For Immediate Release
Virginia Varela, Hoboken REALTOR® Obtains e-PRO Certification To Provide Consumers with State-of-the-Art Services
Contact: Virginia Varela,
Tel: (551) 358-8375
E-mail: Virginia@VirginiaVarela.com


Monday, July 27, 2009 - As more and more consumers begin their search for real
estate-related information on the Internet, it is critical that real estate professionals stay
on top of the latest technology for the benefit of con mers and real estate practitioners
alike. The e-PRO Technology Certification Program fills that need.

Realizing the importance of technology training, the National Association of
REALTORS® (NAR) created a comprehensive Technology Certification course in 2000.
And now that course, e-PRO , has been completely updated to include information on
Social Media and Web 2.0 aspects that is, and will continue, to change the real estate
business.

"The real estate industry has undergone a fundamental change over the past five
years," Virginia Varela said. "Today, more than 85% of all buyers and sellers begin their
search online. As an e-PRO certified specialist with over 15 years in on-line marketing,
web and graphic design, I have the unique knowledge and skills needed to provide my
clients with the information they need and the customer service they demand."

The all new e-PRO certification course -- the only technology certification program
offered by NAR -- is designed to prepare real estate professionals to make the most of
Internet technology and to identify, evaluate, and imp ment new Internet business
models. The elite group of course graduates represents only four percent of all
REALTORS in the country including Virginia Varela.

The e-PRO certification course is an educational program unlike any other professional
certification or designation course available, comprehensive and interactive. It is
specifically designed to provide real estate professionals with the technology tools
needed to assist consumers in the purchase or sale of a home.

The exclusive e-PRO certification course is presented entirely online and certifies real
estate agents and brokers as Internet professionals. The course is designed to help
REALTORS stay at the leading edge of technology and identify, evaluate and
implement new Internet business models.

Once completed, the e-PRO certified real estate professional joins the ranks of a
special community of highly skilled and continuously trained professionals who provide
high quality and innovative online-based real estate services. Consumers can identify
the e-PRO through the exclusive e-PRO Internet Professional logo.

Both the content and the delivery platform were created by the San Diego-based
technology company InternetCrusade®. Graduates use the skills they've acquired to
provide clients information on properties for sale, lo communities, and the local real
estate market.

For more information, e-mail Virginia Varela at virginia@virginiavarela.com or call (551)
358-8375.

With the Average Joe turning more and more to their smart phones, Ipods, PDAs and other wireless devices for instant information it is imperative that your website is "WAP" friendly.

What is the simplest way to keep your website WAP friendly? Well....keep it simple.

1. Although Flash is cool and looks great on your desktop or laptap, most wireless devices cannot read Flash. Websites designed entirely in Flash are INVISIBLE on a WAP device, therefore by all means use Flash as a banner or ad, but understand it will not appear on most wireless devices.

2. Use MOSTLY text and a few graphics nicely organized in a simple table, ESPECIALLY FOR YOUR LISTINGS! The more complicated a table, the more scrolling the web surfer will have to do, and it may confuse and frustrate your audience.

3. Use text AND graphics instead of just one large image or image map on your webpages, and make sure your images are less than 72 DPI each, so that your website loads quickly.

4. Use text links as hyperlinks, and place them at the bottom of your website. Mouse-over images are fine, but a web surfer wants to be able to read your buttons, menus, and navigation, not squint and guess if they're going to the correct web page.

REMEMBER, wireless devices are smaller than PCs, MACs, and laptaps, and still don't have all of their functions. A simple, useful, and well-organized web site will look good and load quickly on either a wireless device or a computer. Good web design is good web design!

Check out both desktop and mobile versions of websites from your computer AND wireless device and note the differences.
Either way, you easily find all the information the website has to offer.

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Virginia Varela is an New Jersey Licensed Real Estate Agent working in Hoboken New Jersey. She has over 15 years experience as a web and graphic designer and received her Web Master Certification from New Jersey Institute of Technology.