Home > Blogs > Billnulls Blog Florida Realty Professional > Bill's Blog

Going Paperless....Well Almost!

By Billnulls Blog Florida Realty Professional

Real Estate Agent with Charles Rutenberg Realty

July 30, 2007 06:57 AM

Tired of those file folders that you keep in an oversized filing cabinet....tired of knowing that you are responsible for more trees being cut down??? Tired of keeping track of all those papers???

I no longer keep files on listings and closings in a file cabinet...at least not in the usual file cabinet. I now keep everything on a simple little disc! I have CD pocket filing cases that holds a hundred discs each. They take up VERY LITTLE room and make my life so much simpler (not to mention how much easier it is to find things!). I keep them alphabetical and differentiate between condo/lot/residential/business in the different cases.

The files are all handled on the computer through pdf and e-fax. I e-mail and e-fax it all back and forth to everyone involved in the transaction and when it is done only print a single copy for the broker's office (I sure will be glad when they convert over to paperless too). My client gets everything on a disc at closing and I cut myself a single disc after closing with everything on it for emergency purposes. Then I can clear it out of my computer memory.

Life sure has become easier to handle in the computer age!!!

Comments(17)

Comment

Show All Comments

Sort:

Andrew Trevino

ADT Real Estate - Wilkes Barre, PA

Wilkes-Barre Homes For Sale

Bill and Barbara, I've been trying to get to this point for a while. There are still people in my area who don't have e-mail, a computer or a fax machine. That's when it's frustrating. Today I'm actually waiting to get a copy of an executed contract from the selling agent and she's having issues using the scanner at the office. What a relief it will be when we all move into the present age of digital communication.

Jul 30, 2007 07:06 AM

Margaret Rome Baltimore 410-530-2400

HomeRome Realty 410-530-2400 - Pikesville, MD

Sell Your Home With Margaret Rome

Bill and Barbara Jo, This is wonderful. I bet you have the neatest office space in the industry!

Jul 30, 2007 07:11 AM

Mary Smartt

Lawton Associates / www.LawtonAssociates.com - Berkeley, CA

Smartt Moves with Mary Smartt

We are moving more and more in your direction....thanks for setting a great example! One tip~from my son who has a background in archiving. It would be wise to keep a duplicate set of the CDs in an off-site location like a safety deposit box. This way in case of emergency there will always be a back-up.

Jul 30, 2007 07:12 AM

Charlottesville Solutions

Charlottesville Solutions - Charlottesville, VA

that is great if you can do it. Seems we have been trying to go paperless for years and I seem to just create more paper. Then every few years, I get several boxes of paper together for a major paper shed.... which I pay for.... great subject!

Jul 30, 2007 07:23 AM

Agnes Ikotun

AI Virtual Solutions LLC - Newington, CT

Bill and Barbara Jo- Thumbs up to you! I feel more at peace with less paper around me. I second the tip on archiving at a different location.

Jul 30, 2007 07:30 AM

Billnulls Blog Florida Realty Professional

Charles Rutenberg Realty - Clearwater, FL

AHWD

Thanks for the tip on archiving! Actually, there is the CD in my office, a copy on Bill's computer and then the paper copy with our broker. Every month I back-up all the files onto a small USB flash drive, so there is actually a back-up.

Jul 30, 2007 07:53 AM

Kathy McGraw

CELLing Realty - White Water, CA

Riverside County CA Real Estate

Paperless is great....but as someone just said, what do you do when the other agents don'e have the tools......

Aug 03, 2007 01:14 PM

Bill Nazaroff

The Nazaroff Team - Fresno, CA

Modern Technology with Old Fashion Service

Paperless is the way to go! we are about 95% paperless - our clients get a CD at closing with all their closing info - NO paper, NO more BIG file cabinets - I also have a Fijitsu ScanSnap scanner - it is AWESOME! - I scan everything - then shred what ever paper I have - I back up to 2 different external hardrives PLUS one backup online. We also work with Tablet PCs with high speed datacards. get all faxes and emails on Tablets - then print to PDF and file - fax via efax etc. NO MORE Paper!

We are Virtual Agents also - No brick and morter office - our office is Starbucks - Clients like meeting there.

We also use a Virtual Transaction cordinator that handles all the transaction and is totally paperless using SureClose.

Aug 03, 2007 04:48 PM

Darlene Wurth

Keller Williams Select Professionals - Rome, GA

Realtor/REOS

We also are paperless. We use a system called the settlement room. Its great. We send everybody that is involved an invitation to come in. Buyer or Seller can go in anytime and print off the paperwork if they want to. When the transaction closes we give them a CD. GREAT TOOL!!

Aug 03, 2007 05:12 PM

Billnulls Blog Florida Realty Professional

Charles Rutenberg Realty - Clearwater, FL

AHWD

My goodness, don't they train people in her office??? I read your comment, Alfie, and was amazed that the broker would let someone like that out on her own!!!! Hand delivery when she can't use a fax....can she complete a contract???

Aug 07, 2007 08:39 AM

Anonymous

Bill Nazaroff

Was she driving a vehicle??

Aug 07, 2007 08:52 AM

#11

Billnulls Blog Florida Realty Professional

Charles Rutenberg Realty - Clearwater, FL

AHWD

Wow, Alfie, I am amazed that there are people out there that are so behind the times and in our business! The Florida Association of Realtors has something called Transaction Desk that is taught by the various boards of realtors throughout the state. All of the contracts are stored there and you can start with the wizard and enter the entire contract, adding whatever forms you need and all the addendums from this one source on-line. You can give other agents access to the contract if you want to and it can be e-mailed and e-faxed to everyone.

I do realize that not everyone has this capability, but it makes life a lot easier working with those that do! And for the others, that I still have to do the old fashioned way, I e-fax myself a copy of the completed contract from the office and then put the papers in the office file and go home to put my personal copy on disc! The office needs that paper copy anyway, so it is not the end of the world! I am still paper free and happy!!!

Aug 09, 2007 02:38 PM

Goomzee Corporation

Goomzee Corporation - Missoula, MT

www.goomzee.com

Bill and Barbara,

I used to work in an office where we had to have electronic and paper files of everything. It was so hard to keep track of and such a PAIN. I now work in a technology office so we try to keep almost EVERYTHING paperless. SO much nicer. It was just hard to get used to the filing system on the computer to begin with, but I don't have the cluster of papers all over my desk now and it's much easier to hit the "Search" key on your computer than sift through piles of folders for a single piece of paper. Eventually, you'll know what kind of stuff will need it's own specific folder and what can just be generalized

Good luck to everyone adapting this method! You will be much happier in the end.

Thanks for sharing!

Erika

www.goomzee.com

Aug 10, 2007 05:27 AM

Billnulls Blog Florida Realty Professional

Charles Rutenberg Realty - Clearwater, FL

AHWD

Erika- I agree, it makes life so much easier! I love to hear that there are others out there that are making the change! Less CLUTTER and it saves TREES!!!!

Aug 10, 2007 02:16 PM

Frank Laisch

Orlando, FL

"The Insurance Guy"

Great comments! E-fax is the greatest thing since sliced bread! Emailing and e-faxing has also help cut down on having to use courier services too. not only saving some trees but also on time, gas and pollution. soon everyone will catch on

Aug 12, 2007 02:39 AM

Billnulls Blog Florida Realty Professional

Charles Rutenberg Realty - Clearwater, FL

AHWD

Let's hope so, Frank! Wouldn't it be great! I have had a lot of people asking me lately how e-fax works and how they can get it, so perhaps we will be seeing more of it!!!

Aug 12, 2007 03:05 AM

Bill Nazaroff

The Nazaroff Team - Fresno, CA

Modern Technology with Old Fashion Service

We use efax - exclusively - I had a $700. fax machine that is in a closet sompeplace now - we do not have a fax machine anymore. We use efax to send and receive faxes - anywhere we have a interenet connection. No more waiting to receive a fax - and waiting - and waiting - we just go about what we are doing anywhere - then just check our email - on our Tablets with Verizon data card (DSL speed) and we are totally MOBILE on receiving or sending faxes. Most of the time on sending is in a PDF format to people with emails.

Also we do use GoToMeeting.com that has been usefull in going over contracts - termite reports etc. I have the client go to GoToMeeting login using the login I give them and presto they can see my screen - I have the document up and then theer is a little pointer that I can point out the paragraph - price etc. go through the whole document with them on the same page.

You can sign up for a Free try out period of a wek or 2 - I did not sign up right away - then they sent me an email a few days after my trial period saying they have a special of $350 a year for up to 10 people at a time that can be on.

Aug 12, 2007 06:35 AM