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Google Chrome Extensions for Real Estate Pros

By
Services for Real Estate Pros with Second Self Virtual Assistance

These are my Top 5 picks for Google Chrome extensions every busy real estate professional should be using.Google Chrome allows for a faster browsing experience with its minimal approach.  Gone are the cluttered pages of endless shortcuts.  Instead, you have a clean canvas to search and share areas of interest on the internet.  With its extensions, browsing with Google Chrome can be geared specifically for the user's own unique experience.  I have looked at several of these and have narrowed down my top five Google Chrome Extensions that real estate pros should be using.

WOT - Everyone wants a safer way to search the internet.  Real estate professionals are constantly looking up information online for clients, themselves, co-workers, friends, family, etc.  The WOT add-on shows you which sites are considered safe, which may be "iffy" and which you should avoid altogether.

Buffer - Social media is a major tool in today's real estate world.  We connect with past, present and potential clients via Twitter and Facebook all the time.  When you find something you want to share with your social media followers, you can use Buffer to either post/tweet it now or schedule it for a timely posting later on.  It also works with LinkedIn.  With the Buffer Manager extension, you can quickly and easily organize all your tweets and posts through Buffer as well.

Chrome to Phone/Send to iPhone - Busy real estate professionals are always on the go.  Smartphones have become a natural extension of your brick and mortar real estate office.  The Chrome to Phone extension allows you to send information straight from your computer to your mobile Android device so you always have it at the tips of your fingers.  Send to iPhone does the exact same thing for iPhone or iPad users.

Daily Links - With all the running around we are constantly doing, staying organized can be difficult but very necessary.  I know because I've made a career out of helping people stay organized in their real estate lives.  Daily Links allows you to schedule which web pages you want loaded when you open your browser and on which days.  Are you keeping your eye out on a specific listing?  Do you check Zillow or Trulia every day?  Is there a real estate blog you follow?  Schedule these pages to automatically open when you want them to so you don't miss a thing!

Springpad - If you're anything like me, you are forever taking notes.  Instead of having a bunch of yellow sticky notes posted on your wall, mirror and computer screen, use the Springpad extension.  Real estate client info, "to-do" lists, restaurants worth visiting, shopping lists...whatever you want to remember, you can use Springpad.

These are what I consider to be my top five picks of Google Chrome Extensions for today's busy real estate pro.  You can find them in the Chrome Web Store when you're signed in to your Google Chrome account.  Do you have a favorite you want to share?  Let me know.  I'd love to hear how a Google Chrome Extension has helped make your life a little easier.

Pamela Cendejas, Real Estate Virtual Assistant – Second Self Virtual Assistance: When There Isn’t Enough of You to Go Around!

Originally posted on my Real Estate Support blog here: http://real-estate-support.com/2012/08/google-chrome-extensions-for-real-estate-pros/.

Jeremy Joslin
Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage - South Windsor, CT
Professional Real Estate Marketing and Sales

Excellent tips Pamela.  I have been leaning towards Chrome lately.

Sep 03, 2012 09:09 PM
Pamela Cendejas
Second Self Virtual Assistance - Kingman, AZ
Second Self Virtual Assistance (928) 692-3235

Hi Jeff and Jane - Hopefully, the creators of your apps will see the benefit and start updating.

Sep 04, 2012 01:46 AM
Pamela Cendejas
Second Self Virtual Assistance - Kingman, AZ
Second Self Virtual Assistance (928) 692-3235

Hi Kimo - I find that, too.  I'm finding it more seldom now that I used to.  When I find an incompatible site, I just switch to another browser and it's all good.

Sep 04, 2012 01:48 AM
Pamela Cendejas
Second Self Virtual Assistance - Kingman, AZ
Second Self Virtual Assistance (928) 692-3235

Hi Karen - I've found the same problem with MLS sites.  However, I've never had an issue with Active Rain.  What exactly is happening when you use Chrome when posting on AR?

Sep 04, 2012 01:49 AM
Pamela Cendejas
Second Self Virtual Assistance - Kingman, AZ
Second Self Virtual Assistance (928) 692-3235

Hi Travis - Glad to help.  Hope it all works out well for you.

Sep 04, 2012 01:50 AM
Pamela Cendejas
Second Self Virtual Assistance - Kingman, AZ
Second Self Virtual Assistance (928) 692-3235

Hi Lyn, Dorte and Hella - Thanks for your response.  Let me know if you have any questions.

Sep 04, 2012 01:52 AM
Pamela Cendejas
Second Self Virtual Assistance - Kingman, AZ
Second Self Virtual Assistance (928) 692-3235

Hi Pat and Wayne - Thank you for your perspective about Buffer.  It's great to hear from a different point of view.   Not all post have to be automated but if you do want a auto-post now and again, this app works well. The app works for "now" and "later" posts. 

Sep 04, 2012 01:56 AM
Pamela Cendejas
Second Self Virtual Assistance - Kingman, AZ
Second Self Virtual Assistance (928) 692-3235

Hi Lee - Springpad is an option.  If what you're doing works for you, I'd stick with it.  

Sep 04, 2012 01:59 AM
Pamela Cendejas
Second Self Virtual Assistance - Kingman, AZ
Second Self Virtual Assistance (928) 692-3235

Hi Rebecca - I have to admit to doing the same thing you're doing.  It's a little intimidating sometimes to leave what you're used to and start using something else.  Let me know what you think after you've switched.

Sep 04, 2012 02:00 AM
Pamela Cendejas
Second Self Virtual Assistance - Kingman, AZ
Second Self Virtual Assistance (928) 692-3235

Have fun, Bob.  If you're like me, you'll enjoy learning a new way of doing things.

Sep 04, 2012 02:01 AM
Pamela Cendejas
Second Self Virtual Assistance - Kingman, AZ
Second Self Virtual Assistance (928) 692-3235

Hi Jon - I know what you mean about incompatibilty with some apps.  Hopefully, they'll catch up so we won't have to keep switching browsers.

Sep 04, 2012 02:02 AM
Pamela Cendejas
Second Self Virtual Assistance - Kingman, AZ
Second Self Virtual Assistance (928) 692-3235

You're quite welcome, Bob and Jeremy.  Thanks for your response.

Sep 04, 2012 02:03 AM
Gene Riemenschneider
Home Point Real Estate - Brentwood, CA
Turning Houses into Homes

I use Chrome but have not gotten into customizing with extension too much.  Great post and I will get to work on it.

Sep 04, 2012 10:28 AM
Andrew Ostrander
Ostrander Real Estate Group - Phoenix, AZ
Ostrander Real Estate Group

Very interesting and I'll have to give a few a try and see how they work.  Thanks for sharing.  :)

Sep 04, 2012 03:30 PM
Pamela Cendejas
Second Self Virtual Assistance - Kingman, AZ
Second Self Virtual Assistance (928) 692-3235

Hi Gene - Let me know how well the extensions work for you.

Sep 05, 2012 01:59 AM
Pamela Cendejas
Second Self Virtual Assistance - Kingman, AZ
Second Self Virtual Assistance (928) 692-3235

Hi Andrew - I appreciate your response.  Enjoy a great day!

Sep 05, 2012 02:00 AM
Nan Jester
Exit Real Estate Gallery Jacksonville Beach, FL - Jacksonville Beach, FL
Realtor, Exit Real Estate Gallery
I am going to bookmark this one. Very valuable blog post.
Sep 07, 2012 12:56 AM
Pamela Cendejas
Second Self Virtual Assistance - Kingman, AZ
Second Self Virtual Assistance (928) 692-3235

Hi Nan - Great!  I hope it makes your business life easier.  Enjoy a wonderful weekend!

Sep 07, 2012 02:12 AM
Wayne Jackson
Lakeshore Realty 208-714-4109 - Hayden, ID
North Idaho Realtor, Serving Coeur dnullAlene and Hayden Lake

I have tried Chrome, It works fine with the basic sites. When you get to a site with more complicated HTML etc. it doesn't work. Since it doesn't work with our MLS I just don't use it. Tried it for a while and got tired of switching back and forth all the time. Now just stick with Firefox.

Sep 22, 2012 12:57 AM
Pamela Cendejas
Second Self Virtual Assistance - Kingman, AZ
Second Self Virtual Assistance (928) 692-3235

Hi Wayne - After I wrote this article, I started to having some issues with Chrome.  I'm back with Firefox, too.  Don't know what happened.

Sep 26, 2012 02:18 PM