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Tablet productivity - Is that Ipad, Xoom or Tab a tool or a toy?

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

- Tablet productivity -


So you have a tablet? Check, got the latest fancy, iPad, Xoom, Tab... You name it.


Now what? 
What do you do with it?
With a little luck, your email is running, but what else can you do?

The point of this is to help you take the toy and turn it into a "Tool" in your toolbox. 

 
So what DO you really want it to do? What is the business case for a tablet? Seamless note taking, document work, forms and signature gathering?
The above is about what I came up with, and why it took me so long to get one - I could not make it do what I needed to justify it - I can now.
 

Here are some apps you really should have:

 

First off, I really recommend you get and learn to use Evernote (Alternately Springpad is a solid tool as well), a great way to track your notes and stop buying sticky notes... The notes I take on my phone when I have two minutes are automatically on the tablet and computer. This allows me to edit, print, send and receive pertinent notes almost anywhere, and keep transaction data with me at all times... Need that prelim? Let me send it right over!

Evernote and Springpad are both available for Android and IOS. 

Second off, make sure you know how to access and use your mls and get zipforms mobile up and running.
This is the link you need to log in: m.zipformonline.com  
Mind you, you will need to pay the $10/year for the priviledge - but trust me, it is money well spent.  

 

Finally, some sort of signing software, there are a few different solutions. 
Easysign, Sign My Pad are both available for Android add well as IOS.
You can now take a PDF document, and sign it on the fly - there are issues with the security layer, and there are work arounds - this is for a different post though.  

The use case becomes: I can take my notes, look up the information (buyer or seller), write the contract and finally get it signed.

The upside here is that you can save a lot of time going to the office and money on all the documents you are not printing...

Finally - in closing - remember, when you have all this information on your personal super highway... You WILL need to organize it. Here is a common naming convention: Client Name | Street name - it is fast and simple. 
If you need additional detail - [Client code] (BL Buyer Looking, BE Buyer Escrow - you get the idea): [BL] Sorensen | Rosewood Ave

Comments (4)

Tim Lorenz
TIM LORENZ - Elite Home Sales Team - Mission Viejo, CA
949 874-2247

Terkel

Thanks for the helpful tips.  Easysign is a good app.

Oct 27, 2011 06:51 PM
Ronald DiLalla
Century 21 Discovery DRE 01813824 - Anaheim, CA
No. Orange Cty Real Estate

Hi Terkel,  thanks for sharing. lots of great tips...I could operate without mine...

Oct 27, 2011 08:20 PM
Wallace S. Gibson, CPM
Gibson Management Group, Ltd. - Charlottesville, VA
LandlordWhisperer

My Android Toshiba Thrive tablet and Sprint EVO smartyphone go with me on property presentations AND showings.  I can SHOW my rental listings while I am IN a rental listing VACANT or with wi-fi

Oct 27, 2011 11:43 PM
Leslie Prest
Leslie Prest, Prest Realty, Sales and Rentals in Payson, AZ - Payson, AZ
Owner, Assoc. Broker, Prest Realty, Payson,

I would love to have a tablet, but for me I think it wouild be more a toy. I have my laptop at my office (and our town is so small that I don't need it anywhere else) and my smartphone lets me do my email and such where ever. I think a tablet would just repeat what my smartphone does, with a bigger screen, And I'd still need the phone.

Nov 01, 2011 09:26 AM