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10 Ways to use A Smart Phone in the Real Estate Business

By
Services for Real Estate Pros with Award Referral Network Inc. DRE#00915227

Technology is always changing, and the latest versions of the Apple iPhone and Motorola’s Droid X are taking the cell phone market by storm. There are still line-ups for these "phones/computers" because they allow us to communicate better, work smarter, and get things done faster.

It's no longer efficient to think that with the ordinary lines of communications we will be at the top of our game - especially if we are dealing with a much more tech-savvy, “I want to-know-now” consumer, and if Eight out of 10 home buyers used the Internet to search for a home, do we really want to work with the other 2 people? 

That’s not to say that the 2 out of 10 people that don’t use the internet for anything, aren’t worth working with, but most transactions nowadays are taking so long as it is, do we really want to spend even more time communicating by talking on the phone and/or dealing with each other through snail mail? For those who like to do business the old fashioned way, losing the other eight people's business, is something to ponder no doubt... 

I don't have to point out all the features of what the iphone can do as Apple has done a great job of getting it into the market and into the hands of millions of tech-savvy customers, but I can tell you the features I use on it, and what applications help me in my business.

1. Maps, the built-in GPS and map coordination on the iphone is stellar. You input where you’re going, it shows you directions and you are a live blue dot moving toward your destination on the screen. I no longer use the other GPS gadgets I used to have anymore; no wonder they all went on sale when these phones hit the market.

 2. “Sandicor”, the local multiple listing service has an application for the iphone. It’s complete with pictures and lots of detail in case a buyer wants to see the latest while out on the road, or if you want to show a seller how their home is being marketed.

3. For the consumer, Realtor.com is also on the iphone, so portable one no longer has to wonder what the nearby market rentals are, or if they are interested in attending open houses in the area, just click on “nearby open houses”, it gives you open house dates and times. It also allows one to save listings they’re interested in if they want to ask their Realtor for more information later.

4. ERate is an application that gives the user a list of current mortgage rates as well as points and fees. Of course, we all know that everyone’s credit and situation is different, but it’s nice to have an idea of where the general market is in relation to what kind of payment one can afford.

5. Apartment guide is also on the iphone, in case you are a homebuyer that needs to rent before relocating to your next home. This application has a “search near you” option, and gives pricing as well as addresses of complexes that are available. 

6. Title company applications are also available on the iphone. They allow us to calculate closing costs estimates for the buyer as well as the seller and even includes options for conventional, FHA, and VA loans.  

7. The Compass application is so easy to use and yet it’s very important to a Feng Shui buyer to know which way the entrance of a home faces. No longer do we have to guess from what direction the energy is flowing.  

8. “Amortize” is a loan interest calculation program, and even though it’s a basic payment calculator, it can still give us an idea of what to expect, before adding taxes and insurance to a monthly payment or give us an idea of the interest being paid when we can look at an amortization schedule.  

9. The "Camera" is very convenient for anyone needing to take a picture for a listing as well as for a buyer wanting to remember how a home looks inside especially if they are seeing more than one house in a day. Also great, is the video option of the camera that allows one to upload a video to “YouTube” and send the link to a client for a potential purchase as well as to a client who is needing to see the condition of their home if they happen to be an out of area homeowner.

10. "Safari" is the iphone’s web browser, and is built-in, but very essential to looking up anything that our clients want to know about everything there is to know about a city that they might be relocating to, such as school districts, demographics, employment information and other such pertinent facts that are important to today’s relocating consumer.

Soon I will be getting Motorola’s Droid X mobile phone, as I like having choices for my clients who may be on the Verizon network. Yes, I have to wait for it to be delivered to me, as did most Droid X users, so look forward to another blog from me, sometime in the near future, to hear about the new features I will be using on the Droid X, comparably to the iphone. I expect it to be as much fun and exciting to learn using, as it has been to use the iphone. Until then, happy tapping!

 

 

 

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