Top 10 Articles from September

School started last month, but judging by the list of our most popular articles in September, it looks like your kids weren't the only ones with learning in mind. Agents and brokers devoured our articles about new products and--perhaps reflecting the slower autumn selling season--lead generation strategies.

Read on to find out what other RE Technology posts got the mental wheels turning during September.

1. Which Real Estate CRM Should I Use? - by Matthew Collis of IXACT Contact
Are you looking for a real estate CRM? There are so many systems on the market these days that weeding through them is often difficult and time-consuming. We feel your pain! That's why we want to make it as easy as possible for you to understand what to look for in a real estate CRM.

2. Do's and Dont's for Thriving in the Electronic Information Age - by Home Zone Media
Being a top agent means more than listing and selling more homes. Today's agent must be tech-savvy and prove to potential clients that they can leverage leading edge tools. Real estate technology is moving at such a blistering pace, most agents will eventually fall behind if they don't have a strong electronic marketing campaign. Here are a few "do's" and "dont's" to help get you started.

3. Lead Generation: What Works? - by Maya Paveza
I am often asked about lead generation systems: What online services work? Where should I be investing my money? What's the best product? What do I like? What do I use? You know what? It's not really relevant what I like and what I use. The reality is that any lead generation system or leads are only as good as you, who's working them.

4. HDR Photography Overload - by Geneva Ives of Point2
It's that time again... time to discuss yet another trend contributing to the ever-growing population of bad MLS photos. Can you guess what it is? No, we're not talking about piles of dirty laundry – although that classic listing photo flop probably deserves its own post. Instead, we want to take a moment to caution agents against the overenthusiastic use of HDR.

5. Checklist: Are You Using These Tools for Customer Service? - by Emily Williams
Our business is all about referrals, and gaining referrals is all about providing optimal customer service. Now, I know your time is limited so I'm going to make this really easy for you. I've talked to David Lester of Sequent Systems, an efficiency expert of sorts, to get his top tools for customer service – and I've compiled them into a checklist so you can see how well your practice measures up.

6. Beyond Residential: Commercial Agents Can Use RPR, Too! - by Kelly Phelan
Making the transition to commercial real estate can be challenging for agents who come from a residential background. On top of that, novice commercial agents need to embrace new technology tools in order to be successful. RPR Commercial is one of those tools. Launched in 2012, the application gives commercial agents access to dynamic search and reporting features, demographic and zoning information, and beyond.

7. A Guide to Paid Online Marketing, Part I - by ListHub
A lot of real estate search websites offer opportunities to enhance your listings, or advertise, to attract more buyers. With all of those options how do you decide the best place to enhance your listings?

8. A Look at WebsiteBox's New Lead Capture App - by Kelly Phelan
WebsiteBox's Lead Capture App transforms your website into a collaborative tool between agent and client. By providing insights into user behavior, it lets you be a savvy guide who can help buyers find the home of their dreams.

9. 4 Tips to Keep You Safe During REALTOR® Safety Month (and Beyond!) - by the National Association of REALTORS®
As a REALTOR®, the risks you face seem to grow more frequent and more complicated. Take time this month to consider how safe—or unsafe—you are as a real estate practitioner during the course of a typical day.

10. iPad vs. Microsoft Surface Pro for Real Estate - by Victor Lund
Until now, the iPad has reigned supreme as the leader among real estate professionals. Now Microsoft has a legitimate contender in the race that deserves serious consideration among real estate professionals. It is called the Surface Pro.