Top 10 Articles from January

A quick etymology lesson: the word January is named after Janus, the Roman god of doorways, beginnings, endings, and time. He's the mythological deity depicted with two faces--one looking to the past and one to the future.

It's an appropriate image for the first month of the year, when people are reviewing the year that just ended and the one ahead. Our content in January reflected this mindset--several articles looked back on RE Technology's best posts from 2013, while others suggested resolutions for the year ahead.

Below is our round-up of the most popular articles from January. Our contributors looked back, looked forward, and suggested plenty of great tech tips to help your business in 2014.

1. Best Tablet Apps for Real Estate Agents - by Geneva Ives
While we all love our smartphones, tablets are increasingly prevalent in the marketplace today. In many cases, especially for real estate agents, they're easier and more convenient to use. Would you rather show a client pictures of your new listing on your phone or on your iPad? We thought so.

2. 4 Lead Generation Sources: Which Should You Budget for in 2014? - by Kelly Phelan
Some lead generation sources, like social media and Craigslist, only require an investment of time and motivation. But at the start of a new year, many real estate pros are more concerned about paid sources of lead generation and where--or if--they fit into their annual budget.

3. How I Took My Real Estate Business Paperless - by Kathy Rukat
I love my iPhone and iPad, but finding the right combo of apps was the biggest challenge. I think I finally have a winning combo that gives me peace of mind while I am out of the office so that I won't miss a beat – either an opportunity or a client's deadline.

4. 12 Google+ Tips for Real Estate Professionals - by James Harris
On top of being a great social network to share your content, Google+ can definitely give your SEO efforts a boost given its close integration with Google Search and its other products.

5. Your Sphere of Influence: The Heart of Your Contact Database - by Celeste Grupman
Your sphere of influence is made up of the people that know you and who, more to the point, are most likely to go to bat for you. Given this, building it is something you should think about carefully and something with which you should take great care.

6. Put Home Seller Services on Your Agent Website - by Properties Online
A great way to increase relevant content on your real estate website is to include a page that lists, in detail, the services you provide to home sellers. This makes it simple to justify your commission – the work you'll be doing is explicit.

7. 4 Easy Ways to Improve Your MLS Listings - by RET Staff
As much as people talk about online marketing, REALTORS® know that the most effective way to sell a home is to publish the listing in the MLS. Aside from making sure that the listing is accurate, there are a few other things that you can do that will leverage the MLS as a marketing tool.

8. Resolutions to Improve Your Business in 2014: Beef Up Your Website - by Shannon O'Brien
While 70 percent of Realtors® have a website, their sites generate only 4 percent of their business, according to the National Association of Realtors® 2013 Member Profile. If you're looking for a better way to drum up business, consider taking the time and spending the money necessary to make 2014 the "Year of the Website."

9. Down Payment Information is a Marketing Opportunity - by Kelly Phelan
Would-be buyers who are unaware that programs exist to help them with their down payment may well sideline their dreams of owning a home. By sharing vital information on down payment assistance programs, agents can convert those sidelined prospects into home owners.

10. Top Product Reviews from 2013 - by Kelly Phelan
We encountered a lot of great tech products in 2013. Some were new to the real estate sphere, while other solutions received significant updates. In order to help you choose the best products for you in 2014, we've rounded up a list of our product reviews from the past year, arranged by category.