectus would be good for some business, but do not rely on it. The National Association of Realtors reports that 37% of all realtors have had zero business generated from a website. That is an important figure to consider, but keep in mind that having your contact information online is still very important for existing clients and other agents.

It is important to have a reliable smartphone and hands free device, but it is equally vital to know how to use them. Take the time to learn its shortcuts, location of files, applications, features. Learn how to quickly access email, voicemail, text messages etc. Then do a bit of research on the best applications for realtors. A voice-to-text app for accessing voicemail without having to actually listen would be extremely useful in situations where you just cannot have a phone on your ear. The same is true for a text-to-voice application to use while driving. Email and text messages can be converted to voice so you can keep up with client communication while driving between appointments.

Document management while on the go may seem impossible, but advancements in technology have made the office truly mobile. Files and photos can be received, stored and sent from a smartphone or iPhone with ease and at a decent resolution. And not just via email either. Internet fax has evolved into a service that brings the seemingly archaic use of paper into the paperless world of the mobile office. Now all those Offer To Purchase documents that go back and forth between realtors and clients on both sides of the transaction can be sent from party to party with just a swipe of the touchscreen. Your mobile office will now consist of your smartphone, a wand scanner, a little portable printer, a camera and some paper. Plus a few pens and a box of business cards. Kind of incredible isn't it?

Still on the subject of a technological tool, consider ways to bring in new clients using technology. Social media is the new billboard. Well maybe not new, but it sure is the fastest way to promote oneself no matter where you are and 84% of registered realtors already use social media to some extent. Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Squidoo are all places where people look for information not found in the newspaper or the phone book. It is the internet's word-of-mouth. So spending the time to build your Twitter page or LinkedIn profile will not only get your name out there, it will allow people to say fabulous things about you. Highlight feature properties you are selling in your social media too. You never know who is in the market for a home. If your budget has some room in it, consider Pay-Per-Click ads on Google or sidebar ads on Facebook. They will definitely generate new clients for you.

Once again according to the National Association of Realtors, For Sale By Owner (FSBO) sales accounted for 9% of home sales in 2010. That percentage may seem low, but it is a growing trend. With the increased ease of using the world wide web, more sellers are taking on the task of realtor themselves in order to avoid paying out a commission. There are struggles though. FSBO's find the most difficult aspects of doing it all themselves are: getting the right price, the investment of time, understanding and completing paperwork. Ironic considering those are the top three reasons most people decide to hire a realtor. Make your clients thankful for using an agent for selling their home by conducting seamless transactions and high profile advertising. Be attentive, innovative and always willing to use the latest technology. Those are some of the secrets of staying at the head of the pack.

Chris Haycox works for MetroFax Internet Fax as their head Network Administrator. MetroFax has just launched their iPhone app to enable their clients to more easily and securely access their faxes from anywhere. If you're looking for small business internet fax, visit us online today!