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QR code use in real estate - Some ideas and a little bit of logic

By
Real Estate Agent with Real Estate Places CA BRE #01802964

These are some samples of how to use qr codes in your real estate business.

Signs.
Controversial as it may be, this is not an end-all for the flyer, it it's a compliment. Specifically, when that flyer box is empty, this is a way for a buyer to connect with the agent. I have codes on each of our signs - they are printed right on the sign (Alas, we don't have street address URL's anymore, but a static URL we replace the virtual tour on). And it should be said I am testing the use of Microsoft Tag on the signs, more tracking, but less implementation... 

Flyers.
This allows the potential buyer the opportunity to scan and look at their convenience and share with friends.

Business cards.
Consider the time it takes you to put someones info in your phone... If you could do this by simply scanning the code and accept the contact, would that make your life easier? The code below could go on a business card, it essentially have the information you would expect on the card, but now you can download my info right to the phone. 

There is little reason (excuse?), to not implement the new technologies. Early adopters have benefits, right now, your clients with smartphones, have this technology at their fingertips and are craving ways to use it. Now scan my info, and see how easy it is, to use this technology. Remember, there was huge opposition to the fax machine, and very slow implementation. As technology develops, implementation is faster each time - considering that the cost of generating the QR code is free... there is really not much to hold you back. 

A good place to generate a code:

delivr.com This site is good, as it allows you to create many different codes, contact, URL, twitter etc. 

If you ask yourself why I just give you one - it's simply because you have google at your fingertips and if you search for QR code, there are so many tools... 

I would love to hear how others are using these!

Terkel Sorensen Contact QR

Sharon Alters
Coldwell Banker Vanguard Realty - 904-673-2308 - Fleming Island, FL
Realtor - Homes for Sale Fleming Island FL

Terkel, we just put them on our first flyer - we use Realbird and they have a mobile app that is great! Flyers only have room for a few pictures but the mobile app has all the photos, along with description about the home, the neighborhood, and our contact info. I'm very excited to finally be using these! I also want to put one on our next business card for the same reason - so prospects can put our contact info right into their phone.

Dec 27, 2010 04:44 PM
Sharon Alters
Coldwell Banker Vanguard Realty - 904-673-2308 - Fleming Island, FL
Realtor - Homes for Sale Fleming Island FL

I just scanned your QR code and you might want to check it - it has a lot of html or something like that between each word that makes it practically impossible to read. Feel free to delete this comment once you have fixed it :)

Dec 27, 2010 04:46 PM
Terkel Sørensen
Real Estate Places - Temecula, CA
Realtor, 951.805.0773 , Bank owned and Short Sales

Hi Frank,

I think you are going the right way - and I think Realbird is doing something good by putting it out there, I would caution you to make sure you have tracking of the scans made, so you can see what kind of activity you get. 

On the technical issue, try it again. I always right click on the image and save it - and today I used the "download" option, which for some reason tweaks the image. It is corrected, and it is a bigger version so it is easier to read off the screen. That goes to show that having an editor is a great ting... 

We are in the process of moving offices, so my entire team will have codes on the new cards in a week or so. It seems like the natural progression. 

Dec 27, 2010 05:35 PM
Robert T. Boyer
FHA Loan, VA Loan, Jumbo Loan,FHA Loans,VA Loans,Jumbo Loans - La Jolla, CA
San Diego Real Estate & Mortgage Loans, Ph.D. | VA Home Loan

Hmm... I guess I just need to find some time to really look at this for the benefit.  I suppose I would be much more compelled if I were to be moving from my blackberry to an iphone.

Dec 27, 2010 07:24 PM
Mike Jaquish
Realty Arts - Cary, NC
919-880-2769 Cary, NC, Real Estate

Another newly Featured Post in ActiveRain Group, QR Codes!

Good post, Terkel

Dec 27, 2010 11:34 PM
Terkel Sørensen
Real Estate Places - Temecula, CA
Realtor, 951.805.0773 , Bank owned and Short Sales

Thanks Mike. I didn't even know there was a channel for this - I will monitor. 

Robert, you are right, there is a time to assess involved in any new technology. You will probably scratch your head when I am a solid geek, with no ipad... I simply could not make a business case for it - Cool? Yes... Sign contracts? nope... 
Don't forget there are readers for blackberry as well. And, there are a number of sites where tracking is built in, this is one of the bigt differenciators for me between MS TAG and QR codes, Microsoft went to trouble to have it web driven, so you can track each code on your management site, and see what kind of scans you are getting. 

The trouble for me with anything new is - HOW do we track it? 

Jan 02, 2011 03:49 PM
Pamela Seley
West Coast Realty Division - Murrieta, CA
Residential Real Estate Agent serving SW RivCo CA

Terkel, thanks for the tips.  I look forward to learning more and using QR codes.  I'll have to find out about MS TAG now.

Jan 04, 2011 01:31 PM
Terkel Sørensen
Real Estate Places - Temecula, CA
Realtor, 951.805.0773 , Bank owned and Short Sales

Pamela, for MS Tags, just search for it, it will come right up. If you have a hotmail, live or similar MS account, you can log in with that and get started. 

The nice thing about the MS TAG, is that tracking is built right into the project, so you can select one of your codes and see how many time it was scanned and when. The drawback is that we can't see who scanned... Then again, we don't know who drove down the street either... 

Jan 04, 2011 05:37 PM