Real Estate Blog - The Top 10 Technology Questions to Ask When Hiring A Realtor®

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The Top 10 Technology Questions to Ask When Hiring A Realtor®

Home Sellers, did you know your Realtor® can now receive REAL TIME updates to their PHONE when your home is being shown?

Why is This Important To You?

Tech Savvy Realtors

Wouldn't it be nice to have immediate feedback on your home? Wouldn't it be helpful to have an electronic record of all showings that your Realtor® could review with you at the end of each month? Not to mention also being able to electronically track everyone with access to your home.

Do you expect your Realtor® to utilize ALL TOOLS AVAILABLE to SELL your home? If you answered YES, you need a technology savvy Realtor®. With 84% of all buyer's starting their home search on-line and a 9 month inventory of homes in the Omaha market, can you afford not to?

The next time you interview a Real Estate Agent, here are the Top 10 Technology questions to ask.

Top 10 Technology Questions to ask when Hiring a Realtor

The Top 10 Technology Questions to Ask When Hiring A Realtor®

1. Do you have a smart phone?

2. Will you be using an electronic lock box?

3. Do you receive an email on your phone when a showing has occured?

4. How do you program the lock box to PREVENT showings, EXCEPT when you authorize them?

5. How do you market homes on the EKEY ?

6. How do you electronically track home showings?

7. Do you Twitter?

8. How do you advertise on Facebook?

9. How long have you been a member of Active Rain?

10. Show me your website traffic statistics and explain to me what they mean.

Flickr Image Credit: SocialisBetter

Call Me: 402-880-90247

www.SoldByConnieWatts.com

Posted by Connie Watts - Omaha Homes for Sale / Offutt AFB Homes, 402-880-9027 on 03/08/2009 09:52 PM

Comments (56)

Interviewing Realtors in the ActiveRain Channel

tech savvy realtor, interview questions

Originally posted at: : The Top 10 Technology Questions to Ask When Hiring A Realtor®

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56 Comments on The Top 10 Technology Questions to Ask When Hiring A Realtor®

MAR

These are great questions to ask.

What about the following;

Do you have an individual web page for every listing?

Do you add your listings to other search sites such a Zillo, Trullia, Craig's List, etc?

Do you utilize text messaging to provide information to prospects?

Today technology is changing so fast, it is essential to use all the tools available.

Okay.. I have got to see where this one goes.. Love all the comments. We are changing out our current lockbox system later on this year. Not sure where they are going yet as it is still up in the air over two vendors. But both of them should allow us to get immediate response to our smartphones. Great ideas... and almost all in use... No Zillow or Trulia yet here... Zillow is working on it, trulia is not.

Thanks for the ideas... love #10... mainly because we can do that... <grin>

We can answer Yes to all of the above. These are great questions and items to point out to a Seller when they are deciding which agent to use. We interviewed an assistant last week who works with another agent in our office and when we told her what we wanted her to do regarding the internet she declined the job!

Connie, 9 out of ten can't be bad, eh?

Frank gets a text everytime a showing is scheduled, then we get emails to follow up and we publish them to the Seller. We can pull them again for marketing reports to recap what Buyers are saying about the house. It's a great tool. We have ShowingDesk and Supra Lockboxes.

Rob - these are terrific additions. I was talking with another agent in my office last week and asked if he was claiming his Trullia listings and setting them up for Trulia's auto status updates and you would have thought I was speaking Greek. I create single property websites and (I'll spam myself here... LOL) here's how I do it for FREE. Part II coming this week.

Darren - Yes #10 is SO POWERFUL in a listing presentation. I always tell the sellers, anyone can have a website so what matters is the results it achieves.

Frank & Sharon - that's kinda sad she declined the job. I'm self taught on all of this - thanks to Active Rain - and it's the crack that keeps me up at night. I just love the Supra Lockboxes, that's what we have, too.

Brian - 9/10 is TERRIFIC. You are so far ahead of other agents. I use a Point2 site that tracks the web statistics.

Connie, we use Point2 also. She was just overwhelmed with what we do and didn't want the learning curve. I was surprised because I always assume other people are doing the same things we are.

Excellent Post.....everyone who isn't utilizing technology is doing both their clients and themselves a disservice. Best to everyone in 2009!

Connie - Fabulous! This is the first post that I've seen about a Top 10 Technology list. What a modern way to promote yourself!

Frank & Sharon - Active Rain has really made me realize that most Realtors are NOT doing what we, here at Active Rain, are doing. I spent 3 hours with a fellow Realtor last week showing him how to do custom email signatures, picture on signature, link to IDX, auto email replies and giving the basics on how to get Internet traffic. And he's still of the belief that his website should just be used as an IDX search AFTER he gets a buyer.

Wendy - Thanks! I truly believe technology is the real estate of the future.

Kim - Thank you! I hadn't seen a list like this either and figured it was my time to give back to the Active Rain community; without whom I wouldn't know ANY of this.

HOLY COW! I just got FEATURED and in less than an hour after I posted!!! Thank you Jeff Corbett. Now go an enjoy what's left of your Sunday evening.

Great list of questions here... I love my showing system... I get e-mail and text message when a showing is scheduled.

Connie, great questions! Our MLS does not yet have e-notification of lockbox showings, but that is a great suggestion!

Join my new AR group and post your blog at http://activerain.com/groups/virtualoffice

Regina P. Brown

These are awesome questions. It helps show clients how savvy and out there we are. Great tools out there, just use them.

MAR

Interesting! I love the questions since I love technology and the gadgets that go with it! Thanks

Connie - great questions...I think I will start using these with sellers in listing presentations along with adding Rob's questions. I love our showing notifications - it is so helpful for getting feedback right away from other agents. Also, sellers should expect to see their home listed everywhere on the internet that we can - Zillow, Trulia, Google, Craig's List, Facebook...we also add our open houses to these sites as well as Realtor.com and Twitter. There is so much to do on the internet these days.

Hi Connie!
I am assuming that the e-notification of showings must be a Sentrilock feature...I don't think we have that option on Supra...but I sure wish we did! It is a great list that I will be putting to use! Sometimes we are so use to our technology, we forget to tell our prospective sellers about them!

Good list, Ms! I would add a couple more, but these are good ones:) I doubt they would ask about Twitter, although the word is getting out!!!!

Hi Connie ... I can't quite answer yes to all of these questions quite yet ... I will work on this tomorrow!

Connie,

I surely hope sellers start asking these questions, because if they do maybe I'll get some listing business. Technology I'm all over, it's just my name that's not...with technologies help, it'll be sooner than later.

Have a great night.

Thanks, Connie! What about us newbies? I'm keeping up on my local market on a consistent basis and though fairly adept at technology, don't feel near as tech savvy as y'all here! Difficult to work my business without understanding my market, but challenging to run ahead with the technology factor. Looking at your questions, I'm afraid I'll need to attend summer school. =) Fortunately, I'm a perpetual learner. Just wish I were a bit faster in cyberland. Without further adieu...

#1.) Smart phone, no. iPhone, yes.

#2.) Electronic lock box? Have one. Never been used. Worked with buyers only, thus far.

#3.) Um, no. Remember, iPhone.

#4.) Haven't a clue.

#5.) Please read #4.

#6.) Would love to learn!

#7.) Just started tweeting.

#8.) Facebook, yes. Advertising, not so much.

#9.) Almost a year.

#10.) Don't shoot me! Website almost ready to launch.

And lest I forget Rob's questions:

#1 and #2) I will! I will!

#3.) I'm a texting fiend!

Great questions. Great goals to accomplish. Thanks.

How do you

5. How do you market homes on the EKEY ?

Hi Connie, I do all on you list and more! I love the electronic lockboxes. We have been using them for several years now.

Great list. Nice way to promote Active Rain. I love he ibox. It alerts me as soon as someone uses it.

Hi Connie, Great list...one every agent should post somewhere nearby as a reminder.

I am a real tech savvy agent here in the Greater Boston area. I am not sure I understand Twitter and the benefit to me. Can someone give me the 10 second overview and what's in it for me?

Mike Mahoney

www.MMahoney.com

Hey Connie,

Super List! I think we should have a "Top Ten" every month! Unfortunately in my area, we are not on board with the ekeys. Personally, I don't get why not. I think they're a great idea. I'm with Mike above with regard to Twitter, does anybody really care what I'm doing today?

I have a full time assistant that monitors emails by the minute so No I don't have a smart phone. But I havea smart assistant! Smartphones are way to distracting.

I can see where this list would probably differentiate you from your competition because they might even be afraid to bring up the topic of technology. That being said, there are some very successful agents who couldn't say "yes" to any of these - and isn't THAT what's important... being effective at getting homes sold? I think this list is a great little tool, but only if it translates into 100's of real estate success stories.

Connie, this is a good list and I am thankful that I could answer affirmative to all the questions!

Facebook can be a great tool for property listings as it is really starting to take off in my area.

I love these "ask your Realtor" lists of questions.

I have a question list I give to potential sellers to ask other Realtors they may be talking to about listings (just to help out because I'm such a nice guy. ;-))

Of course since I wrote the questions I always score 100%; unfortunately some of my competitors can't pass my test. Awwwww. ;->

Some sample questions:

5. Have you had formal training as a 'stager' and will you advise me how to best prepare my house to sell?

14. Will my listing have a brochure box with full color flyers?

22. Do you create a unique "single property" yard sign featuring just my house for sale?

56. Do you create a professionally drawn floor plan of my house for potential buyers.

89. Will I have a "home book" in my house detailing features, neighborhood amenties, shoppping, places of worship, schools, and nearby places and points of interest?

Connie - great questions. Letting swellers know how we use technology to benefit them is key - advertising, communication and so much more. I like to use visuals, including showing them the actual lockbox and how it works.

Jeff

Connie: These are great questions homeowners should ask their potential real estate agent! Being technologically savvy is important in selling real estate, especially in today's society! Great post!

Have a happy Monday,

Anne Rains

I have completely stopped using old media and gone with the internet and Technology.

The only exception is the trusty yard sign but even that has updated internet/smartphone info

Hey the way of the world is the internet, so I constantly do "follow up" with people

Portsmouth NH Real Estate

All of the above and a whole lot more. we have centralized showing and they are good.

Hi Connie,

This is just terrific stuff...Technology is so vital for our industry..THANK YOU for putting it all together for us. I am going through #1-#10 to fine tune our presentations.

Some great suggestions, and I'm forwarding to our Board president to considering new lockboxes. thanks,

Thanks for the post. One thing that I would ask is about the photos. Photos make a big difference so something about using wide angle lens or some sort of virtual tour where you can see the whole room via stiching multiple photos or wide angle.

Connie, congratulations on the FEATURED post!!! Yahoo!

Wow Connie, you are tough. I could answer most of them, but I need to brush up on the others...Are you going to convention in Las Vegas----I hope to see you there!

Great Post. There is so much great information being shared on AR.

Roland - Thanks, I don't know how I ever existed without showing notifications going to my phone.

Regina - I added this post to your group, Thanks! We have the Supra systems here and it's awesome!

Eileen - I love all the new gadgets. Getting the job done for my clients has really changed in the last two years.

Lori - yep, these are SO IMPRESSIVE in a listing presentation. I also include a list of all on-line sites that the home will be advertised. Many of those sites will also give tracking information which is FABULOUS for weekly updates.

Paula - nope, it's the Supra system. And it's SO EASY to use that I honestly can't believe everyone isn't using it.

Courtney - I haven't had anyone ask me about Twitter. I just think it shows that we're on the cutting edge and where most younger buyers are found.

Pippa - you'll get there cuz you have over 136,000 people here to help!

Tara - I haven't had a seller ask me these and I can't wait til the first one does. But, it will set the bar higher (my own personal bias - lol) and set me apart from the rest.

Carin - you know, I was a newbie of some of this not to long ago. But, that's also why you have 136,000 strong to help you. Just to help you with a few of the #'s -

#3 - you can receive email on your IPhone so check with your lockbox service and find out how you can receive an email notification when a showing has occured.

#4 - check with your lockbox service or even your board to see if this service is available where you are at. Our board is SO HELPFUL with things like this.

#5 - I'm in the Great Plains Multiple Listing Service and when we assign an MLS number to a lockbox, we can also include additional information about the home. This is what it looks like:

Edit Listing

#7 - I'm still learning Twitter but the important thing is that you are on it, using it and just need to explain why it's important to the Seller. I just found a cool tool to help with that tonight - it's Twinfluence.

#8 - advertising doesn't have to be paid advertising. It's all about PROMOTING the home and there are LOTS of ways to do that on Facebook.

#9 & #10 - GOOD job!

Maureen - The agent notes and listing flyer (See my above comment) notes automatically pop up on the showing agent's screen when they access a keybox. How cool is that?

Eunice - I still can't believe the number of agents still using combination lockboxes.

Gita - I have to give props to Active Rain because it's such a HUGE learning opportunity. It's sad that so many agents don't take advantage of it.

Barb - I agree!

Michael - check out Twinfluence, it doesn't explain it but it helped me see the potential. Not to mention I just responded to a Tweet this afternoon for someone in MY area asking for a Realtor referral. She responded asking for my contact information, which I just sent.

I can think of several ways to incorporate my Twinfluence report in a listing presentation. Here's mine that I just ran:

Twinfluence

Macy - I love the idea of a top ten list. I never really got the concept of "what are you doing". I mainly Twitter to promote myself, my business and my community. I've used it to report cheap gas prices, line status at the polls and even speed traps. I use TweetDeck to search for Omaha so I can expand my local reach as well as Twinfluence.

Laura - Now that's what I call delegating! That's hard to beat.

Margaret - This is how I set myself apart and it's been very successful. But there are other ways of being successful selling homes, too, that don't involve technology. My good friend is a successful Realtor and we're constantly debating why "our" way is better. I think it's made us both better at our job.

Caren - good job! I feel like I should be handing out certificates! LOL

Integrity Mortgage Funding - Facebook is really taking off here, but I haven't noticed a lot of people looking for homes on it yet. I even set up a group specifically for that and need to start advertising it.

Jim - HOLY COW! You have a list of 89 questions that you recommend sellers ask when interviewing an agent. Impressive!

Jeff - I'm a visual learner so I use a lot of visuals, too. It's pretty cool to show them what the showing reports look like and see the light bulbs go off.

Anne - I think so, too.

Robin - isn't it cool how everything has changed in the last two years. These are the tools that younger home buyers are using and expecting us to know.

Patricia - I agree!

Michael - we have centralized showings here too, and they do a good job.

Kathleen - I'm glad this was useful.

Rebecca - I hope you get your new boxes

Simon - I have a section in my listing presentation where I cover this, too, which includes BAD picture samples of actual home listings.

David - Thanks, I had perma grin yesterday. Very exciting!

Evelyn - Unfortunately I won't be able to make it to Convention this year. I'm SO bummed. I love Convention and in VEGAS - HELLO! I'll have to live vicariously through you. Please fill me in on all the details. I'm especially disappointed that I will miss Dick Hoyt.

Renee - So much information in the Rain, so little time it seems to absorb it all. We all just need to work it a little harder so we can get paid to do this like Jeremy Blanton - CONGRATULATIONS JEREMY!

MAR

Connie,

These are great questions. Thanks for the thought provoking POST.

Congrats on your featured post.

Karen and Ray

Believe it or not - we still need to fax a few sales agents the home inspection report as they have not yet conquered email.

Wow Connie! Thanks so much for taking the time to answer, you Omaha tech-guru, you... =) Much appreciated!

MAR

Thanks so much for this post Connie! I've taught myself a lot of things using the step by step tutorials I dig up on the web, and you have made it so easy for me with yours! Now I can create a Virtual Tour for free!

Barb