Every day we have tools we use to make our tasks as a REALTOR® easier, and could not do without them! These tools are utilized every single day I work in business!
The first the top tech tool I absolutely LOVE is CTM-econtracts. Remember those days of writing contracts on the hood of your car? Well, that was pretty easy, but if their handwriting was terrible, it was illegible. Then there was faxing, which shrunk the contracts and again, illegible. As long as you have Internet connection, these contracts are available on every device. This system is so smart, now with so many multiple offers, it will create all the original disclosures, and make files for the accepted offer. It even adds the name of the buyer, so we don't mis-spell their name and adds those legal descriptions that are a mile long!
On CTM-econtracts we can create a listing and sales contract with the items that pretty much remain the same, making it EASY PEASY to create a new contract. We can zip it all on a disc or prepare it for saving on an external drive. I think this system is better than sliced bread! It started out reasonable - $99 per year several years ago, and now $312 per year, but it sure makes it simple to create new contracts.
The second top tool I would say that is essential in my business is a tie between Top Producer and Excel. Top Producer allows me to keep all information about my clients, including births, deaths, birthdays, conversations and of course email and phone numbers. I can set up reminders, automatic emails and even agent phone numbers in separate categories. If I want to do a mailing to a certain neighborhood, all addresses are in that category, making it simple. It also is simple to print labels for mailings. I can even make a category for Christmas cards.
Excel spreadsheets make it simple to track my business. I have a spreadsheet for each year since I started in this business, breaking it down to each transaction, into the month and into the year. I have columns for Buyers and Sellers and the address and date a transaction closes, and my commission. (Also noted if there was a referral paid, and final commission received) At the end of the year, I finalize all my stats - did I have more Sellers or Buyers, what cities did I do the most business, where did the business come from, average sales price (and compare to previous years) and compare volume to past years. This keep me in the know of where to spend my money, time and energy and like to refer back to it several times a year, as business does vary.
In Master's Club (at Aurora Association of REALTORS®), we have to do a certain number of transactions, and have to achieve a certain volume, and like to refer to my spreadsheet mid-year to ensure I am on track so not to miss achieving my goals for this award.
I know we only needed two, but Dropbox was another tool I could not do without. I often have out of state buyers where I need to do videos and email, and so nice to be able to upload to Dropbox and send. I had to upgrade my account after utilizing this feature many times.
So many things have changed in 20+ years to make our business quicker and easier, and we have to love that!
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