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Tech tools to live by - TransactionDesk with Authentisign and Trello

By
Real Estate Agent with Solid Source Realty GA 320764

TransactionDesk with Authentisign.

 

TransactionDesk with Authentisign is a product of Instanet Solutions, a secure online transaction management and electronic document-signing service. As a short sale specialist, I need to handle more paperwork and collect more signatures than most agents do in a traditional transaction.

TransactionDesk with Authentisign makes even short sales almost paperless!

I have been using this web-based tool to help me manage these document-intensive deals since I became a licensed real estate agent nine years ago, and I love it. The key benefits to me are simplicity, organization, ease of use and cost effectiveness.

TransactionDesk is my online filing cabinet, keeping all documents at the ready and easily accessible to me, my associates, our clients and any other stakeholders that I authorize. The files are available 24/7 from wherever we are.

All of our Instanet real estate contract forms are fully integrated with TransactionDesk and easily signed in Authentisign. Other documents can be added to my document drawer, or an individual transaction by scanning, emailing, or uploading. The software helps me to manage all aspects of my real estate transactions via a centralized system.

The paperless storage and signing service replaces the need for faxing, scanning and emailing, or meeting face-to-face, thereby saving time and travel for my clients, co-op agents and team. My clients love the convenience of Authentisign. It is usable across multiple file types and various platforms, including PCs, Macs and tablets.

As a member of the Georgia MLS, this convenience is provided to me free of additional charge. The signing service is FHA approved, ESIGN compliant, and fully integrated with all Georgia MLS and GAR forms.

For agents and customers alike, it is an easy to use interface with a good mobile experience.

I recommend this solution to busy real estate agents. It makes the jobs so much easier.

 

Trello.com

Trello is another web-based tool I use on a daily basis. And it is also free, at least for now, and that’s always a plus for a frugal agent like me.

I am a what some call a “creative” -- artistically inclined, very visually oriented, and prone to use bright-hued sticky-notes and sketch notes to help me stay organized and keep my projects on track, until I  discovered Trello.com. Now, I don’t know how I’d stay organized without it. This app just gets the way I work.

Trello is an organization and task-management tool that organizes my life and my work into Kanban-type boards and cards. A Kanban board is a workflow visualization tool designed to help you keep all of your projects on track. (Picture a bulletin board with sticky notes.) At a glance, Trello tells me where everything is in a process, and who is working on what. It’s based on the Kanban concept -- a board- and card-based system that works similarly to my former sticky note and sketch method, only much neater, and available to me (and my team) anytime, wherever we have internet access. The key benefits to me are again, convenience, ease of access and use, and cost effectiveness.

Kanban was originally invented for manufacturing, as a part of the famous Toyota Production System in the 1940s and 50s. In Japanese, Kan means visual and Ban means card or board. Today, many people in various industries use kanban systems for managing work and moving through a process.

I use Trello for organizing work projects, home and hobby projects, travel plans -- everything! Boards and lists are laid out horizontally on the page so you can get a bird’s eye view of every project. And I love the flexibility. Items within the lists, called cards, can be dragged and dropped onto other lists or reordered within lists.

Individual cards themselves can contain checklists, images, attachments, deadline dates, colored labels, and discussion notes from other team members who share specific boards. This free tool definitely gets a “thumbs up” from me.

Debe Maxwell, CRS
Savvy + Company (704) 491-3310 - Charlotte, NC
The RIGHT CHARLOTTE REALTOR!

Hi Elva!  I've heard of both of these and those who use them, love them!  I use Notes on my mac (that my team and I can all see on all devices) and we've just grown accustomed to that method.  Otherwise, I would give Trello a try!  Glad they're both serving you so well!

Mar 01, 2017 05:38 AM
Jim Cheney
Saint Francis Property Santa Rosa, CA - Santa Rosa, CA
Rincon Valley Realtor 707.494.1055

Thanks for the tips Elva.  Trello looks interesting.  Like Debe Maxwell,  I use Notes on my Mac but Trello looks very interesting.  

Mar 01, 2017 07:38 AM
John Meussner
Mortgages in AZ, CA, CO, DE, FL, GA, IN, MD, MN, MT, NC, NJ, NV, OK, OR, PA, SC, SD, TN, TX, UT, VA, WI - Fair Oaks, CA
#MortgageMadeEasy Fair Oaks, CA 484-680-4852

Looks like you've found a couple of tools that specifically help with your niche and have put them to good use.  Transaction desk sounds like a true blessing on a transaction that requires so much documentation.

Mar 01, 2017 03:21 PM
Roy Kelley
Retired - Gaithersburg, MD

Thank you very much for sharing a couple of your favorite tech tools.

Mar 02, 2017 04:44 AM
Grant Schneider
Performance Development Strategies - Armonk, NY
Your Coach Helping You Create Successful Outcomes

Good Morning Elva - I am really intrigued by by Trello.  I am bookmarking your post because I would like to investigate it.  It can help me as well as my clients.

Mar 02, 2017 07:52 AM
Debbie Reynolds, C21 Platinum Properties
Platinum Properties- (931)771-9070 - Clarksville, TN
The Dedicated Clarksville TN Realtor-(931)320-6730

We both love our Transaction Desk. What a great tool it is, Elva. I am not familiar with Trello.

Mar 03, 2017 07:23 PM
Jasmin Henderson
Sicklerville, NJ

That sounds like a great tool. Similar to the one I use, Dotloop. I'm not familiar with Trello.

Mar 08, 2017 10:40 AM
Kasey & John Boles
Jon Gosche Real Estate, LLC - BoiseMeridianRealEstate.com - Boise, ID
Boise & Meridian, ID Ada/Canyon/Gem/Boise Counties

We've used Instanet Transaction Desk and Authentisign (got rid of Docusign when we started using this) a little over 3 years ago and the system is extremely useful!.  Recently our association changed to Forms Simplicity and is getting rid of TransactionDesk so we are in the midst of transition and learning a new program...-Kasey

Mar 08, 2017 02:26 PM
Patricia Feager, MBA, CRS, GRI,MRP
DFW FINE PROPERTIES - Flower Mound, TX
Selling Homes Changing Lives

Elva, I've done my share of short sales several years ago and haven't seen any foreclosures and/or short sales in my area in years; however, TransactionDesk with Authentisign sounds wonderful! What you do requires a lot of work and signatures and I'm glad to hear this new technology is available for you. May you have shorter closings and much success! What you do for others is admirable and appreciated by those who are facing foreclosure. Plus, buyers are getting an exceptional Agent and deal!

Mar 09, 2017 04:36 PM
Lawrence "Larry" & Sheila Agranoff. Cell: 631-805-4400
The Top Team @ Charles Rutenberg Realty 255 Executive Dr, Plainview NY 11803 - Plainview, NY
Long Island Condo and Home Specialists

Nice to find tools that work well for your business!

Mar 15, 2017 11:35 AM
Rebecca Gaujot, Realtor®
Lewisburg, WV
Lewisburg WV, the go to agent for all real estate

Elva, I have been meaning to check out Trello, thanks for the reminder.

Mar 15, 2017 07:01 PM
Roy Kelley
Retired - Gaithersburg, MD

Good Thursday morning. Have a great day and a most productive week.

Mar 16, 2017 05:46 AM