At the end of January, Microsoft released a much anticipated edition of their Windows family. This version is said to have a drastic increase in security, performance, and looks. Real estate agents who have a computer most likely use Windows XP Home or Professional. Do real estate agents need to upgrade to Vista at this time?
Probably Not
Windows Vista is a great looking product. You’ll be surprised to hear that Vista’s main competitor it’s predecessor Windows XP. Microsoft’s main challenge is convincing it’s current user base to move up to the next version of Windows when XP has probably been working just fine for them.
Real estate agents should always stay on the edge of technology. However, one should be wary on investing in technology that cannot be held accountable for a positive return on investment. In other words: If you are going to invest in technology for your business, you have to hold the technology accountable in terms of productivity and efficiency.
Is Windows Vista going to improve your business at this time? Probably not. If you maintain your main business computer (if your a single agent) or your team’s computers routinely, then an upgrade will not be able to justify the expense.
If your computer runs slow it may just need a good cleaning by a qualified computer technician. Be sure to make sure your computer is running top notch on it’s current hardware, before deciding to upgrade for not satisfying your technology needs.
Personally, I will surely try it out to post my thoughts on Windows Vista. I will not, however, be installing Windows Vista on my main real estate computer used daily.
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Steven Castaneda, Realtor, is a real estate consultant with Keller Williams Realty specializing in Houston Real Estate. He has been consulting on Houston Texas Real Estate transactions for over 2.5 years, and focuses on coaching his clients to make the most informed and intelligent decision possible with their real estate investments. His site features a great tool if you are looking to find homes using the Houston MLS.
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