Why You Should Host a First-time Buyers' Seminar
First-time buyers bring a lot of specific questions and anxieties to their home search. That's why hosting a first-time buyers seminar is a great real estate marketing move: It will help establish your expertise and expand your network, while offering them some valuable advice. Not only will your personality be on full display, but you'll establish your authority on the local market and local laws and procedures. You'll show that you can disentangle real estate jargon for intimidated home-seekers.

Understanding the Real Estate Market to Generate More Sales in 2019
There are many ways to generate more sales for your real estate business. Learning new sales techniques and understanding different ways to market yourself is important. But what about understanding the local real estate market around you? That's what Pam Ermen did to become a great real estate agent.

Rewind! The Top 5 Educational Webinars for Agents from 2018
From artificial intelligence to predictive analytics, 2018 was the year when our readers learned how today's high tech offerings can help them earn more business--and more commissions. It was also a year that saw two of our favorite real estate tech platforms debut new looks--and sophisticated new features. Throughout 2018, we hosted a series of live webinars that took an in-depth look at these new developments and more. With a bit of quiet downtime before 2019 gets into full swing, it's an opportune moment to learn more about the technologies that can boost your business' bottom line in the year ahead. This list of our top webinars can help you do just that. So curl up with your laptop, play a webinar or two, and take notes on your favorite strategies and tech products for success in the year ahead!

How to Join Online Meetings and Webinars
There are many benefits to attending webinars and meetings online. They allow people located far distances from each other to connect and share ideas. They conveniently allow us stay in our own offices and desks during the work day. They don't require expensive software or technology to use. They allow for more attendees than traditional meetings and training sessions. Online meetings and webinars are great, but if you haven't attended one before, they may be a little confusing. If you've been invited to an online meeting using GoToMeeting, here's a great resource explaining how to join your meeting. Attending a webinar? In this post, we'll explain four things you should know!

Chris Smith Will Be National Speaker for Homes.com
If you have been around real estate technology, you know Chris Smith. His career started in the days authoring and managing the B to B blog and social media for Realtor.com, followed by his recent success promoting both DotLoop and Curaytor. The agreement with Homes.com will have Smith touring cities such as Atlanta, Boston, Los Angeles, Chicago, New York, and other major markets to train agents on how to use real estate technology effectively in their business. Homes.com offers one of the most complete technology platforms for real estate agents and brokers today. Their platform ties together all of the ingredients that an agent needs to succeed including a website, CRM, CMA, drip marketing, online advertising, and more. Smith will be tying the content of his series, "Secrets of Top Selling Agents LIVE," with the executional capacities of the Homes.com platform. If you attended any of the live events that Smith delivered last year, you will appreciate that three hours with him is an awesome opportunity to learn the best practices that lead to success in real estate. Homes.com will be offering complimentary tickets to agents on a first-come, first-served basis. The first event will be the RE/MAX R4 annual convention at the end of February. Smith will be holding seminars in the Homes.com booth. Here's the full press release: Homes.com Partners with Sales Marketing and Social Media Expert Chris Smith Exclusive U.S. tour planned for "Secrets of Top Selling Agents LIVE" Thousands of real estate agents throughout the U.S. will learn how to take their business to the next level as Homes.com®, a top consumer real estate resource and leading provider of marketing solutions for real estate professionals, has announced an exclusive partnership with Chris Smith. One of the real estate industry's most proven sales, marketing and social media experts, Smith will host "Secrets of Top Selling Agents LIVE" events coast to coast.

10 Must-Read Books All Agents Need to Study
Any successful business person knows that to be the best, they need to study their craft and perfect their skills. So in the interest of continuing to learn, Kevin Ward of YesMasters Real Estate Success Training lists 10 books that every real estate must read and how it benefits them. The fourth book is sure to help you up your game.

Real Estate Smarts: 51 Resources to Pass Along to Clients
You have the opportunity to educate your potential clients so that they can make an informed decision in the process of warming them up—and, yes, that even includes educating them to understand whether you're the right solution for their need. In the case of real estate, there's a good chance that you, as an agent, have missed out on key opportunities to educate your clients around what they needed to do or how to prepare in order to buy their first home. You have the best opportunity to add value into their experience with you and this is one of the easiest ways. We know you're an expert in this field, but having a list of resources to add as supplements to your knowledge to pass along to your clients will go a long way. Library of Real Estate Agent Resources: While we know you know the answers to most, if not all, of these common questions, it can be overwhelming and time consuming to have to explain it all to your clients. Simplify and back up the points you may make by sharing some articles that your clients can peruse on their own time and digest without feeling like you're giving them a lecture. To make your educating process a bit simpler, we've compiled some articles and guides that can help your clients through the home buying journey, and give you an opportunity to reach out and provide some value in a way that will keep you positively top-of-mind. How to prep for buying your first house: It's easy for your clients to come to you and say they're ready to buy their first home. But are they fully prepared? These are great articles to pass along to those eager clients to set them up for success as they get ready to go down that road. They cover everything from the financial to the 'secrets' on how to get prepared for that big purchase. 1. How to Prepare to Buy Your First Home via Money Under 30 2. 4 Smart Steps to Take Before Buying Your First Home via Kiplinger 3. 9 Questions to Ask Before Buying Your First Home via Business Insider 4. The Newbie's Roadmap to Buying a First Home via U.S News & World Report 5. 10 Best-Kept Secrets for Buying a Home via HGTV

How Technology Training Revolutionized One Realtor's Business
It was a fluke that led John Diaz to the training program that changed the direction of his real estate career. In August of 2013, he had been in real estate for over a decade, and a broker since 2005. Diaz already knew that leveraging technology was important for success in real estate, but he struggled with how to implement it. He planned to get an iPad, but hadn't yet. He had also tried Evernote, but "could never put my arm around how to use it for my business." That all changed when he travelled from California to Chicago for a conference hosted by his franchise. There, he hoped to learn how to better use technology in his business, but was largely disappointed—with the exception of one fleeting moment. "What I had flown to Chicago for I didn't really find," said Diaz. "But what's interesting is that the speaker I went to listen to briefly mentioned The Paperless Agent. He's actually the one who pointed me in their direction." The Paperless Agent is a training program owned and operated by the leaders of GoodLife Realty. GoodLife is an independent brokerage in Austin, Texas that's well known for driving sales through their innovative use of technology. Through The Paperless Agent, they share the technology systems and best practices they successfully use at GoodLife Realty with other real estate agents and brokers. On his flight home, Diaz took advantage of the onboard wi-fi to work through the first training session of The Paperless Agent. He was so impressed with what he saw, that he immediately went out and bought his first iPad and started implementing what he had learned.

The Paperless Agent Launches New Digital Marketing Certification
Too many agents are guilty of breaking an unspoken promise to their sellers, according to The Paperless Agent. The company, which is owned by the leaders of GoodLife Realty, is "declaring war" on an antiquated industry practice at the root of this breach of trust. "When sellers list their home with an agent, they're expecting that the agent will market their home in a competent manner," says Garry Wise, co-founder of The Paperless Agent. "This implies that the agent is knowledgeable about what they're supposed to do, including how to market the home online. However, far too many agents just do the absolute minimum that everyone does--put the listing in the MLS and hope for the best. That's not an adequate amount of action." Relying on listing syndication doesn't gets you off the hook, either. While it may be enough to sell a home in some markets, it's still a passive method that does nothing to actively market your seller's property. "If sellers knew that's all agents did, they wouldn't be willing to pay those commissions," says Chris Scott, President of The Paperless Agent. "Ask the owner of an expired listing why their home didn't sell, and what do they say? 'My agent didn't do anything.'" The Fight for Higher Standards According to The Paperless Agent, this poor customer service causes a breach in trust that spreads across the industry and creates a negative reputation for agents everywhere--and that's why they're declaring war on the practice. The company is leading the fight through education, and recently introduced the Real Estate Digital Marketer (REDM) certification course to teach agents how to leverage digital marketing to promote and sell their clients' properties.

Crime Prevention for Real Estate Agents: An Introduction
This is the first in a series of articles that teaches Realtors how to prevent being a victim of crime. All month long, we'll be publishing content from an educational course on Realtor Safety in partnership with safety app creator Real Safe Agent. Please consider sharing this important information with your colleagues, agents (for brokers), and membership (for MLSs and associations). Real estate agents face an entirely different set of challenges than the general population when it comes to safety. The general population stays safe by not being alone with strangers in areas hidden from the eyesight and earshot of others. However, this is how a real estate agent makes a living. The general population removes themselves from a situation where they begin to feel uncomfortable or unsafe, but a real estate agent will keep himself/herself in a situation where he/she feels uncomfortable or unsafe because he or she does not want to risk losing the sale. These are calculated risks that a real estate agent makes in order to make a living, and therein lies the key to staying safe as a real estate agent: Evaluating the prospect, property, and circumstances Assessing the collective risk Reacting appropriately This course is designed to provide you with the knowledge of how to evaluate the prospect, property, and circumstances so you can assess the collective risk of all three and make better decisions about which actions are appropriate to minimize risk and keep yourself safe, as well as what can be done as a community do to keep each other safe.

Always Learning and Growing: 10 Tips from NAR
Early this summer, we teamed up with the National Association of REALTORS® to bring our readers weekly educational content. Over the past six months, these articles have offered REALTORS® advice on everything from from growing their business to maximizing the value of their NAR membership. These articles were wildly popular, and with the year winding down, we thought now would be a great time to revisit the most and engaging and informative ones. Below is our round-up of the top ten articles from NAR. Think of it as your guide to getting ahead in 2014. 1. 5 Reasons why your next listing presentation should feature RPR You know that old saying, "You only have one chance to make a first impression"? Well, it couldn't be truer than when describing a listing presentation appointment. You must show up prepared. You need to stand out from all the other agents the sellers are interviewing. You must prove your local market expertise. Without a doubt, you know you're the best REALTOR® for the job, but you must convince the sellers. 2. 5 Ways to Use RPR to Impress Buyers But that's only half the story. RPR can help REALTORS® impress buyers too. In fact, by making RPR part of your process with buyers, you can help ensure they will refer you to their family, friends, and those they overhear talking about buying or selling a home. 3. 7 New Technology Companies to Innovate the Real Estate Industry To bring the latest cutting edge technologies to the real estate industry, the NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS® and its investment arm launched the REach™ Accelerator Program. This unique program was developed to help technology companies connect to the more than 1 million REALTORS® driving the U.S. real estate market.

5 Ways to Grow Your Business with Designations
Real estate agents are busy people, right? Between prospecting for business and working with clients, who has time to earn real estate designations? It's true that only a small percentage of agents have completed the requirements for one of the official designations or certifications awarded by the National Association of REALTORS® (NAR). But don't assume they have plenty of time on their hands. Rather, designated agents represent the upper echelons in their field, go-getters who consistently outperform other agents. Here's what they gain from their designations: 1. Fresh ideas. Every agent can benefit from learning new and better ways to do things. NAR's designation courses are packed with regularly-updated information on the best ways to work with buyers and sellers—and deal with other agents. If taken in a classroom setting, designation courses also provide a great opportunity to hear fresh ideas from some of the best instructors in the industry, as well as other attendees. 2. Time savers. Designations are about much more than training and education. They also provide members-only access to many time-saving tools that simplify your work with buyers and sellers, including professional marketing materials, consumer education tools and other benefits. 3. Competitive edge. In a crowded market, designation training helps agents bring more skills to the table and tout their credentials online. It's tangible evidence that you've set the bar higher and could easily be a key difference-maker when consumers compare your credentials to a competitor's.

Do’s and Dont’s for Thriving in the Electronic Information Age
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. Don't Use the "Buckshot" Approach It's not enough to simply haphazardly toss your listings online – a buckshot approach that lacks precision. Intention and strategy are essential. This means two key things: Carefully fine-tuning your listings, making sure they are optimally crafted for the online environment; Making sure they're seen in the right places (as well as keeping them from ending up in the wrong places). Electronic real estate marketing is becoming more competitive every day, and your listings have to stand out from the crowd. Do Rely on the Experts There are so many avenues and options, finding a combination that continues to work, and implementing all the necessary tools for every listing, is a full time job. Don't hesitate to take advantage of the many people who specialize in this area. After all, we live and breathe online marketing–so you can allow us to do our jobs, enabling you to focus on your job (helping people buy and sell houses).

5 Business-Building Tips for Buyer’s Representatives
Polishing your buyer-representation skills builds your reputation as a trustworthy, knowledgeable real estate professional who adds value at every stage in the home buying process. Here are five ways to grow your buyer-representation business. 1. Become a community expert Recognition as a community expert wins referrals and repeat business. You could create a blog to showcase both your business expertise and community knowledge. A blog builds credibility and keeps potential buyers coming back for news and information. Home-buyer seminars provide another opportunity to demonstrate your real estate expertise and community knowledge. Prospects can check you out before making a commitment and when they are ready to buy, your name will be at top of mind. 2. Build a team of experts Access to a team of experts is a double win for buyer agents. You and your buyers can tap into valuable knowledge and services and other professionals may refer business to you. Invest the time to learn what your community has to offer and research your team of experts.

Real Estate Glossary for Your Clients
Do you work with first-time buyers and sellers? We bet you do! If you want to provide above and beyond service to clients who may be new to the real estate industry (or getting involved again after a really long time), consider helping them get comfortable with real estate terms by providing access to a real estate glossary. Whether you choose to add a page to your website or create a print out to include in your new client package, a glossary will empower buyers and sellers with knowledge, as well as increase the level of understanding as you work together to achieve results. Below we've provided some simplified definitions for some commonly used (and commonly misunderstood) real estate terms. Feel free to share these with your clients as you choose. Of course, there are many other terms we didn't include. If you want to add to this list, take a look at a more in-depth glossary like this one. If you don't feel like creating your own glossary or sharing ours, there are even real estate glossary apps. Clients can have on-the-go access on their smartphones or tablets by clicking here for iOS or here for Android. Common Real Estate Terms and Their Definitions Appraisal – The process of estimating or setting the market value of a piece of property, partially based on an analysis of comparable sales of similar homes in the area. An appraisal usually takes the form of a written report. Appraisals are usually required during the mortgage loan approval process. Closing Costs – For buyers, closing costs consist of expenses that must be paid in addition to the purchase price of the home, like... For sellers, closing costs include expenses that will be deducted from the proceeds of the sale, like... Commission – Compensation paid to real estate professionals for services rendered in connection with the sale or exchange of real property.

Consumer Education: The Why
RE Technology's resident video blogger, Maya Paveza, continues her series on the importance of consumer education. See part one (intro) and part two (the "what") here. Determining motivation can make all the difference in the customer service you provide, and the value the consumer receives. It should always be a top priority to understand your clients needs, and especially their motivation to buy or sell.

Consumer Education First for Success
RE Technology's resident video blogger and social media guru, Maya Paveza, on why educating clients is crucial to real estate success.

Top 4 Real Estate Success Principles that Every Agent Must Follow
Disclosure: I believe you must be passionate in order to be successful. I want to help you find your passion and realize the opportunity and potential that is inside of you! Most real estate professionals get their initial education from a real estate school. They take a test, receive their license and then step into the industry with little more than a hope and a dream. The challenge in this is the simple fact that while real estate courses are designed to teach you the legalities of real estate, they fail to teach you sales or marketing strategies that affect your bottom line. They also fall short when it comes to sharing how to structure and manage a successful business. This leaves most real estate professionals at a significant disadvantage right out of the gate. Unless a decision is made to align with a brand that offers a solid training program, any newbie might tend to flounder. So how do you gain the knowledge and skills that matter most to your business growth? Below are my four success principles that when applied will propel your success! 1. Collaborate Build your resources and relationships Identify your resources – If you don't have them, develop them. Immediately! Develop your "A-Team" – Mortgage officer, inspector, repairman, title agent, and insurance agent. Understand the process – You must have an understanding of what each person does within the purchase or sale transaction. Meet with them and ask what they contribute and how they manage that part of the process. This knowledge allows you the true ability to gauge the severity of a concern in a sale and better control the emotions in yourself, your client, and the transaction.

Real Estate Tech: Terminology and Definitions
This post comes to us from BrokerageU: If you have tried to purchase a domain name or even had to manage your own website in the past, I'm sure you noticed that there is an entire new set of words and phrases that you feel like you need to learn in order to understand the process and be able to intelligently answer the questions of the support representative on the other end of the phone line. It isn't completely necessary for you to be an über expert at any of this; but it will be beneficial for you to learn the basics. We will take a look at the most important phrases and definitions so that you can feel fully equipped to purchase and maintain your domains. Domain A domain is the website address or URL that you purchased. If your website is setup correctly, your content will technically live at this online address. If you own multiple domains for one website, you will need to choose one as the primary and the rest can be set up to forward to the main domain. PS: Did you know having a bunch of domains doesn't help? Registrar You can purchase your domain from a registrar. These are companies that can check available domains and sell them to you for a predefined period of time. Typically, the longer you wish to own the domain, the cheaper your per year registration cost. The registrar does not directly control any of the content on your website. A registrar simply assures that the URL is owned by you and that you are able to edit the basic settings of your domain name and send different types of Internet traffic to the right place. There are so many different registrars to choose from, but an example of one of the most common is GoDaddy. (You can use our discount code to get domains for just $7.49 / year – use CJC749FAT.)

Learn how to be a Paperless Agent™ with the GoodLife Team and RE Technology!
"I've begun to wonder how many agents who own iPads actually know how to use it in their business. I've speculated that the majority of these agents do not. Anyone can buy an app from the app store – that's a piece of cake – but what they're missing is the knowledge of what to do with the application once it's been downloaded." -- Krisstina Wise, Why You Must Be A Paperless Agent RE Technology is proud to present a free webinar with Krisstina and Garry Wise of the GoodLife Team next Wednesday, January 23. Whether you're an iPad expert or a rookie, you'll learn how to use your tablet for everything from home tours, listings presentations, transaction management, and more! See the video below to learn more about becoming a Paperless Agent™, then register for the webinar.

The Absolute Beginner's Guide to Facebook and Twitter
Don't know the difference between hash tag and a timeline? Don't worry. These two video tutorials from My Computer Works show you how to get up and running on Facebook and Twitter in less than five minutes. Part of the "How My Computer Works" educational series, these videos assume no prior working knowledge of social networks. They're easy to follow, so total rookies need not be intimidated. After all, it's never too late to learn about social media! Facebook A lot of fuss was made last year when Facebook switched member profiles to the Timeline design. While plenty of users pooh-poohed the changes, Timeline is actually a clever way to create a digital scrapbook of your life. Watch the video below to learn how to organize photos, post status updates, and add milestones like weddings and graduations to a chronological "timeline" of your life.

Weekend Homework: Improve Your Real Estate Business
What are you doing to improve your real estate business this weekend? Between the open houses, showings, relaxation, and errands, we know your schedule is packed. So we've come up with three easy tasks you can complete this weekend that will make your real estate practice better. Organize Your Contacts Earlier this week, Dr. Maya Bailey showed agents how to double their income by leveraging their sphere of influence. Her very first tip? Get your contacts in order! This weekend, your assignment is to use your CRM software to organize your contacts into the categories below. See Dr. Bailey's article for more information. A = Someone likely to refer to you B = Someone who, with a little more contact with you, would refer to you C = Questionable D = Delete

Stop! Check Your MLS Before Making That Purchase
We're real estate tech geeks at RE Technology. We love to answer questions from agents wondering how to streamline and grow their business with innovative technology solutions. Explaining the differences between document management and transaction management or giving advice about what to do when the bank rejects your e-signed documents are both part of a great day at work for us. However, if you ask us which CMA, Electronic Signature, Showing Appointment Software or other solution you should use, you'll get a question back: Have you checked your MLS? The tool you're thinking of purchasing--be it client relationship management software, market statistics package, or something else--may already be included in your MLS membership for free. If you don't check your MLS's member benefits BEFORE you buy, you may be spending money needlessly. Not Free? A Discounted Rate May Be Available Even if your MLS doesn't include the solution you're looking for with your membership, check to see who their partners and vendors are. Chances are that your MLS has negotiated with technology companies for a discount on their products. Again, if you don't check your MLS first, you may be losing money.

Weekly Video Tip: Advanced Editing Technique Part I – Time-Lapse and Fast Motion
Today we're going to be talking about an advanced editing technique that's referred to as time-lapse and fast motion. All right, you're feeling confident and you want to spice up your next video with some cool editing effects. That's great! But you may need to calm down a minute and let me tell you about using fast motion to really take your video to the next level.

Listing Syndication Definitions
Just when I think I "get" listing syndication, I'll find myself in conversation with someone about it and completely out of my league. Tired of feeling underprepared, I enlisted the help of a syndication expert, Celeste Starchild at ListHub. I asked her for a crash course in listing syndication and she explained to me that the first thing I needed to do was get the terminology right. She's spot-on. In order to have an intelligent conversation about anything you need to properly use the correct vocabulary. Perhaps I'm not alone. I have a feeling that many of us could use at least a little refresher on what these commonly used (and commonly misunderstood) terms mean. Listing syndication Listing syndication is the distribution of active real estate listings by brokers/agents (or by the MLS on behalf of brokers/agents) to third-party websites, for the purpose of advertising to consumers. Listing syndication is different from IDX or VOW, which we will discuss next, in that it shares data with third parties who are not members of – or participants in – the MLS (such as property search portals like Zillow, Trulia, Yahoo! Real Estate, etc.). The value to the broker or agent is the opportunity to attract a buyer to their property listing, and the value to a third-party website is to acquire listing content for consumers who visit their website. Listing syndication gives brokers the ability to selectively choose the sites to which they syndicate their listings, based on their advertising goals and business model. Of course, each broker may syndicate only their own listings.

"The Cloud" 101
Prabakar Mahalingam of GoPaperless Solutions says: You've heard so much about "the cloud," but do you really understand what it is and what the impacts are for your business? Maybe it's time to get back to the basics – with a crash course in Cloud Computing 101. Definition The cloud isn't up in the air; it's actually a bunch of servers in a data center, somewhere on the ground. What most real estate agents need to understand about cloud computing is that it is essentially any form of computing (particularly applications or storage) that takes place on the Internet. It's obviously more complicated and technical than this, but that other stuff matters for our developers – not for you, the end consumer. Use in Real Estate Each industry leverages cloud computing in a slightly different way. Some of the primary uses for real estate include: Storage – Saving and accessing data is one of the primary applications of cloud computing in any industry (just look at the popularity of Dropbox). In real estate, this is certainly true as agents seek to store signed documents, forms, contracts, photos, and other crucial information. The online vault is an example from our Real Estate Dashboard solution, where agents can access their contracts and documents anywhere, anytime, plus provide permission-based access to their clients and contacts. Fax – Sending and receiving fax electronically with cloud-based systems can help agents reduce the waste and inconvenience of paper fax. This is one of the popular features in our REDfax solution.

Tech and Marketing 101 for New Agents
Victor Lund, RE Technology CEO, brings us this crash course for new real estate agents. Real estate is a popular second career to many Americans. NAR and local REALTOR® Associations combine with local real estate brokers to support you in learning the industry and preparing for the license exam. However, getting your license is only a foundational step to starting your career. There is much more to learn. The local Multiple Listing Service, or MLS, is the first software that you will need to learn and master. As you are learning the MLS system, be sure to take advantage of training offered by the Association and MLS. The MLS system is the most important business tool that you will learn. In most markets around the nation, the local Association or MLS also offers a forms product. The contracts used in real estate have been digitized to make them easy to fill out, sign, and manage electronically. There are many (check out some options in our product directory); it is important that you ask your broker which solution they suggest. These forms are very important, and represent a key element of customer representation. Practice reviewing commonly used forms with a friend or family member to gain confidence in your ability to explain them. You may also want to inquire about the electronic signature tools. You may even want to contact the software vendor to see if they have training or will provide you with a system walk-through. You will find that they are only too happy to help.

What’s driving the changes in the real estate market and how will they impact your business?
What’s driving the changes in the real estate market and how will they impact your business? Ian Morris of Market Leader, Inc. and Steve Murray of REAL Trends, Inc. are industry leaders who answer this question and offer valuable insights in their new book, Game Plan: How Real Estate Professionals Can Thrive in an Uncertain Future.Ian Morris will share “The 10 Trends That Will Drive the Next 5 Years,” featuring key findings from Game Plan on the evolving real estate environment and the trends you need to watch.When:                                            Friday, August 5Time:                                             10:00 AM Pacific / 1:00 PM EasternCost:                                              NONETo Register:                                   https://www2.gotomeeting.com/register/538866571 Who should attend:                       Real estate brokers and agents You’ll learn about: 10 trends that could affect your business Factors affecting brokerages and sales professionals Real estate challenges and opportunities Steps to thriving in the ever-changing industry You’ll learn how to create your game plan for the future and help your business thrive for years to come! Your questions are welcome in this live Q&A format.  

Tuesday Tech Tip with Maya Paveza of TheHipRoof.com
Maya strikes again, dropping some knowledge on our RE Technology readers. In this week’s video, she answers three important questions: Android or iPhone? How can REALTORS® use QR codes? How should agents discuss crime stats? Pulling from her own substantial experience and her research, she provides in-depth answers and actionable advice. For example: have you ever considered adding a QR code to your business cards? Read on to the next page for the video!

Tuesday Tech Tip with Maya Paveza of HipRoof.com
Tech Tip Tuesday We’ve paired up with real estate and social media guru Maya Paveza to keep you up-to-date on all the latest tech tools. This week, Maya’s video unravels the mysteries of StumbleUpon as well as hash tags on Twitter. Do you have a question for Maya? Post a comment here and we’ll suggest the topic for future videos. Do these tech tips answer your questions? Watch and see!

Meeting Gen Y's Demand for Online Transparency and Information
I interviewed a top-producing agent in San Francisco a few days ago. We were talking about the role of technology in the real estate process. It was a fascinating discussion. She is on the top of her game. Many listings, many successful transactions with buyers this year and yet she struggles with how to stay relevant with her younger clients. She told me:   “I am absolutely frightened of new technologies, and yet I KNOW I need to communicate and provide information differently than I used to. I believe it is much more difficult to create a deep personal relationship with younger consumers because they don’t want to sit down and talk about what their real needs are. They want me to provide information on my website so they can do their own research and then tell me what they’ve found. They require that the agent provide as much information as they can to empower the consumer to get comfortable with the information themselves.”

Get the 411 on Facebook Secret Groups, MouseFlow and More!
It's that time of the week to hear the technology update from Tech Savvy Agent Chris Smith. This week is episode four of The Queue featuring four technologies that are no brainers to implement in your business. 360 Panorama and Photaf are mobile apps that allow for 360 degree and panoramic photos that can be shared via social media and email. MouseFlow.com is an amazing technology that will reenact the mouse movements and clicks of your web traffic in an effort to increase conversions and user experience. Animoto is one of the easiest to use and tech savvy video creation tools that is sure to impress buyers and sellers. Finally, Facebook has an option for creating secret groups that are great for private masterminding and client communication. Enjoy and as always please share this on Facebook, Twitter and via email and if you have any feedback or questions on anything covered this week feel free to leave that in the comments below.

How To Take Listing Photos in Wintertime
Wintertime photography can be an intimidating endeavor to say the least. As winter life is really more about getting cozy with a hot chocolate, some popped corn, and a movie or three, it’s hard to get motivated to go out into the icy cold and shoot photos – especially photos of houses. Can you imagine? Standing outside shivering, trying to take pictures, while people drive by laughing at you from their warm cars… terrible.

Want the Inside Scoop about 5 New Products? Be the First to Know!
In episode #2 of The Queue I covered some amazing new services and products that can really help you grow your business and improve your new media marketing efforts as a Realtor®. Real estate technology is moving faster than ever and my weekly webshow The Queue is exactly what was needed to help you all keep up!       This weeks topics included reviews of: About.Me Qwiki Pip.l Evernote A wifi digital frame from Kodak

Use QR Codes to Avoid Facebook's Pay-per-Click Charge!
  I considered just holding onto this for my coaching clients, but decided this was too cool and wanted to share it with everyone. For a long while I have been recommending to agents that they use the Facebook advertising system, besides the insanely powerful demographics and ability to target your ad campaign, the price for the pay-per-click (PPC) model is really great. What I discovered today was a total stumble upon moment. After I did the Future of Marketing 60 in 60, there was a rise in the discussion of QR codes in real estate and how effective they are, or will be. I know Lesley Lambert has been using them for a while and I defer to her as the expert for that, she is a rockstar. Some of the debates I have had have included the value of tracking the QR code to the user.

Want to be Tech Savvy? Tune in for Weekly Videos!
Welcome to the Tech Savvy Agent webshow called the Queue, where Chris Smith of Tech Savvy Agent  takes all the real estate technology topics and recommendations from the last week and boils it into an educational video.         This is the first episode of the video series, which will be posted to RETechnology.com on Wednesdays.  This week's topics include: Inman Real Estate Connect NYC Real Estate Porn Brand Matters More than Ever Stik.com Social Bios Gift an App

How to Select a Good Point and Shoot Camera
Recently, Kodak partnered with REALTOR® Magazine to present a nationwide “Listing through a Lens” webinar on taking good pictures. This webinar covered many aspects of photography and serves as an excellent reference for agents who are looking to improve the photo quality of the listings they market. While there are many considerations for what makes a good camera, with today’s modern cameras and technology, it is possible for an agent to take a great picture using a point and shoot that has a great lens. This series of articles will provide real estate agents with valuable information on the types of equipment they need, and feature expert content to help maximize your listing photos. In this article, we are pleased to provide some of the features you would want to look for in a “point-and-shoot” digital camera to get the most out of your listings.

Virtual Tours: Naughty or Nice?
Virtual tour providers and virtual tours are all exactly the same, or are they?  Does it matter if you use one that offers free virtual tours or one that charges a monthly subscription?  Does it  matter if the virtual tour company is brand new or may claim to have 100,000 users?   Does it matter who owns it or what the company philosophy is? It does depend on “why” you want a virtual tour in the first place. We are all being overwhelmed with choice these days, and real estate technology is no exception.  So, how do we choose which virtual tour provider to use?  Which virtual tour company or virtual tour service is naughty and which is nice?  Let’s take a closer look…

When It Comes to QR Codes, What About Clikbrix?
QR codes are addictive, especially for those of us who like to walk around entertaining ourselves with our high tech phones. Each time you scan there is a sense of excitement and anticipation – especially with those QR marketing campaigns that purposely hold back information that is ultimately translated to your phone. It’s like getting the white mystery flavored Skittle in your bag of colorful candy and finding out a whole new flavor like root beer! If you are curious, go to m.clickbrix.com on your mobile browser. It will magically pick the right reader for your phone. Once you have loaded the QR reader to your phone (as mentioned in the first part of this series), scan the QR code to the left for a special offer. A great site to find the QR Reader of choice is http://www.mobile-barcodes.com/qr-code-software/ QR codes are popping up everywhere now: billboards, price tags, websites, newspapers, blogs, and other marketing mediums. Now they’re also popping up in the real estate space! And tech savvy vendors to the real estate industry are embracing this technology in a variety of ways – linking to profile pages, linking to property pages, linking to virtual tours, linking to neighborhood tours, etc. This week we were able to preview the Clikbrix QR code solution for real estate professionals. We spoke with Erik Goldhar, co-founder of QR marketing agency, ‘QRe8 Mobile Experience’, the parent company of Clikbrix.com. Goldhar has a background in Canada’s digital marketing and ad world. Clikbrix and QRe8.com have been working on QR codes for the past 2.5 years and saw a gaping opportunity for this technology in the American real estate space. During this call we were able to understand several of Clikbrix’s points of view regarding the following: 1.) What are the benefits of using QR codes to promote real estate business?2.) What are some industry challenges you see with QR codes for marketing?3.) What solution is Clikbrix offering to the industry?

Don’t Ignore Client Needs, Instead Become the Educator
Have you ever had the pleasure of relocating from one city to another? You have the stress of the move compounded by the fact that you are losing all of your trusted resources and most importantly your “local knowledge”. Let’s say you’re moving because you’ve been promoted to run a new division out of state. You have a young child so you’re looking for good schools within your area and a family-friendly neighborhood. How about if you are a young professional moving for a great job opportunity? The last thing you want is to “live in the burbs” with people like your parents. What if you have lived in the city, in the “happenin’” part of town, but now you’re expecting your first child and want to find a quieter place with a backyard? Your logical first place to go to begin your research is on the web. You can find boatloads of places to look at information about home pricing, number of bedrooms, number of baths and even if the house has a fireplace or not. But what if you want to narrow your search a different way? Perhaps you want to find a home near a dog park for your new puppy, or close to a health food store because you’re a vegetarian and you thrive on organic vegetables? What if you are retiring to a new area and want to be sure there are several golf courses nearby?

What are QR Codes?
Want to stay on the cutting edge of technology?  Here is a cool new technology that has just entered the real estate scene. Imagine the small black and white box to your left could be used to translate your new listing properties details, photos and take homebuyers directly to your website? Meet QR codes. Small and powerful, mobile devices can scan the small code in seconds and get access the information they seek, right from their phones. It is quick and convenient. Techies and Smartphone users are embracing this new technology in droves. In response to this new technology and the benefits it holds for the real estate industry, here are some interesting things about QR codes. What is a QR code?

Steer Clear of a Tax Audit for 2010
The Internal Revenue Service audits about one percent of US Taxpayers each year. As a real estate professional, you are likely to have an independent contractor relationship with your broker. Although your chances of being audited are pretty slim, there are basic principles that will reduce the likelihood of being part of that one percent. A few items to avoid are significant deductions for automobile expenses, home improvements, or outrageous meal expenses. By following these 7 steps, you can lower your chances of being audited.

How to Shoot Listing Photos at Dusk
When I’m scrolling through a library of listing photos, I find myself most attracted to those shot at dusk or dawn. There’s something about the warm glow of a house contrasted against the cool sky that is not only punchy and attention-grabbing, but wholesome and safe. I’m no anthropologist, but I’d be willing to bet it has something to do with our instinctual attraction to a warm fire glowing from within a comfy cave. Even though these types of photos are arguably more attention-grabbing than daytime ones, there are good reasons why most real estate exteriors are not shot this way. For one, dusk shots are harder to execute – they require higher level camera knowledge. Secondly, they involve more elaborate setups often involving powerful fill lights, not to mention the task of turning on every light in the house prior to the shoot.  

Save $350 on Upcoming Real Estate Marketing Summit
REMS 2010 – Real Estate Marketing Summit 2010 is almost here!  Located in San Diego’s Hotel del Coronado this year’s three day summit is packed with educational seminars and networking opportunities for real estate professionals. This year REMS is providing RETechnology.com subscribers and a significant discount to this event.  Get one day FREE if you register soon! The entire 3 day summit is a $499 program and now you can also get all 3 days for just $149! This is a no obligation program that puts the value proposition in your hands as a real estate professional or manager. It’s a perfect time to get your 2011 marketing strategy dialed in. RSVP Now!

The Two Best Tools for Blogging
Yeah, I know. At the end of my last post, What to write about on your real estate blog, I promised an article on blogging time management. That article is 90% complete. But as I was writing it, I got to thinking (uh oh). There are tons of tools out there that help make blogging more efficient. Do a Google search and you’ll find them. But that’s not the point in this article. The point here is to present you with the two best tools you can use for your real estate blogging adventure. Ready?  

Keep Your Business Social
Today we want to take a minute to remind all of us why we use social media to propel our business.  This short video, created by Socialnomics, gives an amazing glimpse into the world of social media and the statistics necessary to keep us all in social hyperdrive. Here are a few of the compelling facts about social media: When looking at the years advertising platforms have taken to reach 50 million users: Radio - 38 Years TV - 13 Years Internet - 4 Years iPod - 3 Years Facebook added 100 million users in less than 9 months A quarter of search results for the World’s Top 20 largest brands are links to user-generated content. Seventy-eight percent of consumers trust peer recommendations, while only 18% trust traditional TV advertisements. If Facebook were a country it would be the world’s 4th largest between the United States and Indonesia. Ashton Kutcher and Ellen Degeneres (combined) have more Twitter followers than the combined population of Ireland, Norway, or Panama. Finally, people care more about how their social network ranks products and services than how Google ranks them.

Make Noise and Build Traffic with Twitter
What is Twitter? Twitter is a very easy-to-use, real-time messaging system for groups and friends. Another way to think of it would be text messaging (or instant messaging) from one person to many people at the same time. The length of each message is about one sentence (140 characters). Twitter is free and easy to use. Here are some positioning statements that may help you understand how you can derive benefits out of a seemingly low-grade social networking utility.

Want an Easy New Way to Share Your Expertise Online?
Real estate agents are constantly seeing things with their eyes that has value for building relationships with consumers. Agents go to open houses, talk with buyers and sellers, talk with other agents about the market, and attend seminars and other forums to collect information that makes them better professionals. In the recent surge to adopt social media, Twitter has become a tool used by REALTORS® to share real estate information with consumers. This is done in short sentences or with link sharing to blog posts or other news that they find on the Internet. Using your video enabled cell phone, you can now extend your content gathering to your real life using twitvid.

Want an Easy New Way to Share Your Expertise Online?
Real estate agents are constantly seeing things with their eyes that has value for building relationships with consumers. Agents go to open houses, talk with buyers and sellers, talk with other agents about the market, and attend seminars and other forums to collect information that makes them better professionals. In the recent surge to adopt social media, Twitter has become a tool used by REALTORS® to share real estate information with consumers. This is done in short sentences or with link sharing to blog posts or other news that they find on the Internet. Using your video enabled cell phone, you can now extend your content gathering to your real life using twitvid.

New Developments on the Palm Pre
Great news for Palm Pre owners! On Tuesday, HP (the new owner of Palm) announced webOS 2.0, "the most significant update" to Palm's mobile operating software since its launch in June 2009, the company says. Among the promised enhancements: improved multitasking with a feature called Stacks that keeps related items together; a new Exhibitions feature that lets you set your phone on an optional Palm Touchstone Charging Dock and see a slideshow of Facebook photos or your agenda for the day. Developers (who will be critical in any success the phones might have) can better take advantage of certain phone features, including the Synergy feature that automatically populates the phone with your personal data when you sign into Facebook, Google, Microsoft Exchange, LinkedIn and Yahoo. Also, webOS 2.0 will support a beta version of Adobe Flash 10.1. It is not clear at this point if Sentrilock or GE Supra support the new webOS 2.0.