Meet the Folks from Tech Helpline and Form Simplicity in Person as They Attend Conferences Coast-to-Coast
Team members from Tech Helpline, real estate's No. 1 tech support service, and Form Simplicity, the only Realtor association-owned digital transaction management solution, are back on the road. Throughout the rest of this year, thousands of real estate agents and brokers nationwide who use Tech Helpline and Form Simplicity will have the opportunity to meet some of the friendly folks who make the magic happen in person as these two wholly-owned Florida Realtors® operations travel to meet users. It's going to be a busy convention season this fall, so here's a list of upcoming meetings and conferences attended by Tech Helpline and/or Form Simplicity: August 16-17, 2023 – Orlando, FL. Florida Realtors Convention & Trade Expo: If you want to meet most of the team that runs Form Simplicity and Tech Helpline in person, this is the one event to attend! Florida Realtors is the largest state Realtor association, and this is its biggest event of the year. You can't miss them as their exhibit is in the main hallway of the hotel's convention center since both products are coveted benefits for Florida Realtors members. August 29-30, 2023 – Miami Beach, FL. NAR iOi Summit – Innovation, Opportunity, Investment: At the fifth annual iOi Summit, more than 700 PropTech leaders and futurists, investors, and forward-thinking real estate professionals are coming together to fuel the industry's future. PropTech is driving transformation in real estate, and iOi is all about the latest firms vying to bring industry-changing innovations to the market to tackle the most crucial issues and significant problems. The iOi Summit is the intersection of where technology and real estate meet and where you can meet the folks from both Form Simplicity and Tech Helpline! September 5-8, 2023 – Savannah, GA. Georgia Realtors® Annual Conference & Expo: Both Tech Helpline and Form Simplicity will appear at the Georgia Realtors® Annual Conference & Expo, located at the Savannah Convention Center. Tech Helpline is an included member benefit for members of some local associations, while Form Simplicity is available for a small annual fee. September 18-20, 2023 – Hot Springs, AR. 99th Annual Arkansas REALTORS® Trade Show & Convention: Form Simplicity and Tech Helpline will be present at the Arkansas REALTORS® Convention & Trade Expo, located at the Hot Springs Convention Center. Both products are included member benefits for Arkansas REALTORS®. September 19-21, 2023 – Springfield, MO. Missouri REALTORS® Fall Business Conference: Both Form Simplicity and Tech Helpline will be at the Missouri REALTORS® Fall Business Conference at the Oasis Hotel & Convention Center. For Missouri REALTORS®, Tech Helpline and Form Simplicity's Starter Edition are a member benefit. September 19-21, 2023 – Richmond, VA. Virginia REALTORS® Annual Convention: Meet team members from Tech Helpline at the Virginia REALTORS® Annual Convention at the Richmond Marriott. Tech Helpline is an included member benefit for Virginia REALTORS®. September 19-22, 2023 – Cheyenne, WY. Wyoming REALTORS® Conference & Expo: Form Simplicity and Tech Helpline will travel to the Wyoming Realtors Conference and Expo, where Form Simplicity education and training expert Kaz will be teaching three one-hour classes. His popular courses include "The Foundations of Form Simplicity" (1CE), "Optimizing Your Workflow with Form Simplicity" (1CE), and "eSign and Close!" (1CE). Both products are included benefits for Wyoming REALTORS members. September 27-29, 2023 – Manhattan, KS. Kansas Association of REALTORS® Convention: Form Simplicity and Tech Helpline will also be at the Kansas Association of REALTORS® Convention at the Hilton Garden Inn. Tech Helpline is an included member benefit for Kansas REALTORS®, while Form Simplicity is available for a small annual fee. October 3-5, 2023 – New Orleans, LA. CMLS2023: Stop by the Form Simplicity and Tech Helpline exhibit at CMLS2023, located at the Marriott in downtown New Orleans. October 10-13, 2023 – Sun Valley, ID. Idaho REALTORS® Convention: Form Simplicity and Tech Helpline also will be at the Idaho REALTORS® Convention at the Sun Valley Resort. Both products are included benefits for Idaho REALTORS members. October 16-19, 2023 – Savannah, GA. Region 4 REALTORS® Conference & Expo: Form Simplicity and Tech Helpline will then travel to the Region 4 REALTORS® Conference & Expo, where over a thousand real estate professionals from Kentucky, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Tennessee come together to drive the industry forward. North Carolina, South Carolina, and some local associations from Georgia and Tennessee provide Tech Helpline as a member benefit. November 3, 2023 – Meridian, ID. Intermountain MLS Training & Tech Fair: Form Simplicity and Tech Helpline will head to the Intermountain MLS Training & Tech Fair at the Courtyard by Marriott. Both products are included benefits for Idaho REALTORS®. November 11-14, 2023 – Anaheim, CA. NAR NXT The REALTOR® Experience: Meet the Form Simplicity and Tech Helpline team at the biggest Realtor event of the year at Orange County Convention Center in Booth #510. Some local associations throughout California provide Tech Helpline as a member benefit. December 4-7, 2023 – Atlantic City, NJ. Triple Play REALTOR® Convention & Trade Expo: The Form Simplicity and Tech Helpline team wraps up its travel schedule with the Triple Play REALTOR® Convention & Trade Expo at the Atlantic City Convention Center. Hosts include the New Jersey Realtors, NYSAR, and the Pennsylvania Association of Realtors. Depending on the member's location in the tri-state area, Form Simplicity and Tech Helpline may be a member benefit. If you are planning to attend any of these events, please stop by and say "Hi" to the friendly folks from Tech Helpline and Form Simplicity! About Tech Helpline As real estate's No. 1 tech support firm, Tech Helpline began 20 years ago as a service for members of Florida Realtors. Known for its no-nonsense technical advice and warm, friendly customer service, Tech Helpline rapidly grew by offering its service to other REALTOR associations and organizations, multiple listing services (MLSs), and real estate brokerage firms. Tech Helpline is the real estate industry's No. 1 tech support service, available to nearly half the Realtors in North America – with 765,000 members, 17 state associations, and 68 local associations and organizations in the US and Canada. Form Simplicity Form Simplicity serves the real estate industry by providing real estate professionals with an end-to-end, digital real estate transaction management solution to expedite real estate transactions to create more deals and less paperwork. Form Simplicity gives real estate agents and brokers the tools to create, manage, share, and store transactions digitally in the cloud, the key to fully digital transactions. In addition, users can create and edit transactions on mobile devices. Form Simplicity's cloud-based platform is a cost-effective solution for Realtor associations, MLS systems, and brokerage firms nationwide. Remember to bring all your questions to the Tech Helpline or Form Simplicity team as they are ready to help you — or connect you with a Tech Helpline analyst or Form Simplicity expert to ensure you get the answers and support you need. We hope to see somewhere on the road — soon! Tricia Stamper is Director of Technology at Florida Realtors®, which owns both Tech Helpline and Form Simplicity.

On the Road Again! Meet the Folks from Tech Helpline and Form Simplicity at an Upcoming Conference
Conference and convention season has begun! Later this week, the 2023 Realtors Legislative Meetings and Trade Show will be in Washington DC, May 6-11, with Tech Helpline and Form Simplicity at Booth 515. At this conference – and throughout the year – thousands of real estate agents and brokers who use Tech Helpline and Form Simplicity will have the opportunity to meet some of the friendly folks who make the magic happen for these two Florida Realtors® wholly-owned operations in person. The schedule for the next few months includes attending or exhibiting at gatherings in Austin, Norfolk, Atlanta, Orlando, and Miami Beach. And in case you are unfamiliar with them, here's some background information about Tech Helpline and Form Simplicity. Tech Helpline As real estate's number one tech support firm, Tech Helpline began 20 years ago as a service for members of Florida Realtors. Known for its no-nonsense technical advice and warm, friendly customer service, Tech Helpline rapidly grew by offering its service to other REALTOR associations and organizations, multiple listing services (MLSs), and real estate brokerage firms. Tech Helpline is the real estate industry's No. 1 tech support service, available to nearly half the Realtors in North America – with 750,000 members, 16 state associations, and 68 local associations and organizations in the US and Canada. Form Simplicity Form Simplicity serves the real estate industry by providing real estate professionals with an end-to-end, digital real estate transaction management solution to expedite real estate transactions to create more deals and less paperwork. Form Simplicity gives real estate agents and brokers the tools to create, manage, share, and store transactions digitally in the cloud, the key to fully digital transactions. In addition, users can create and edit transactions on mobile devices. Form Simplicity's cloud-based platform is a cost-effective solution for Realtor associations, MLS systems, and brokerage firms nationwide. Opportunities to connect in person After this year's NAR Legislative Meetings and Trade Show in DC, you'll find representatives from either one or both organizations at the following upcoming events from May to August 2023: June 18 - 21, 2023 – Austin, TX. Gathering of Eagles: Gathering of Eagles brings together the nation's most elite brokerage, association, and team leaders, C-suite leaders, and top-producing agents to grow, network, and set the pace for what's next in our industry. If you're attending, you'll note that your friends from Form Simplicity make your WiFi possible! July 15 - 18, 2023 – Norfolk, VA. Regional AE Conference – RAEC 2023: The Regional Association Executives Conference is an education-packed event that brings together Association Executives from Georgia, North Carolina, Alabama, South Carolina, and Virginia. Attendees can connect with over 100 association executives and association department heads attending this three-day education and networking event. Look for the Form Simplicity and Tech Helpline exhibitor's table. August 4 – 7, 2023 – Atlanta, GA. 2023 ASAE Annual Meeting & Exposition: The 2023 ASAE Annual Meeting is where thousands of association professionals and industry partners gather to exchange knowledge, resources, strategies, solutions, and more. Over three days of learning, growing, and finding inspiration, attendees are equipped with a year's worth of support in their daily responsibilities as leaders in the association industry. Be on the lookout for Jessica Smith, Sales and Client Services Manager, who is attending and representing Tech Helpline. August 16 – 17, 2023 – Orlando, FL. Florida Realtors Convention & Trade Expo: If you want to meet most of the team that runs Form Simplicity and Tech Helpline in person, this is the one event to attend! Florida Realtors is the largest state Realtor Association, and this is our biggest event of the year. You can't miss us, as our exhibit is in the main hallway of the hotel's convention center. It is known as "The Premiere Event for Serious Realtors." August 29 – 30, 2023 – Miami Beach, FL. NAR iOi Summit – Innovation, Opportunity, Investment: At the fifth annual iOi Summit, more than 700 PropTech leaders and futurists, investors, and forward-thinking real estate professionals are coming together to fuel the future of the industry. PropTech is driving transformation in real estate, and, at iOi, will have all hands-on technology — talking, touching, and testing life-changing innovations that tackle the industry's critical issues and most significant problems. The iOi Summit is the intersection of where technology and real estate meet. More to come Stay tuned for a fall update on the conventions, conferences, and meetings where Form Simplicity and Tech Helpline will be in full force. Remember, if you happen to be attending one of these events, please stop by and bring your questions about Form Simplicity and Tech Helpline. The team is excited to meet you face-to-face! Tricia Stamper is Director of Technology at Florida Realtors®, which owns and operates Tech Helpline and Form Simplicity.

Tech Helpline and Form Simplicity May Be Coming to a Conference Near You
Team members from Tech Helpline, real estate's top-ranked tech support service, and Form Simplicity, the only Realtor association-owned top digital transaction management solution, are hitting the road. With more agents working remotely, tech support and digital solutions have never been more vital. That's why Tech Helpline and Form Simplicity representatives may be coming to a conference near you to showcase its technology services and solutions for real estate brokers and agents nationwide. Owned and operated by Florida Realtors®, both Form Simplicity and Tech Helpline are available to associations, MLSs and brokerages nationwide. Tech Helpline Check out Tech Helpline's new mobile app – available on Google Play and the App Store – that allows you to connect directly with a tech advisor while on the go. Or bring your top tech questions to the conference to ask Tech Helpline experts. Dubbed the real estate industry's "Genius Bar," the staff at Tech Helpline have a combined IT experience of 350+ years, providing support in English and Spanish via online chat, phone, and email. Form Simplicity If you're looking for a transaction management solution to help you go digital – or replace your current solution – talk to the experts from Form Simplicity to see how easy, safe, and secure it can be to go digital and paperless. Here is a list of upcoming conventions and conferences attended by Tech Helpline and/or Form Simplicity: August 24 to 25 – Florida Realtors in Orlando, FL: Form Simplicity and Tech Helpline will return to the Florida Realtors Convention & Trade Expo at the Rosen Shingle Creek Resort. Their booths are in the Sebastian Foyer, and analysts from Tech Helpline will be available to assist you with any issues you might face with your devices while on site. Also, check out "Selfie City," sponsored by Form Simplicity and Tech Helpline. Most importantly, don't miss the in-person training sessions throughout Wednesday and Thursday, by Kaz Cisowski and Jason Schatz, including: Wednesday, Aug. 24: 10:00 am – 11:00 am: "Master the Paperless Transaction in Form Simplicity"3:00 pm – 3:30 pm: "Brokers: Reduce Risk and Remain Compliant with Form Simplicity"4:00 pm – 5:00 pm: "Learn the new and improved eSign 2.0" Thursday, Aug. 25: 9:00 am – 10:00 am: "Brokers: Reduce Risk and Remain Compliant with Form Simplicity"10:30 am – 11:30 am: "Learn the new and improved eSign 2.0"2:00 pm – 3:00 pm: "Master the Paperless Transaction in Form Simplicity" August 29 to September 2 – Georgia Realtors in Nashville, TN: Form Simplicity and Tech Helpline will be exhibiting at the GAR Annual Conference & Expo at The Nashville Renaissance Hotel. September 12-14 – Arkansas Realtors in Jonesboro, AR: Form Simplicity and Tech Helpline will be present at the Arkansas REALTORS® 98th Annual Tradeshow & Convention, including as the sponsor of the ARA app. September 13-16 – Wyoming Realtors in Cody, WY: Form Simplicity education and training expert Kaz will be teaching three one-hour classes at the Wyoming REALTORS® Conference and Expo, including "The Foundations of Form Simplicity" (1CE), "Optimizing Your Workflow with Form Simplicity" (1CE) and "eSign and Close!" (1CE). September 18-21 – Ohio Realtors in Cleveland, OH: Tech Helpline heads to the Ohio REALTORS® Annual Convention and Expo. September 19 – Greater Springfield Realtors in Springfield, MO: Kaz will be teaching several workshops, including "The Foundations of Form Simplicity," "Optimizing Your Workflow with Form Simplicity," and "eSign and Close!" at the Greater Springfield Board of REALTORS®. September 20-22 – Missouri Realtors in Chesterfield, MO: Both Form Simplicity and Tech Helpline will be at the Missouri REALTORS® Fall Business Conference. Kaz will teach three one-hour Form Simplicity sessions. Please, check the convention's schedule for the days and times. September 28-30 – Council of MLS in Indianapolis, IN: Stop by the Form Simplicity and Tech Helpline exhibit at CMLS2022, located at JW Marriott in downtown Indianapolis. October 3-6 – Oregon Realtors in Seaside, OR: Form Simplicity and Tech Helpline will travel to the Oregon REALTORS® Fall Convention. October 4-7 – Idaho Realtors in Coeur d'Alene, ID: Form Simplicity and Tech Helpline also will be at the Idaho REALTORS® Convention at the Coeur d'Alene Resort. October 5-7 – Kansas Realtors in Overland Park, KS: Kaz will provide in-person training, including three one-hour classes during the KAR Annual Conference & Expo, including "The Foundations of Form Simplicity" (1CE), "Optimizing Your Workflow with Form Simplicity" (1CE), and "eSign and Close!" (1CE). November 11-13 – Realtors Conference & Expo in Orlando, FL: This year, Florida Realtors headquarters city is home to the biggest annual Realtor event, now renamed NAR NXT, The REALTOR® Experience, at the Orange County Convention Center. Form Simplicity and Tech Helpline will be front and center in booth #851. Kaz will provide in-person training that includes three sessions on Friday, November 11, and four sessions on Saturday, November 12. His line-up includes: Friday, November 11: 1:00 pm to 2:00 pm: "Get Started with Form Simplicity"2:30 pm to 3:30 pm: "Optimize Your Transaction Management Workflow"4:00 pm to 5:00 pm: "eSign and Close!" Saturday, November 12: 10:30 am to 11:30 am: "Get Started with Form Simplicity"12:00 pm to 1:00 pm: "Optimize Your Transaction Management Workflow"1:30 pm to 2:30 pm: "Brokers: Reduce Risk and Remain Compliant"3:00 pm to 4:00 pm: "eSign and Close!" December 5-8 – Triple Play at Atlantic City, NJ: The Form Simplicity and Tech Helpline team wraps up its travel schedule with the Triple Play REALTOR® Convention & Trade Expo at the Atlantic City Convention Center. Hosts include the New Jersey Realtors®, NYSAR, and the Pennsylvania Association of Realtors®. If you attend any of these conferences, please bring all your questions for Tech Helpline or Form Simplicity. Our team is ready to help you or get you swiftly connected to Tech Helpline analysts or Form Simplicity experts to ensure you get the answers and support you need. And we will update this article on the FormSimplicity.com and TechHelpline.com blogs as more information becomes available. We hope to see you soon! Other topics you also may be interested in: "How Tech Helpline became known for 'Friendly Tech Support'" – July 2022 "How to Answer the Top 3 Questions Clients Have About eSigning" – July 2022 "The 5 Most Common Questions Agents Ask When They Call Tech Support" – June 2022 "Which of These 3 Reasons Convinced You to Use THE Software Tool Brokers Encourage Most?" – May 2022 Tricia Stamper is Director of Technology at Florida Realtors®, which owns both Tech Helpline and Form Simplicity.

Realtors Discuss Top Emerging Tech Trends Impacting Real Estate Industry
The metaverse and blockchain technology could have a significant impact on the future of real estate, according to experts at the 2022 REALTORS Legislative Meetings. Several hundred Realtors attended Wednesday's Emerging Business Issues and Technology Forum, which provided insight into the top emerging tech trends that are expected to have the biggest impact on the real estate industry in the coming years. Jane Dzielski, Google's principal analytical lead, kicked off the session with a presentation on data trends in the real estate sector. She said that prior to the pandemic, only one in 10 households moved each year. "We are now seeing a ton of moving activity," Dzielski said. "Twenty-five percent of consumers have moved in the past two years and 24% plan to move in the next year." Dzielski also said that while internet searches for buying a second home dropped in the first half of 2020 (-9%), they have surged since then (+23%). According to Google's data, the top reasons that homeowners cited for purchasing a second home were to diversify their investments, earn money renting, and use as a vacation home. Ashley Stinton, Second Century Ventures' head of marketing, discussed the recent rise in investment in real estate technology companies, explaining that over $31 billion was invested in 2021. "These are unprecedented numbers," Stinton said. "We've seen 12 new prop tech unicorns as well as over 150 merger and acquisition transactions." Stinton noted that SCV's REACH scale-up program plays an active role in shaping the future of real estate technology investment. "We find, support, accelerate, and scale the innovative companies that are going to have the highest impact on Realtors®' businesses," she said. "We then bring these technologies to NAR members so that these companies can work hand-in-hand with the Realtor® community as they build out their products and services." "Meta has committed to investing $10 billion per year, for each of the next 10 years, just on the metaverse," Weisman said. "The metaverse is going to change how we interact as a society, how we use the internet in general, and ultimately how people buy and sell homes." Dave Conroy, NAR's director of emerging technology, discussed how cryptocurrencies, NFTs, and blockchain technology will influence real estate businesses and transactions. He cited a Redfin report that said nearly one in nine first-time buyers – 11.6% – sold cryptocurrency to help finance a down payment in 2021, up from 8.8% in 2020 and 4.6% in 2019. "Blockchains are a new way of thinking about information management," he said. "They provide a verifiable and trustworthy record of events or transactions. This is a critical component of any transaction." Conroy concluded the session underscoring the importance of decentralized finance and the role it could play in real estate in the future. "Decentralized Finance, or DeFi for short, refers to financial services that exist on blockchains," he said. "With financing being a key component of the transaction, Realtors® should become familiar with the new tools that are becoming available in the DeFi landscape."

Your Survival Guide to Attending a Virtual Conference
The next real estate conference you are most likely to attend won't require you to drive or fly. You won't have to book a hotel or dinner reservations. Instead, you will go online via your computer or smartphone. Virtual conferences have rapidly taken to replacing major in-person meetings and conventions in every industry. Even the largest meeting of Realtors, the annual convention of the National Association of Realtors, has announced it will be virtual this fall. The NAR Annual Convention announced it will move from an in-person event that was set for New Orleans in early November to a fully virtual event online from November 13-16. Attending a conference or convention online sounds a lot easier, right? Be forewarned that attending a virtual convention for three or four days in a row can be as exhausting as attending one in person. But you can reduce the stress and strain that can come from attending a virtual meeting by following these tips before, during, and after an all online conference. Before a virtual conference Plan early: Block your calendar as if you are attending a real conference. Select your "must attend" events. And if technology fails during a must-attend session, have a "Plan B" alternative as a backup. Make sure you build in breaks – even if the schedulers appear to overlook this need – we are all learning how to adapt! Take a test drive: If you have never attended a virtual conference, before you block your schedule for three or four days, test out a half-day online event. There are many free conferences and meetings online locally and nationally that cover many industries, including real estate. Try out how it feels to attend a virtual conference – being online for four or more hours straight – you'll discover in advance if you need better equipment. You might find you need a more comfortable office chair or a large computer monitor. It's better to learn this in advance of attending a multi-day event. Be tech ready: Explore the website of the conference you are planning to attend to see if it offers a mobile app. The earlier you can download, install, and set up the app, the better. There are often built-in tools such as an event schedule calendar featuring alters, a list of attendees, and ways to connect with others. If you know the conference is going to use video, some browsers (Google Chrome, Windows) allow you to add features that can speed up video playback. Research and install these, and they might come in handy. Finally, test your viewing technology. If you are going to have interactive sessions where you can be seen and heard along with other participants, make sure you have the essentials for two-way participation. You need to make sure you have the right set up: a good video camera, proper lighting, and a microphone. While built-in cameras and mics may work fine, investing the dollars you are saving by attending virtually to better equipment can help you make a great impression. Remember to clean your screen: Smudges can make a laptop's camera blurry. Set your brightness level. Make sure everything is plugged in well in advance of your meeting. If you know you are using technology like Zoom, Webex or GoToMeeting, make sure you have the latest software installed well before you try to connect. During the virtual conference Breaks will save your back and your eyes: You need to stand and stretch – and often – when attending a virtual conference. You will not be getting up anytime soon to walk several blocks to your next session like you would at a regular convention. So, don't be stuck at your desk either. Walk around your room, and remember to exercise your eyes as well. Eye fatigue can give you headaches if you stare at a screen too long. You can learn about different ways to exercise your eyes here. Remember, breaks are vital to virtual conference endurance. Use a video playback speed hack: Most virtual conventions won't be completely live, as it takes too much bandwidth. While live sessions may be more common for smaller breakout panels and workshops, General Sessions are most likely going to be on video. There's a hack to speed up your viewing to squeeze out extra time to get all the content still but stay on top of your regular business responsibilities. The most common commercial video platform is Vimeo and YouTube for general videos. YouTube has a built-in speed adjustment found by clicking on the gear icon at the bottom of the YouTube video player. Microsoft Edge offers users a tool that adjusts YouTube playback as well. Vimeo Pro and Business accounts also have this feature built-in, but Google Chrome users can add a plugin that allows them to control Vimeo videos' speed. This can be a huge time saver when you have a presenter who speaks slow. While the average person speaks at a pace of 100-130 words per minute, our minds can fully comprehend speech at 180 words per minute. Ask questions and engage whenever possible: A virtual conference can't replace the energy one gets from being in a room with other people. Keep the Chat Box open and do your best to ask questions. Use the Chat Box to read and comment to all – or directly to others – when you have a thought to share. Being engaged online can help you get more out of a virtual conference. If you get the opportunity to participate in a live two-way session, make sure you look directly at the camera, frame your face correctly, and avoid backlighting so you can look your best. After the virtual conference Recorded sessions: If you know for sure you'll have access to all or some recorded sessions soon after the virtual conference, take advantage of it. Look at the convention schedule for potential conflicts of overlapping sessions you want to attend. If you know one session will be available for playback later, visit the one that won't be viewable. It's great when you can "attend" a virtual meeting you would have certainly missed in person. Electronic handouts: Often, a speaker will mention that they will make their PowerPoint presentation or other material available after the meeting. Send yourself a reminder to follow up to collect these items if you don't automatically receive them as promised. This often saves you a lot of time taking notes – or trying to capture a screenshot. Post-conference networking: While we can't attend a major real estate convention in person, we can try to take advantage of the fact that more people than ever are likely to participate in a virtual meeting of the Florida Realtors or the National Association of Realtors. That means a shared experience with more people whom you know. And while you may not be physically sitting next to them, think about how you might follow up with them afterward to discuss. Perhaps even hold a Zoom meeting post-conference to share what you learned and discover what others learned. The great thing about virtual conferences is that it is hard to beat the ROI — return on investment — it offers versus an in-person meet. The downside is that even the most creative attempts at hosting a virtual Happy Hour can't replace having a drink in the lobby bar with a colleague or friend. The good news is you can get a lot out of a virtual convention if you get organized, stay focused by taking breaks and creating ways to stay engaged. You still might need a vacation afterwards. And if you have any issues with your technology, remember you can always contact Tech Helpline. Your tech support team available as a member benefit at no additional cost. To view the original article, visit the Tech Helpline blog.

On the Road Again: Tech Helpline May Be Coming Your Way
Tech support is often thought of as a kind of necessary evil. You will call upon it when you're stuck, but you probably dread making the call. That makes it hard for many people because we live in a tech-centric world today, which means the importance of tech support is growing, and we're going to need that crucial help at critical times now more than ever. Fortunately, nearly 50 percent of agents and brokers in North America – more than 600,000 in the U.S. and Canada – have access to Tech Helpline. Now if you have made a call to Tech Helpline before, then you know what I am talking about. We earned the moniker "The Genius Bar of Real Estate" because of our no-nonsense technical advice and warm, friendly, customer service. When is the last time you called for tech support and felt you were treated by someone who was "warm and friendly"? You get my point. It's why so many Realtor® associations, Multiple Listing Services (MLSs) and real estate brokerage firms discover that of all the benefits they provide their members or agents, Tech Helpline is often their highest praised benefit. It's also why Tech Helpline has become the #1 tech support service in the real estate industry. Our Orlando, Florida-based staff of professional tech analysts have nearly 300 years of combined IT experience, and we provide support by phone, chat or email, in English or Spanish. We bet that if you have used Tech Helpline, you found the experience so much better than other Tech Support experiences that it left a lasting impression. If you haven't used Tech Helpline or are not aware of what we offer, Tech Helpline may be coming to a conference or convention near you! Each year, a small team from Tech Helpline goes on the road to meet with existing customers and seek out new ones. We wanted to share our schedule with you and invite you to meet Tech Helpline face-to-face. Jessica Smith, who manages the integration of Tech Helpline with all of our new customers, will be our chief ambassador. Other Tech Helpline ambassadors will be Marc Zayas and Caitlin Vaught. They all will be taking turns on the road, traveling from August 8 through October 10. They will all be starting locally, in Orlando, where Tech Helpline is based, at the Florida Realtors Convention & Trade Show and will travel to six more states, as far as Colorado and California. Here is the schedule for Tech Helpline and the upcoming trade shows and conventions we will attend. If the booth number is currently not available, check back closer to the event date for an update here. August 8-9Florida Realtors Convention & Trade Show - Orlando, FL (Rosen Shingle Creek)Link: http://convention.floridarealtors.org/Location: Sebastian Foyer September 12-14Rise Above Realtor Convention of the Dakotas 2018Link: https://www.2018conventionofthedakotas.com/Booth #: TBD September 16-18North Carolina Realtors Convention and Expo – Wilmington, NC (Wilmington Conv Center)Link: http://xchange18.com/Location: Jessica will be at Booth #611 on Sunday (9/16) and then at a Help Desk located in the pre-function area of the convention center on Monday (9/17) & Tuesday (9/18) September 17-18Wisconsin Realtors® Annual conventionLink: https://www.wra.org/CONVENTION/Location: Booth #49 September 25-27Virginia Realtors® Annual Convention 2018 (Norfolk)Link: https://www.virginiarealtors.org/events/annual-convention-2018/Booth #: TBD September 26-28CMLS2018 – Orlando, Universal City, Lowes Sapphire FallsLink: http://cmls2018.com/Booth #: TBD October 9-11California Realtor Expo – Long Beach Convention Center, Long Beach, CALink: https://expo.car.org/Booth #: TBD October 10-11Colorado Association of Realtors – Refresh Expo – Colorado Convention Center, Denver COLink: https://refreshexpo.eventwaves.com/Booth #: TBD Remember to bring your Tech Helpline questions with you. If Jessica, Marc or Caitlin can't help you directly at the show, they will be able to connect you with one of our Tech Helpline analysts. We hope to see you on the road! Tricia Stamper is Director of Technology at Florida Realtors®, which owns both Tech Helpline and Form Simplicity.    

Top Headlines from NAR Annual
Each year's NAR Annual conference is always a flurry of announcements and educational sessions. Judging by the way the endless news releases burned up our RSS feeds, this year's conference in San Diego was no. To keep our readers informed, whether they attended the event or not, we've rounded up this list of headlines from this year's trade show. Realtors® to Receive zipForm Plus® and zipTMS™ as Free Member Benefit Let's kick off this list with some good news--and what's better than a free, new member benefit? On the final day of the conference, NAR and zipLogix announced that all Realtors will now receive zipForm Plus and zipTMS, a transaction management solution, for free. Brokers looking to expand their offerings beyond zipForm and zipTMS will be able to purchase additional tools from zipLogix via exclusive, members-only pricing. NAR Prioritizes Member Safety in 2015 and Beyond Agent safety has been a top concern for NAR during the tenure of its 2015 president, Chris Polychron, who introduced safety classes, webinars, videos, presentations and more. NAR members can access all these materials here. RE Technology members looking to supplement these materials with practical advice for reducing risk can read a 12-part series on agent safety here. Cybercriminals Targeting Real Estate Transactions Physical safety isn't the only threat to real estate professionals. Because they handle sensitive client data, like social security numbers and more, brokers and agents are a prime target for hackers. NAR offers an online training course for professionals looking to better understand how to protect sensitive information. For more information, learn about keeping data secure or read these digital security tips.

Conferences, Conventions and Local Organizations: Are They Worth Your Time?
This post comes to us from the Market Leader blog: Every year, there are more real estate industry conventions and conferences than any one agent can possibly attend. Then, there are the local networking events, such as chamber mixers and community events that can be used (subtly) to network. All of these events can quickly fill up a real estate agent's calendar, so it's important to decide which are worth your time, and let the other ones slide. So, how to decide? It's all about the takeaways. Think carefully about what's valuable to you, and figure out which events you'll get the most out of. Here are some ideas to help you make the most of your time. Industry Events Industry events such as conferences and conventions are fine for networking, especially if you specialize in relocation or are looking for referrals. They're also ideal educational arenas. Deciding which ones to attend each year can be challenging. Ask yourself what part of your business needs the most attention. What area do you want to devote more time to in the coming year? Maybe you'd like to beef up your website, take on video marketing, or become more mobile-marketing savvy. Some workshops at conventions and conferences are highly specific and specialized. The upcoming National Association of Realtors® Conference, for instance, is offering a workshop on the use of drones in marketing.

Did you miss it? Catch what you missed at Conference Live and Playback NAR.
It's okay, we know you're busy – successful real estate professionals often are. But if you missed this year's REALTORS® Conference & Expo, you can still experience the event! First, visit Conference Live 2013, a virtual window into the conference experience. This free resource takes you behind the scenes of the conference in San Francisco. Catch Lawrence Yun's residential and commercial economic forums, watch interviews with real estate speakers, and find new exhibitors, as they talk about their latest products and services. Next, visit Playback NAR to check out the lineup of education session recordings from the 2013 REALTORS® Conference & Expo. The recordings are a great way to review industry issues, find experts for niche market consultations, and increase your professional value to your clients. Conference attendees with a Premier Access pass can activate an 11-month subscription free as part of their registration. Others can purchase individual sessions or a complete set of recordings – packages are available for any schedule and budget. Brokers: Purchase a package for your team to review, and share sessions with your agents. Agents: Easily build a customized training schedule for the New Year, or download individual sessions to listen to at open houses or in the car on the way to client meetings.

REach™ Accelerator Class of 2013 to conclude at REALTORS® Conference & Expo
This year the NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS®' investment arm, Second Century Ventures (SCV), launched the REach™ technology accelerator program to bring the latest cutting edge technologies to the real estate industry. The inaugural class is set to conclude at the REALTORS® Conference & Expo in San Francisco in November. During a panel discussion just before the Expo opens, some of the industry's top executives including Rick Davidson, CEO of CENTURY 21, Pam O'Connor, CEO of Leading RE and Errol Samuelson, President of realtor.com®, will discuss how they are using technologies from the REach™ companies to streamline communications, deploy social media and enhance their brands. Following the panel discussion, the REach™ companies will demonstrate their products and the progress they have made throughout the program. Meet the REach™ Class of 2013 at the REALTORS® Conference & Expo in San Francisco: BombBomb: Get more listings and recruit more agents with the power of video email. BombBomb provides a complete e-mail and video marketing platform for developing, sending and tracking results of traditional and video e-mail campaigns from any device.

Hurry! Register now for the REALTORS® Conference & Expo and receive an MVP Reward!
Two weeks only! When you act with the Member Value Plus (MVP) Program and register for a Premier Access pass to the 2013 REALTORS® Conference and Expo you'll get rewarded with bonus education PLUS a chance to win a $250 gift card! No other real estate event can compare to the education you'll get at the 2013 REALTORS® Conference and Expo: 100 education sessions, 400 industry exhibitors and unlimited networking opportunities with 22,000 REALTORS® and friends from all over the world. A Premier Access pass is your best value to the 2013 REALTORS® Conference and Expo. Not only can you choose from 100 education sessions in San Francisco, but after the event is over, you can download all session audio recordings free for a full year – a $400 value!

#ICSF Day 2: Off-MLS Listings, Tech Tools and beyond
Day 2 of Inman Connect wrapped up just hours ago. As I write this, conference goers are pausing to catch their breath before embarking on what's sure to be an exciting night out in San Francisco. Today, attendees participated in a full schedule of engaging sessions with titles like "The Paperless Revolution" and "Software is Eating the World." (When they weren't networking at Lobbycon, that is.) Since we believe that the participants themselves are the best reporters of the Inman Connect experience, we turned to Twitter to follow the conference's official hashtag, #ICSF. See below for highlights of the best Twitter updates from Inman Connect, day two. * * * BoomTown - No. 1 consumer complaint: agents don't communicate what they're doing. @benkinney says be transparent. Let them know how u r helping them! #ICSF Coldwell Banker - "You are not selling things. You are helping people to make an informed choice." - @ThePeyman #ICSF Bill Risser - If you email a client a listing and they can't view it on their phone, you blew it. - Jessica Swesey of @1000watt #ICSF Coldwell Banker - Listening to Bruce Zipf (NRT CEO) discuss the importance of continually building a salespersons skill set. #ICSF pic.twitter.com/pnZgFHRV5F

The REALTORS® Conference & Expo Can Help You Make More Money
Did you know that REALTORS® Conference & Expo attendees make twice as much income from real estate than the average REALTOR®? Based on survey data, last year's attendees reported making a median income of $87,500, compared with the average NAR member income of $43,500. What do conference attendees know that you don't? They know that the REALTORS® Conference & Expo is the best real estate event to learn about the latest trends and opportunities in the business. They know that networking with other successful real estate professionals is the best way to exchange ideas and build referrals. They know that it's not about what issues make REALTORS® different, but what common challenges we all face in the real estate industry. The REALTORS® Conference & Expo is the largest event just for real estate professionals. This annual four-day event includes 100 education sessions, 400 exhibitors and unlimited networking opportunities with 22,000 attendees.

6 Online Resources for Real Estate Education
Looking to complete CE credits? Find software user tips? How about discovering new sales techniques to leverage? Whatever your particular situation, you can satisfy just about any educational need online. The big question is--where to start? A search for "real estate education online" turns up 836,000,000 results on Google. The problem isn't a dearth of information, but an abundance of it. To help you cut through the noise, we've created this quick guide to our favorite online educational resources for real estate. Check it out to find six great places to start your learning journey. Through your Broker, MLS or Association We'll start with the most obvious. Checking the educational offerings of your brokerage, MLS, or association should always be the first thing you do. They often offer training in conjunction with their technology partners on tech solutions used within the organization or offered as a member benefit. Your MLS or association should be your go-to source to find continuing education opportunities. Start by checking their website for more information. (We're particularly fond of Chicago area association MORe's page on NAR's Ethics Training Requirement--especially the countdown clock!) If your organization's website is a little thin, don't hesitate to call or email them directly. And don't forget to check out NAR. Their REALTOR® Education page offers a wealth of information and links to learning resources: http://www.realtor.org/education

Why Real Estate Conferences and Conventions are Important for Business
The cocktail parties, the dining and dancing, and the networking that goes on at the typical real estate convention or conference may all seem pretty frivolous, but the return on your investment for attending is higher than you may think. You're forging bonds with other agents from around the world – agents you can refer clients to and obtain referrals from in return. You're also getting access to hands-on training, top-notch thought leaders and business strategies that can make for smoother (and more frequent) transactions in the future. After a full year of managing hundreds of events, rubbing shoulders with the best of the best speakers and attending several of the real estate industry's top events, I see three main benefits to attending conferences and conventions: Education On the more serious side of real estate conferences are the phenomenal educational opportunities offered through workshops and lectures. Trainers, nationally renowned speakers, thought leaders, and top industry experts offer timely information on topics and issues that are valuable to agents, brokers and team leads. If you were to obtain the same training outside industry sponsored conventions, you'd pay hundreds, if not thousands, to get access to this information. Not to mention that the trade exhibit halls are packed with new technology and vendors offering ways to make your business run smoother and smarter.

#ICSF: Final Day
On Friday, the Inman Real Estate Connect conference wrapped up in San Francisco. The real highlight of the day was the Innovator Awards. I found the winners – and more – on social media. #ICSF on Twitter Dan Moore @mooreds : Retechnology party at @templenightclub is hopping #icsf Chris Nichols @utahREpro : Here's your link! #ICSF Real Estate Connect Live Blog – Last Day! http://ow.ly/cIFPA Nick, Ky Realtor @nickratliff : Winner of the Most Innovative New Technology....... Zillow Premier Agent Websites!!! #ICSF Jeffrey Kershner @jeff_kershner : Most Innovative Brokerage or Franchise winner is Village Real Estate Services. #ICSF Congrats! Jeffrey Kershner @jeff_kershner : Most Innovative RE Website winner is Zip Realty! #icsf Nick, Ky Realtor @nickratliff : Most Innovative MLS or RE Trade Association...... Denver Metro Association of Realtors (DMAR) #icsf Jessica Hayes @TechieJess : Congrats @akardell! Won the Most Innovative Real Estate Startup. :) #icsf Bryan Sereny @bryan_sereny : Dotloop innovator of the year #icsf Lou Mintzer @LouMintzer : :) @HomeSnap wins "Most Innovative Mobile App" at @Imman Connect! #icsf

#ICSF: Day One
I couldn't make it to Inman Real Estate Connect in San Francisco this week; so, I'm doing the next best thing: following the conference on social media. I'll be sharing some of the highlights here for all you folks who are in the same boat. Follow ICSF 2012 If you'd like to follow ICSF yourself, you can check them out here: Twitter – also check out #ICSF Facebook RealEstateConnect.com/sf12 #ICSF on Twitter Some of my favorite Tweets for Wednesday, August 1st (opening day of the conference): pamela_kabati @pamela_kabati : Expect incremental improvement in housing markets and continued low interest rates over next year, says Inman econ panel. #icsf Lockhart Steele @Lock : Great "New Kids on the Block" lineup at #icsf: @dreamcommerce @happyinspector @homevisor @honestbuildings @lovely @revintanews @videolicious Laura Monroe @LauraMonroe : Data is like a river with tributaries running into it and there are thousands if tributaries. #icsf Chris Lambrou @MREDChris : "Real Estate Data is much like a flowing river..." [have to chime in that this river is currently highly polluted] #noSwimming #icsf RealEstateLivin @RealEstateLivin : @InmanConnect as it happens. Tune in to the Connect live blog: http://ht.ly/cF96u #icsf #realestate #REALTOR Steve Hundley @1parkplace : It's not about pins. It's not about pictures. It's about people. @Chris_Smith #icsf This is still a relationship business. More than ever! Lisa Archer @LisaArcher : backlinks are overrated. via @Chris_Smth #icsf

Following #Midyear (Wrapping Up)
As you know, I’ve been following the NAR Midyear conference on the Internet from California, since I couldn’t make it to Washington D.C. (You can read my posts from Tuesday and Wednesday.) Since we got such a great response to my first two articles, I’m continuing my coverage today – combining Thursday and Friday to wrap up the conference.   On TwitterI woke up early on Thursday and watched with my cup of coffee as the Tweets flew past me. The big news under the #Midyear hashtag that day was the REALTOR® Rally. Here are some of those Tweets and others about the conference.   REALTOR® Magazine @realtormag: NAR's Lawrence Yun: First quarter of this year was the best for real estate in five years. #Midyear NAR Midyear @narmidyear: Almost 8000 #REALTORS attending the virtual #realtorrally! Tune in now at http://www.realtorrally.org #Midyear Chris Nichols @utahREpro: #realtorrally starting to fill up! #midyear http://instagr.am/p/Kunc3bzH_l/

Following #Midyear
For those of you who can't make it to the National Association of REALTORS® Midyear conference this year, we're in the same boat! I always leave NAR conferences feeling educated and inspired, and was very disappointed that I would have to miss this week's event. So I decided to do the only thing I could to keep at least somewhat informed of what was happening – following the conference on the all-powerful Interwebs. I'll share some of what I saw online today (Tuesday, May 15) and, if we get a good response, I'll keep up my NAR Midyear cyberstalking for the rest of the week! On Twitter On Twitter, I followed NAR Midyear at the hashtag #Midyear. Here are a few of the interesting Tweets I saw coming through today: Chris Nichols @utahREpro: Ron Insana asks panelists to characterize the market. Consensus at #midyear seems to be it's turned. Matt Case @mattcase: FHA actively working on changes to support affordable housing AND condo financing. Details soon, then on to regulatory approval. #midyear Jay Thompson @PhxREguy: There are Realtors here. Lots of them. #midyear http://instagr.am/p/KqGMDdhgsy/

RETSO Recap: “Where ideas and Doers Meet”
RETSO was designed for sharing ideas, improving business across the industry, and building relationships with like-minded professionals. The RETSO events are able to accomplish these things by offering an engaging experience accompanied by industry thought leaders and industry service leaders. Since RETSO's initial entrance into the Real Estate space five years ago, it was clear from the beginning that they had something to offer that few other conferences did. DotLoop, being a sponsor of the event for the past three years, has watched as RETSO has continued to grow and mature into becoming one of the most unique experiences the industry has to offer. "RETSO is refreshing." It seems like most traditional Real Estate Conferences are like reading the same magazine several times and while there are a few exceptions (Inman Connect, Xplode, Hear-It-Direct, etc) the thought still exists: It may be a new edition, but the content is generally the same. RETSO is truly a "refreshing" experience. Instead of focusing on sales, RETSO focuses on bettering the industry by leveraging technology and the ideas of like-minded individuals. As one individual said to Mike Pennington (RETSO organizer) at a Speaker Dinner, "RETSO is not a real estate conference, but instead a Human conference." This is something that has truly resonated in my mind for the past  five days because at RETSO there is no secret agenda, and because of this hundreds of industry leaders flock to the event every year.

Video: Step Inside the Expo Hall at NAR Annual!
So you didn’t make it to the NAR convention in Anaheim – or, like us, you were there, but so overwhelmed that it all seemed like a blur. Well, that’s okay; we’ve got you covered. In this video, you’ll get to step inside the expo hall with us. There’s an opportunity for you to get a free website – and the web addresses for all the companies featured here – on the next page, so don’t miss it.

A Real Estate Conference Unlike Any Other!
In a few days, the Chicago Association of REALTORS® in combination with MRED will be hosting the Real Estate Xplode conference. The date is set for next Friday, August 19th. If you are anywhere near Chicago and you make a living selling real estate, you should make plans to go. We may even give you one of the tickets we purchased (see below). The Xplode conference is not like any real estate conference or training event that you have ever been to before. It is like the best conference you have ever attended . . . on hyper-drive. Every 15 minutes, the conference changes speakers. Information comes at you like a fire hose.

8 Days Until Agent Reboot Denver - Next Stops Las Vegas, Portland, Houston
Inman News hosts a number of real estate technology seminars called Agent Reboot.  These seminars are power-packed, low cost, local events for real estate professionals. Agent Reboot's are only one-day long, but it is a fast-paced program designed to equip agents with the latest in business development, technology and marketing skills to help them be more successful. Agent Reboot is being offered in 12 cities across the United States. Agent Reboot offers a training day for a newer agent or a seasoned pro. Local real estate agents and REALTORS® are expected to attend each event. Highlights of each event include a networking power-hour and expo featuring cutting-edge real estate technology vendors. Top 5 Reasons You Should be at Agent Reboot 1. 95% of our attendees said Agent Reboot met or exceeded their expectations.* 2. 98% of our attendees said they would recommend Agent Reboot to a colleague.* 3. Learn the latest in social media, tech tools, mobile tips and more! 4. Free Inman News 30-Day Social Media Plan! 5. Free t-shirt & complimentary breakfast! *based on 2010 survey results from Agent Reboot San Francisco attendees