Central Ohio Real Estate Market News

Entries categorized as ‘Technology’

Watch for this email virus

December 3, 2008 · No Comments

Real Living’s IT department just advised us to watch for a virus that we might receive this season of gift giving. There are fraudulent emails indicating they are from UPS or FedEx with a message that a recent delivery attempt of a package was unable to be left. The email is from “UPS Packet Service” and is accompanied by a packet number but the word “packet” is misspelled. Here’s a pdf of what the message looks like.

Printing the message will launch the virus.

I know how much you want yet another present under the tree, but if you don’t think you should be receiving something from these delivery services, use caution. Don’t say I didn’t warn you!

Copyright © 2008. Reproduction of any portion of this blog post or the images is prohibited by the Digital Millennium Copyright Act. If this post is being viewed on any site other than www.ReesesPiecesOfRealEstate.com then the material has been stolen without permission. Violators will be reported.

Categories: Internet · Technology
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A decade of selling homes in central Ohio

September 7, 2008 · 3 Comments

This month is a fairly important month for me. First of all, it marks a milestone birthday for me, but I’m not going to talk about that … it’s too depressing.

Secondarily, it means that I’ve now been in the real estate business for ten years. When I took the 120 hours of coursework in August 1998, the instructors told us that for every three of us in the room, only one would still be in the business after three years. So I guess I’m a survivor.

During the past ten years, the business of real estate has changed quite a bit. Few brokers even had a web site. I started my own web site in 1999. The MLS system was DOS-based and we could only load one photo which took 24 hours to show up on the listing. Many of us used 35mm cameras and had to have the film developed first before we could scan it to load it into the MLS. Within a year we had digital cameras that used the big floppy disks. We thought we were in heaven.

DOS-based MLS - oh, my!

We searched for homes, sometimes via the MLS DOS system, but big thick books were easier to use, however, they were quite expensive and out-of-date by the time they were printed. Because we couldn’t see photos of the interior of homes, we would often show 20-30 homes to find one that was acceptable. Now we may show only 5-10, because the unacceptable ones are eliminated online.

The paperwork required to complete a transaction was far simpler. Now it seems we have disclosures for the disclosures. The Purchase Offer is now up to 10 pages. We can thank lawyers for that.

9-5 … what’s that?

Ten years ago, agents went to the office daily and unless showing homes, the agent was there all day. Now when I go into the office (only a couple times a week), it’s like a ghost town. Most agents work from home because technology allows us to do that. Of course, it means we must buy all the equipment for our home.

Newspapers and pretty home magazines were the primary source of advertising our homes. Now per NAR surveys, only 7% of buyers found their home using this source. That survey was done a couple years ago, so it’s probably even fewer than that now. Now the Internet is the only game in town!

Aren’t computers supposed to SAVE time?

When we took a new listing, it used to take only an hour or two to enter the data into the MLS and prepare in-home brochures. Now it can take nearly 24 hours just to upload the info and all the photos to ALL the many Internet sites. It’s much more time consuming.

We had pagers not cell phones. People called during regular business hours. Now with our cells, we’re on call all waking hours. I’ve had people call as late as 11:30 pm to ask about a home because they were sitting in front of their computer.

I’m not a pop-tart!

It’s become a less safe business. Now few agents will pop-up to go show a home without first having the caller come into the office. Anymore it’s just too risky to meet a complete stranger in an empty home. Plus, with the complex mortgage programs of recent years, we need to have the buyer pre-qualified first before showing them homes.

The cost of being in the business has increased. Our fees to CBR, OAR, NAR and to our brokers has increased. Realtor.com charges us quite a bit more to have our listings be a Showcase listing. Newspaper ads have gone through the roof - too high for the lack of results. The fees for our web sites has increased. If an agent hasn’t bothered to learn basic web master knowledge, then they must pay a techie to do the work for them. And then there’s the price of gas …….

Clients are still the BEST!

The one thing that hasn’t changed are our clients. They’re still a great bunch of people to work with, to get to know, and to become an important part of their life for a few months.

Copyright © 2008. Reproduction of any portion of this blog post or the images is prohibited by the Digital Millennium Copyright Act. If this post is being viewed on any site other than www.ReesesPiecesOfRealEstate.com then the material has been stolen without permission. Violators will be reported.

Categories: Advertising · Commentary · Internet · Real Living HER · Realtors® · Realtors® · Safety · Technology

Need help understanding a blog?

July 20, 2008 · 4 Comments

Some of my clients, or the potential clients that I meet, may not quite understand what a blog is or “how they work”. Even my daughters don’t quite understand it, but they DO read some of Mom’s stuff.

A web site is like a library …

A web site, (like mine at elainereese.com), is like a library. The information contained there tends to be more static. It’s always there when a buyer or seller wants to use it as reference material. Like a Library, we know that when we go there, we’ll always find certain books, or certain reference books.

A blog is like a newspaper … with a “Letters to the Editor” section

A blog is like a newspaper, dynamic, ever changing with the most recent news, events or ideas. Additionally, it provides a means for interactive communication between the reader and the writer. To see an example of how this works, visit my page titled Subdivision Sales, where several people have asked for additional information.

To leave a comment on a blog, you’ll need to provide a name and an email. Most bloggers also have put a ‘hold‘ on having a comment display until they have a chance to review the comment for appropriateness. Spammers are as plentiful in dumping their garbage into blog comments as they are to dumping it into our email inboxes! With most real estate bloggers, you don’t have to worry about commenting, in fact most of us LOVE to hear your comments.

What’s a Category Tag Cloud?

When we write a blog post (an article), we assign it to one or more Categories. The Categories with the most articles show up with larger font size in the Tag Cloud, which is on my right sidebar. If you want to read all the articles on a given subject, use the Tag Cloud or the pull-down box. Then select your topic.

What’s a Blog Roll?

Many bloggers will include a list of other bloggers. For some blogs this list is quite long. They do this to try to boost their Google Juice. My list is much shorter because I prefer to only feature high-quality real estate bloggers. All the bloggers in my list are worth reading even though they may not be in your state. Just keep in mind that real estate laws vary by state, so something they write about, may not be appropriate for your state. The agents in my list are those that I trust to write very good articles about their local markets. And some of those in pretty parts of the country, post excellent photos. Kristal (Denver), Jeff (Carlsbad), Cyndee (Clearwater) or the McGillicuddies (NH)  are particularly enjoyable to read for their photos. Carole (Cleveland) has a passion for light rail and local politics.

Why do those little photos of the commenters show up?

Agents, (or anyone really), who has joined MyBlogLog will have those tiny photos show when they visit a blog. A cookie on our computer tells the blog who we are, and adds the photo that we have submitted to MBL. If there’s no cookie, then a “shadow” person or a rotating design will show instead. MBL is one of the tools we use to help drive traffic to our blogs, plus it helps with our Google Juice.

Bloggers are changing the world!

Blogging is a fairly recent phenomenon, one that real estate agents have been slow to adopt. Most lack the computer knowledge that is required. Others simply can’t write, type or spell. Those agents that HAVE kept up with technology and embraced blogging, are finding that it is an extremely powerful tool to sell our listings and to sell ourselves. It gives you - our readers - an opportunity to get to know us personally, assuming the agent hasn’t hired someone to write for them. You can evaluate us in your jammies without ever having to talk to us. Isn’t that wonderful!

Copyright © 2008. Reproduction of any portion of this blog post or the images is prohibited by the Digital Millennium Copyright Act. If this post is being viewed on any site other than www.ReesesPiecesOfRealEstate.com then the material has been stolen without permission. Violators will be reported.

Categories: Advertising · Blogroll · Internet · Realtors® · Technology
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Technology helps us save gas

June 5, 2008 · No Comments

On this morning’s Today Show, they did a segment on companies allowing employees to work four 10-hour days versus five 8-hour days. This was helping people save on their gasoline costs.

It made me think about how much different my schedule is now versus when I began in this business nearly ten years ago. Back then, I went into my office daily. It’s a 24-mile round trip from my home south of Delaware to Worthington. As a new agent, I often would spend half the week driving through southern Delaware County and northwest Franklin County in order to become familiar with neighborhoods and their pricing. If I was working with buyers, it was not uncommon to show them 20-40 homes. I used lots of gas but it cost much less then.

Last year, I changed my status with Real Living to be that of a “mobile agent”. That means that I gave up having a desk in the Worthington office, and instead work out of my home. Many weeks, I drive to the office only 2-3 times. By becoming mobile, I get to keep a greater portion of the commission I earn, and pay less of it to Real Living. When I did my income taxes in April, I realized that I drove 3000 fewer miles in 2007 than I did in 2006. That’s a LOT! It saves not only on gas, but also wear ‘n’ tear on the WEENR-mobile.

With our computers, cell phones, faxes, and pdf files, I can work just as well from home. In fact, I can be MORE productive because I’m able to avoid the chit-chat that wastes time in the office. That aspect isn’t for everyone if they are highly social or aren’t self-starters. Some agents say that they tend to do everything at home BUT work and that actually going to office helps them focus. So it may depend on your personality as to whether working from home is for you.

We’re not having to show as many homes to buyers now thanks to all the photos that are placed on the internet. It’s so-o-o much simpler to sort through the 50-60 homes that might come up in a computer search to then prune the list the buyers actually WANT to see. Instead of physically driving and showing 20-40 homes, we may only show 5-10 before a buyer finds one they like. (If you’re a seller … remember that. That’s why hiring an agent who takes good photos is so important.)

The possible downside to working from home is that you’re always at the office. I turn on my laptop around 7:30 in the morning and may not shut it off until Conan’s on. Sometimes even Carson Daily is on before I shut down. But by then, I’m in my jammies so who cares.

The ONE PERSON who really likes my change to mobile status is THE MURPH. ;-) No more long days alone … and since I’m not going into the office, there’s a chance - just a chance - that he might get to “go for a ride” if I have errands to do like restocking outside flyers. The rest of the time, he’s quite happy just to be laying by my side taking one of his many naps, with an occasional jaunt outside to meet & greet his neighbor’s.

Copyright © 2008. Reproduction of any portion of this blog post or the images is prohibited by the Digital Millennium Copyright Act. If this post is being viewed on any site other than www.ReesesPiecesOfRealEstate.com then the material has been stolen without permission. Violators will be reported.

Categories: Real Living HER · Realtors® · Technology

A Holiday Weekend? Not for Realtors®!

May 26, 2008 · 4 Comments

I had plans for this holiday weekend. Nothing too exciting … just 3 things I hoped to accomplish.

  1. Buy some annual flowers and actually get them planted. Last year I bought them but was not able to find time to plant them so they died.
  2. Go shopping … something I HATE to do … for something to wear to my granddaughter’s wedding in three weeks. I know what I WANT to buy - now it’s just a matter of finding it.
  3. Relax! I haven’t taken a full day off from real estate since New Year’s so I was hoping ….

So far, I haven’t checked off any of the things on my list, but I have had a pretty beneficial weekend.

  • I started it with a lunch with my older daughter - the “mother of the bride” daughter. It was her birthday but the conversation naturally focused on the upcoming wedding. I think we’ve both reached the age where she is becoming the parent and I’m reluctantly becoming the child. (just kidding!) I know what I’m supposed to “generally” wear … where I’m supposed to sit at the wedding and the reception … and which usher will seat me, among other things. I may need to enter these things into my Voyager phone so I remember to do everything just right.
  • I spent some time in the Muirfield area. Since it was a few days before Jack’s Memorial Tournament, the landscape companies were hard at work making everything pretty so all looks well for the incoming guests and TV cameras.
  • I was in the Powell office more than I was my Worthington office. One of the agents there said, “are you back again!” There were several agents in there busy as well with clients and working on contracts. It’s wonderful working for a big broker like Real Living where we can use the computers, copiers, faxes and conference rooms of our “sister offices”. Helps save gas, too!
  • Showed a brand new listing to a buyer. We’ve been viewing homes for a few weeks now. This new listing was far nicer than anything we had looked at PLUS it was much lower priced. So off to the Powell office to write and submit an offer. Got that home in contract the next day.
  • Received an offer on one of my listings. We’re still working on this one.
  • Made a listing presentation to a seller whose home was listed with another broker/agent for the past year.
  • Got some pruning and weed pulling done in between emailing various pdf files to various agents and various clients. Thank goodness for scanners, email and bluetooth! I can talk on the phone without missing a beat with the pruning shears … that’s unless I need to talk with my hands … which is hard for me to do. Don’t you get tickled watching someone talk via a headset? It’s humorous watching someone seeming to be talking to the air and gesturing with their hands. Murphy gives me THAT LOOK that dogs give us when they think we’ve gone crazy.
  • I made sure my listings were all well-stocked with outside flyers just in case a drive-by buyer is interested. Took some new outside photos of a couple of them then later uploaded the new photos to several internet sites.
  • Tried to avoid buying gas at $3.99 this holiday weekend. Think I’m going to have to breakdown today and buy some, however.
 Hope YOU’RE having a terrific weekend and have enjoyed the great weather we’ve had so far. Aren’t you glad you’re NOT a Realtor®!!!!

Copyright © 2008. Reproduction of any portion of this blog post or the images is prohibited by the Digital Millennium Copyright Act. If this post is being viewed on any site other than www.ReesesPiecesOfRealEstate.com then the material has been stolen without permission. Violators will be reported.

Categories: Buyers · Commentary · Delaware County · Golf course communities · Homes · Homes for sale · Muirfield · Powell Ohio · Real Living HER · Realtors® · Sellers · Technology

I just want to be a Realtor® … not a computer geek!

April 27, 2008 · 6 Comments

On April 10, I wrote about being on techie overload. Well, it seems to be continuing!

On Friday, all of a sudden I began having trouble accessing the regular web sites that I use - like my sites, HER’s web site and the Board’s MLS system. I would get the “can’t find web site” message.

The only thing that had changed from the night before was an automatic Intrusion Prevention update from Norton Symantec, the program I use for internet security. Friday was a busy day, so in the evening I signed on for a chat session with Symantec. I allowed the chat person to enter into my computer to try to fix things. Nothing he tried worked. After 90 minutes he decided it would be good to uninstall the Internet Security program and reinstall. Immediately after it unistalled we lost the connection.

So now I’ve got a computer with no internet security program, and because there’s no record that I’m a Symantec customer, they won’t let me back into the chat session so the program can be reinstalled. I had downloaded the program, therefore I couldn’t reload it because I had no CD. By now, it was around 2:00 AM so rather than cry I decided to go to bed and work on it in the morning.

Saturday was to be another busy day, so I decided to just stop by Staples and buy the Internet Security program (so I would have a CD). I loaded it while I was holding a listing open - it took about 90 minutes for it to do all the checks, restarts, rechecks etc. It finished just as I had to leave the open house to show a home to a client.

In the evening, I tried to do my regular work but again was having some difficulty accessing certain sites. Sometimes I can get to the site - sometimes I can’t. Last night I was able to access my web site and the MLS system. This morning I can’t … I’m getting the “can’t find site” message again. I keep getting the little yellow triangle that says “Done, but with errors on page” which means I can’t see some of the images or drop down boxes that I need to use. I’ve assigned the sites that I need to use for real estate data as Trusted Sites. I’ve checked and rechecked the IE 7.0 options and don’t see anything that would be preventing this access - especially since I didn’t make any changes to it on Friday.

If any geeks out there have any suggestions as to why I started having this problem or have any solutions to correct it, I’d love to hear it.

Copyright © 2008. Reproduction of any portion of this blog post or the images is prohibited by the Digital Millennium Copyright Act. If this post is being viewed on any site other than www.ReesesPiecesOfRealEstate.com then the material has been stolen without permission. Violators will be reported.

Categories: Internet · Technology
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I’m suffering from techie overload!

April 10, 2008 · 3 Comments

I’m a pretty techie person … everyone says so … but I’m about to pull my hair out. There’s only so much frustration a person can take!

Last week, our Board of Realtors switched to a new MLS program. The previous one was called Tempo. The new one is Tempo 5. The new version has lots of bells & whistles but as with any new system, there are bugs to be worked out by the supplier. The system is hiccuping - like when it puts a caption intended for a bathroom, under a photo of the kitchen. I’ve had to redo my listings’ photos 4 times to correct and re-correct the captions so they match the photos. 

Then this week, WordPress decided to make the Dashboard fancier - notice I didn’t say better - just fancier. I can live with their changes but something happened in the editor box where we write the posts. Even though I type in paragraphs, when I SAVE the post, WP undoes the paragraph formatting. I try to correct it with html coding but again, when it goes through the SAVE process, the program strips all the code and puts in CSS code.

Then this morning when I turned my cell phone on, all I saw was a blue screen. My contract with Verizon was to run out next month and of course the phone’s warranty just ran out. SURPRISE, SURPRISE! Is anyone NOT convinced that the phones are programmed to die a certain death on time.

Well, the next few hours were spent at the Verizon store. The first store I visited (in Lewis Center) wasn’t a “corporate” store and thus, wasn’t allowed to have their test phones hooked up to the Internet so shoppers could actually see how they work. So I had to drive to the CORPORATE store near Polaris.

Based on a recommendation from a blogging Realtor® friend in Cleveland, Carole Cohen, I planned to get a Voyager or an NV. I wanted the big QUERTY keypad (bifocals, ya’know) and I wanted access to email and the Internet. I also considered a Palm Treo since it accesses the REAL Internet, not the mobile version, plus, it can be used with the MLS system and open lockboxes. In the end, I decided on the Voyager for the big screen on both the outside and inside. Like the IPhone, it’s just so cool!

So once I’m done with my computer work tonight, I’ll be working on my phone’s settings.

Earlier this week, another agent asked me why I still use a hardcopy dayplanner. It’s days like today that cause me to keep my good ‘ole dayplanner and my land line phone, even though I seldom use it - unless my cell phone dies!

Isn’t technology supposed to make our lives easier????????

Copyright © 2008. Reproduction of any portion of this blog post or the images is prohibited by the Digital Millennium Copyright Act. If this post is being viewed on any site other than www.ReesesPiecesOfRealEstate.com then the material has been stolen without permission. Violators will be reported.

Categories: Commentary · Internet · Technology
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Here’s a handy-dandy camera tripod

March 15, 2008 · No Comments

tripod-002.jpgYesterday I stopped at a camera store to buy a larger memory card for my digital camera. While there, I noticed a nifty device - that I ended up buying.

It’s called a Gorillapod by Joby. It’s a mini tripod with bendable arms that can be wrapped around items for stability. The white areas are a rubbery-type of gripper to keep it from slipping. Just like regular tripods, it has a screw at the top to attach it to the camera.

Per the package, it can hold up to 6 lbs. My old 35mm camera was bit much for it, but the small digital camera that I now use, works great.

I have a regular tripod, but seldom use it because the legs spread out too much, making it hard to fit well into most homes AND still get the entire room into the photo. But not using a tripod sometimes causes slightly blurred photos if I must use a low-light setting where the shutter is open for a longer time. I’m hoping this new little gadget may help with that problem. tripod-005.jpg

I could see this little gadget being handy to use with a video camera. Attach it to the handlebars of your bike or boat, for a ‘reality’ ride. For even more fun, take it to the amusement park and attach it to the handles of the ride. Capture your screams!

As I said, I purchased it at a camera store. I later learned that it’s available at one of the discount electronic stores for half the price. Ah, well, with the price of gas … the camera store was on the way home, the discounter wasn’t.

Copyright © 2008. Reproduction of any portion of this blog post or the images is prohibited by the Digital Millennium Copyright Act. If this post is being viewed on any site other than www.ReesesPiecesOfRealEstate.com then the material has been stolen without permission. Violators will be reported.

Categories: Technology
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Do you choose experience or innovation?

March 14, 2008 · 2 Comments

I just received an email from Rudy Bachraty, the Social Media Guru who writes for Trulia’s blog. Rudy is asking real estate agents to vote on whether it is better to use someone (Realtor®, doctor, lawyer … or President) with experience OR with up-to-date or new ideas.

Obviously, a combination of both is ideal. However, since real estate agents are often slow to adapt to new technology, if you can’t find an agent who offers both, which would you opt for?

There are many, many agents who have LOTS of experience … years in the business … but they have a great deal of trouble taking photos with digital cameras, emailing pdf files, or even loading their listings into the MLS system or their broker’s web site. And they have NO knowledge of the importance of the Internet or know what to do to gain maximum exposure for their listings. They have the EXPERIENCE but lack the KNOWLEDGE.

Then there are the “newbie” agents who may not have difficulty with the new technology, but have no knowledge (experience) in evaluating what price a home might sell for, or what repairs might be needed in a home to prevent “issues” later, or what things to watch for when reacting to or writing a Purchase Contract or what steps to take to make sure the home STAYS in contract.

As a buyer or seller, which is most important to YOU when selecting a Realtor®?

Copyright © 2008. Reproduction of any portion of this blog post or the images is prohibited by the Digital Millennium Copyright Act. If this post is being viewed on any site other than www.ReesesPiecesOfRealEstate.com then the material has been stolen without permission. Violators will be reported.

Categories: Buyers · Realtors® · Realtor® selection · Sellers · Surveys · Technology
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Real Living is recognized for its innovation and branding.

February 24, 2008 · No Comments

Stephan Swanepoel, a known real estate researcher, has published his latest book titled “Real Estate Trends 2008“.

In it, he recognizes the leaders in my brokerage, Real Living HER. In the chapter “NEWSMAKERS“, he highlights some of the accomplishments of Harley Rouda Jr and his wife, Kaira Sturdivant Rouda. Here’s what he writes about them …

“This husband and wife team makes a powerful couple. Barely 12 months ago REALTOR® Magazine named Rouda one of Real Estate’s Top 25 Most Influential Thought Leaders, while Inman News named him one of the Most Influential People in Real Estate. And a few months ago they both received the Corporate Value Award for their ability to continue to create the greatest corporate value for their company through economic, financial, job, organic and acquisition growth.”

her-logo.jpgIn another chapter titled “CLASH OF THE TITANS“, Real Living is recognized as “The Most Promising New National Brand“.

“This once local real estate company based in Ohio has moved from a regional independent into an expanding, almost national franchise in 20 states with 160 offices and 4,000 agents - all in just five short years.

Real Living knows that the Internet has forever changed the way consumers buy and sell homes and how they work with their agents. In this ever-evolving world of real estate, agent need their brokers to provide more marketing, technology and training support than ever before and help them work smarter, not harder in meeting the ever-changing needs of home buyers and sellers - saving them time and increasing their productivity.”

I’ve been a real estate agent for Real Living for nearly ten years. A lot of changes have occurred during that time, most notably their web site for consumers and the intranet site for us agents. What the intranet site allows us to do is simply awesome. No matter where we are - a client’s home, in our cars showing homes, or even on vacation - we can prepare contracts, load listings, submit ads or a host of other things direct from our laptops. 

While it’s easy to take Real Living’s technology for granted, I’m always reminded of how good we (and our clients) have it when I attend a Board meeting and listen to the difficulties that agents have who work for the small brokers. I’m certainly glad I’m associated with a broker who is such an innovator. It helps me AND allows me to help my clients … and, that’s the most important thing!

Copyright © 2008. Reproduction of any portion of this blog post or the images is prohibited by the Digital Millennium Copyright Act. If this post is being viewed on any site other than www.ReesesPiecesOfRealEstate.com then the material has been stolen without permission. Violators will be reported.

Categories: Advertising · Internet · Real Living HER · Realtors® · Technology
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Would you watch a Realtor®’s video?

January 17, 2008 · 4 Comments

Have you noticed a trend by various companies or news reporting web sites to use videos instead of word articles? Inman News uses these videos quite frequently in place of the previous written articles. I think this switch has become popular because of the popularity of YouTube and because creating videos is so much easier with the new cameras.

While I do enjoy actually seeing the commentator ‘in-person’ to watch how their mannerisms or verbal emphasis give additional info, I do miss the ability to scan. With written articles I can quickly scan to get the gist of the information, then determine whether I want to spend the time to read it completely. I can’t do that with a video. There’s no fast-forward. Plus, a lot of office computers don’t have speakers so the video is wasted. Who wants to watch a silent movie?

Many of Inman’s videos are 20-30-40 minutes long! That’s too much time to devote to getting info that I could previously spend a minute or two to gather.

The real estate “experts” are advising us to create videos to market ourselves where we talk about what we do and to include videos of tesitmonials from past clients. Now, while this is a cool idea, let’s face reality. How many clients are going to devote 20-minutes to listening to a real estate agent talk about how they’re the greatest thing since sliced bread!

Videos or slide shows work well for showing interior photos of homes, but they last only a couple minutes. Using a video to promote the agent is a whole different matter.

So get ready … you’re apt to see more of these videos when you visit real estate agent’s web sites … whether you want to or not.

“Hey, little buyer … wanna see my video?”

Copyright © 2008. Reproduction of any portion of this blog post or the images is prohibited by the Digital Millennium Copyright Act. If this post is being viewed on any site other than www.ReesesPiecesOfRealEstate.com then the material has been stolen without permission. Violators will be reported.

Categories: Realtors® · Technology

How secure are the lockboxes used on homes that are for sale?

December 26, 2007 · No Comments

Copyrighted lockboxYou’ve probably noticed some sort of contraption hanging on the door knob when a home is for sale. These things are called lockboxes and they contain a key to allow a real estate agent to open the home to show it to buyers.

The old-fashioned lockboxes have a combo dial like your high school locker lock did. Others have punch buttons that function in similar fashion to the dial. While they offer convenience, they aren’t as secure as we would like.

The best system is to use the “latest & greatest” Supra system. Here’s how it works, and the benefits it offers to sellers and agents. Copyrighted keypad

Every agent who is a member of the Columbus Board of Realtors®, purchases a keypad, which is the black object in the photo. This keypad is coded to be specific to the agent. Each night, an agent puts the keypad into a special cradle that is connected to a phone line. Overnight the cradle “calls” the Board’s computer to be updated. If the agent is “in good standing” the keypad will update. If an agent has had their license suspended or has left the business, the keypad won’t update and thus, that agent’s access to homes is stopped.

When an agent lists a home, they put one of the blue lockboxes on the door knob of the home. Inside the lockbox is a container that holds the home’s key. That container can only be released by using the black keypad’s code. When the buyer’s agent enters their code, the keypad sends a signal to the lockbox, releasing the container that holds the key.

The system does not work overnight hours. It shuts down in the evening after a certain time and doesn’t start working until the next morning at 9am. This assures sellers that no one can enter their home in the late evening hours.

When the agent’s keypad is updated each night, it also downloads data to the Board’s computer regarding which lockboxes were opened with the keypad. This gives the listing agent a record of who entered the home. (It’s against the Board’s rules to enter a home without prior confirmation of a showing.) If the listing agent’s report indicates a buyer’s agent entered without the required confirmation approval, the listing agent can report this violation to the Board. The report also shows the time the buyer’s agent entered the home. Again, the listing agent can check to see if the time the buyer’s agent entered the home, matches the time the buyer’s agent requested.

Although not connected with the Supra system, Real Living HER uses a computer system when a buyer’s agent calls a specific number to set up a showing. The system is tied in with the Board’s computer, and assures that the agent truly is a Realtor® with the Columbus Board. After the showing is confirmed with the seller, an email is sent later to the buyer’s agent with a link to a feedback form that can be easily answered and submitted back to the listing agent.

One thing I should note, is that this is the system used by our local Board. Other areas or other states may do things differently. And the extra security that is evident with the keypad and blue lockbox, does not pertain AT ALL to the combo boxes, since no keypad is required to open those boxes. That’s why most agents don’t use them anymore except in special cases.

Copyright © 2007. Reproduction of any portion of this blog post or the images is prohibited by the Digital Millennium Copyright Act. If this post is being viewed on any site other than www.ReesesPiecesOfRealEstate.com then the material has been stolen without permission. Violators will be reported.

Categories: Home selling process · Safety · Sellers · Sellers · Technology
Tagged:

Do you expect your Realtor® to follow ALL laws?

November 12, 2007 · 4 Comments

Of the million of Realtors® nationwide, only a very small percentage have blogs, even though they are being told they should. In the Columbus metro area with around 5,000 agents, only a handful actively blog.

We’re the early adaptors!

The problem is that few agents have enough technical knowledge to do one. Hey, many have difficulty even posting their listing’s photos to the internet. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve been asked what “drag & drop” means! ;-)  

Since my web site won the 1st place award from the Ohio Association of Realtors®, I have had a few local agents want me to help them with a blog. The issue is that even if I set up their blog for them, they would have to actually write and maintain it. That requires a lot more knowledge than ghostthey possess and the learning curve is longer than they want to invest.

As a result, a few agents either have or are considering hiring someone to set-up the blog then actually write the blog for them. These ghost writers are techie folks, not real estate agents.  

This issue is being discussed within the real estate blogging networks. Most blogging agents are against it because we know that the public is reading our blogs and choosing to hire us based on how they approve or disapprove of our writings. Our personality comes through when we write our own blogs. It’s technically called being “transparent”.

Then there are the copyright thieves. For example, a local agent has three blogs, all managed by someone else. All three blogs have stolen articles written by others but presented as having been written by the blogger. Not only is he misrepresenting his real estate knowledge, but doing this is illegal as it violates U.S. Copyright laws. This agent’s blogs also uses photos taken by others, which also violates the copyright laws. He risks being sued because he’s stealing articles from other agents, from CNNMoney, from MSNBC, from Bankrate.com, and other sites. (With Copyscape.com it’s very easy to see who has stolen our articles.)

If you are a buyer or seller who reads a Realtor®’s blog and decides to hire that agent based on their blog personality, how would you feel if when you actually meet the agent in person, you realize they weren’t who they presented themselves as being?

Would it bother you to learn they had misrepresented themselves?

How comfortable would you feel knowing that the agent wasn’t bothered by violating U.S. laws?

Would you want to hire an agent to conduct a legal property transaction knowing that they didn’t behave in a legal or ethical manner in their own online advertising?

Feel free to offer your comments. 

Copyright © 2007. Reproduction of any portion of this blog post or the images is prohibited by the Digital Millennium Copyright Act. If this post is being viewed on any site other than www.ReesesPiecesOfRealEstate.com then the material has been stolen without permission. Violators will be reported.

Categories: Commentary · Internet · Realtors® · Technology

Is your home land line becoming useless?

October 22, 2007 · 2 Comments

fax phoneI still have a land line phone although have been considering doing away with it. It is connected to my combo fax/answering machine. It is set up to answer on the first ring then either go to the answering machine or to the fax if it gets that signal.

I stopped answering it years ago when the telemarketers were such a problem - before the do-not-call list. Everybody either uses my business number or my cell number, both of which ring to my cell phone.

If my land line rings, I know it is someone I don’t want to talk to - like the politicians who are exempt from the DNC rules. Off to the answering machine they go, then I can ERASE.

However, today a friend I hadn’t heard from for eons happened to call the home land line number. The person was in the process of leaving a message as I walked by the phone, so I immediately picked up the phone and we had a nice chat.

What I realized was how “trapped” I felt with that type of phone. Having used only my cell for 5-6 years, I was no longer accustomed to staying in one spot as I talked. I know that I’m not the only one who multi-tasks when they’re on the phone.woman phone

We can take that time to load the dishwasher, let the dog out, fix a fresh cup of coffee, let the dog in, walk out to pick up the mail, let the dog out, empty the trash, let the dog back in, throw a ball to the dog, etc. And that’s only when we’re in the confines of our homes!

My absolute favorite is listening to a husband in the grocery store talking to his wife while he frantically searches the shelves trying to find the exact product his wife has put on his list.  

As much as we say we hate to listen to people talk on their cells, and there are times I wish people would hit the vibrate more frequently, it’s really hard to imagine life without them. I know I feel so much more secure when driving with it always at my side.

As an aside to this topic, if you entered your number(s) when the DNC first went into effect, your five years are about up. It’s time to re-up at www.donotcall.gov or you’ll be put back on the telemarketers bother-them-at-dinner list. Don’t say I didn’t warn you!

Copyright © 2007. Reproduction of any portion of this blog post or the images is prohibited by the Digital Millennium Copyright Act. If this post is being viewed on any site other than www.ReesesPiecesOfRealEstate.com then the material has been stolen without permission. Violators will be reported.

Categories: Commentary · Technology

ALERT: Verizon Wireless Customers

October 20, 2007 · 4 Comments

My broker, Real Living HER, just provided us with an alert on a change that Verizon will be making starting Nov 16. Here’s the message they posted on our intranet:

Attention all Verizon Wireless customers: Beginning on Nov. 16, Verizon Wireless will share detailed information (incoming calls, outgoing calls, call length, software present on your device, etc.) with third parties and affiliates to gain knowledge about your calls and services. This information will be shared in order to deliver advertising from those affiliates.

Verizon Wireless has sent a letter to all customers about the plan, and BroadbandReports.com has written an article about the new plan here.

Individual customers may call 1-800-333-9956 to opt out of the plan and withhold their information from being shared.

Those using a business/multi-line account can notify Verizon Wireless via fax to 866-745-4661 or email to cpni-notices@verizonwireless.com.

I checked the letter, which is posted on the BroadbandReports site, and it’s a 6-pt-type 4-page document that I’m sure if I received, I would have tossed rather than trying to read.

Don’t you wish we had to “opt-IN” for things like this rather than opt-out. Put the onus on them rather than me. Any way, if you don’t want your info sold, be sure to call the number before Nov 16.

Copyright © 2007. Reproduction of any portion of this blog post or the images is prohibited by the Digital Millennium Copyright Act. If this post is being viewed on any site other than www.ReesesPiecesOfRealEstate.com then the material has been stolen without permission. Violators will be reported.

Categories: Technology