detectiveTime is a precious commodity. It would seem that as new technologies were developed to maximize our efficiencies, it actually creates new work.

Yes, we know that over 90% of buyers and sellers go on line to do their search. And if so, wherever they are, that’s where we should go. Increasing our market presence, our brand, has never been more challenging that it is now when there is a lot more competition among people who think and act the same way we do.

Thus, finding time to devote to increasing and improving our online presence necessitates taking time away from other activities.

What I’ve done and doing to Eliminate Inefficiencies in Real Estate.

Challenge

Solution
FAX
Need a second line?
A fax machine?
NOT! 		Electronic fax. I use MyFax. Sending and receiving fax is accomplished through email.

Faxes sent to me are automatically converted to pdf which I can file electronically. I convert documents to pdf and email them!

Better than feeding over 120 pages of documents in a fax machine, especially when sending short sale packages to the bank.
Hard drive documents

Even when you have a back up drive, accidents can happen. You can have a computer crash...and then you spend inordinate time recovering backed up files and reinstalling software. In the meantime, you’ve lost valuable time you could spend elsewhere.

Files in the cloud!

I use Dropbox. Now, I don’t even bring my computer to the office. I can use any at-large computers, log on, and get my documents that are filed away in Dropbox.

I can even visit my folks, and when I need to, log on to their computer, and pull information from Dropbox.

So liberating!
Email --- accessible from any computer, I’ve given up on Microsoft Outlook. Backing up emails and retrieving them after a crash is too much of a bear.

So I said bye-bye Outlook.

And hello, Gmail and Google Docs!

Now I can log on anywhere and get my emails.
Synching
When I had my TREO, then Blackberry, the Droid and now iPhone, it was challenging to get my calendar and contacts synched between my computer and my phone. I spent so much time researching how to do this, and visited so many online forums. 		Gmail -- everything is synched among my iPhone, my iPad, my MacAir, and my older Dell Vostro PC. I make a change on one, and it’s synched everywhere else.
Multiple chargers for different electronics for use in my traveling office, my car. I never seem to have the right one when I needed it.

All-in-one USB travel charger, AC and 12 DC car charger is one solution.

I plug in its USB port an extra iPhone and iPad charger cord.
Going to the office.
Sometimes necessary, but not all the time

Set up home office. Forwarded my office line to my cell phone so I receive my calls wherever I am.

Have multi-function printer/scanner/copier (and it even has fax although I don’t need it). And since my files are on Dropbox, I never worry about retrieving files I need.

Wet signatures needed on offers. Electronic signatures (Docusign) not accepted. I've been using Docusign since 2008 --- and it would seem banks would get on the band wagon by now.

Dang! Haven't these banks been told about how great Docusign has been for our business? And that electronic signatures are legal?

Need to meet clients and have them sign the offer in person?

Save time by drafting the offer, convert form to pdf, email to my clients, along with explanations on certain items. Follow up with a phone call to guide them through signing on the X-marked lines.  

Have clients print the documents, sign (wet). Then efax to me (unless they can do their own pdf conversion for emailing)
Managing PDF files. Sorting, copying, editing, extracting and deleting pages, sharing, etc. Bought Adobe Acrobat Pro 9. Gets the job done.

Lucky for me, I have two clients who are Adobe employees who were able to get me the software at a discount.

So happy!
Smart phone
Email, calendar, internet surfing, MLS access, the works.

No brainer. Went back to iPhone.

With over 500,000 apps, how can I lose? Found some fabulous apps specifically developed for REALTORs. like Magic Plan (which enables the realtor to develop a floor plan by taking pictures at strategic points in the rooms.)
Craigslist
Like it or not, Craigslist has become an integral part of one’s marketing plan. How does one post an attractive ad? And how to do it quickly without having to recreate the ad? 		Electronic flyers. If your company doesn’t have a craigslist wizard (Alain Pinel does), one can still create attractive ads through Vflyer or Postlets.

I signed up for my free craigslst account (to manage ads), then I simply copy paste the html from my Vflyer ad.

Photos
I can take decent photos, but it takes me a long time to make the photos look nice.

Two solutions:

  1. Picasa --- if I take the photos myself, this is easy enough to do with this free photo-editing software. I don’t have time to learn Photoshop.
  2. Hire a professional photographer! Look at what my photographer can do: he got my address specific domain, created the website, even gave me an html to use for my craigslist ad!


Household Activities
Cleaning the house takes time away from my real estate activities. I'd rather blog than clean the commode!


Hire a housekeeper!

If only Gary will let me hire a gardener, too.
Oh, did I mention I take my car to the car wash?
That I don’t go to malls to shop -- I go online, especially on Amazon and Overstock.com

Finally, when it comes to dinner....what I make is...reservations!



 

 
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11 Comments on Eliminating inefficiencies in real estate includes hiring outside help

MAR
15
2012
879,404 Points 10 Featured Posts Attended Rain Camp Called Shot Master

Pacita, wow - this shows the best use of technology to leverage time. Very detailed one - great way to eliminate inefficiencies.
10:31pm • #1
617,096 Points 60 Featured Posts Localism Sponsor Outside Blog Hit Router Attended Rain Camp Called Shot Master

Praful --- you're so sweet. Thanks for the compliments. I had a few more....but I need the time to attend to other stuff, this time, non-real estate related :)
10:37pm • #2
2 Featured Posts Outside Blog

Thanks, Pacita!  We have done all of these ... next is to begin to better leverage humans.  Thanks for the share in chart form.  I am very visual and found it helpful.
11:20pm • #3
MAR
16
2012
466,070 Points 50 Featured Posts Called Shot Master

Pacita, wow, that is an awesome list. I love your line when it comes to dinner you make reservations. There's not enough time in the day. 
12:29am • #4
229,869 Points 9 Featured Posts Outside Blog Attended Rain Camp Called Shot Master

Wow Pacita:  That was one heck of a blog post on eliminating inefficiencies.  You presented so many great ideas, I'm going to bookmark this and of course, I suggested for the feature.  Once in awhile, a very special post comes along and this is it.  Nice job!
1:33am • #5
410,747 Points 15 Featured Posts Outside Blog Called Shot Master

Well after that article, there is no reason for any of us to be ineffective anymore!
4:12am • #6
1,065,875 Points 68 Featured Posts Outside Blog Called Shot Master

Experience is the best teacher...we also back up our email to another account...just in case...that too has been a lifesaver.
4:31am • #7
268,735 Points 3 Featured Posts Outside Blog Hit Router Attended Rain Camp

It is obvious you have your ducks in a row. Thanks for all this valuable information!
5:54am • #8
617,096 Points 60 Featured Posts Localism Sponsor Outside Blog Hit Router Attended Rain Camp Called Shot Master

Angie -- wait, there's more :)

Pamela -- as a foodie, I make reservations real well :)

Doug -- thanks for the suggest. I'm sure we'll get more other great ideas as people post about this topic

Kathy -- I like to hire people...but there are some things I'd rather do myself. All part of being a control freak

Sally and David -- I had tried Crash Plan before. But when my Dell crashed, for some reason, they couldn't help me with my back up. That was the last straw, so I went and bought my MacAir

Jim -- trying my best. I just don't much time to waste.

9:58am • #9
192,590 Points 1 Featured Post Outside Blog

Pacita, you are definitely such the 2012 woman! I remember when a fax was such a necessity. Only use it now for submitting short sales where lenders don't want to give out their email.
6:12pm • #10
617,096 Points 60 Featured Posts Localism Sponsor Outside Blog Hit Router Attended Rain Camp Called Shot Master

John --- just trying to keep up. As they say, if one simply stays still, he gets farther and farther behind. I'm running as fast as I can!
8:41pm • #11

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Pacita Rainmaker_large

Pacita Dimacali - ePRO, SRES, CDPE, MBA Alain Pinel in Alameda County CA

Oakland, CA

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Alain Pinel

Address: 6211 La Salle Ave, Oakland, CA, 94611

Cell Phone: (510) 205-2992

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