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File Sharing WEB 2.0 Style - Just Thinking Inside The BOX

By
Education & Training with Retired Executive Director of Education at eXp Non-Licensed

Computer ScreensWith all the great tools available on the net for FREE these days, it seems like there's hardly any room or time to add anything new that will either simplify or complicate and consume our lives any further right?   There are literally hundreds of sites popping up each week that try to compete and offer greater value than the next site.  As I research what's out there, some of my favorite sites to investigate are the ones that might benefit us, our clients or our business.

Have you ever tried to email a file attachment that was too large for your email host, or too big for the recipient?  Many of these email hosts and pop servers put a limit to the file size you can share, send, or receive.  I wanted to share a file with someone the other day, and their email kept rejecting it because the file exceeded their email servers limits.  It was only 3 megabytes.

So looking for a quick and easy solution, I remembered hearing about Box.net  It's a file sharing site that allows you to upload all types of files and give others access to them.  It can be used for public or private sharing depending on how you set it up.  Having a site on the web to store files can also be a huge benefit if you ever need to access them while you're away from your own computer.  Of course having your own server is best, but most don't have that luxury.

Box.net lets you upload almost any file type and allows you store up to 1.0 gigabytes of data FREE!  You can also add additional services to your "BOX" like efax, Outlook, Gmail etc.  You can add your social networking sites like LinkedIn, Facebook, Friendfeed, Twitter and others.  You can even post files directly to your blog to share information with others all over the world.

Here's a sample of one of my Business Cards I uploaded.  You'll get a kick out of that one! lol~  It's nice that there's no software or hardware required, it's really simple to use and easy to set-up, you'll have user permission controls, and they offer 24x7 phone support.  Here's one of the quotes from their site:

Did you know? Over 50,000 businesses use Box.net to share ideas, create content, and collaborate in an online workspace?  Users can access online file storage from anywhere - even on the iPhone or Blackberry.

Since they've been around awhile, that usually proves their value, stability, and WEB track record.

ComputerI think Box.net really simplifies file-sharing and team collaboration.  There's no attachments or FTP uploads, you just send your clients or co-workers a link.  This could be a useful tool to add to the many other tools and resources you'll find in the WEB 2.0 World.  Thinking and working inside the "BOX" may help you or your business be more productive when you're outside the box.  I'm just sayin...  :-)

Brad Andersohn
Retired Executive Director of Education at eXp - Boulder Creek, CA
ActiveBrad - 707.646.1876

Hahaha!  Glad you're all getting a kick out of my sample "Business Card" uploaded on Box.net.  I had to put something up there to show how it all works.   lol~ 

Looks like this post has surfaced a few other great sites that allow file sharing as well.  Comment #16, #22, #27, and #43.  Thanks you guys, I'll definitely be checking out those sites too.

I think it would be really cool if we could offer a "File Sharing" platform right here on AR for our members.  :-)

Mar 30, 2009 03:15 AM
Liz Loadholt
Liz Loadholt- AgentOwned Realty- Covering SC - Mount Pleasant, SC
Realtor--Broker-in-charge - Trainer--Relocation Director Covering SC

Brad --- thanks again for sharing something that I had not heard of.  You keep coming up with these things --- I am impressed. I am all over the Box.net.

Mama Liz's Signature

Mar 30, 2009 03:42 AM
Gene Riemenschneider
Home Point Real Estate - Brentwood, CA
Turning Houses into Homes

I get more good ideas and resources reading active rain.  This is one of them.

Mar 30, 2009 04:01 AM
Lori Bennett-Davies
Essentials Home Staging - Kitchener, ON
Essentials Home Staging

Brad- Bookmarked again!  I just discovered Google Docs, now will have to check this out--

Mar 30, 2009 04:36 AM
Valorie Stover, Realtor for Casta del Sol
Casta del Sol Real Estate / HomeSmart Everygreen Realty - Mission Viejo, CA
Mission Viejo,CA, Active Adult Community!

Brad, Thanks will keep this handy. Never know when you'll need something like this.

Mar 30, 2009 05:29 AM
Stephen Graham
Inactive - Atlanta, GA

Thanks, Brad! This is great info. On my last transaction, I could not send large files, so I would break them up. This information may solve my problem!

Mar 30, 2009 05:52 AM
Maureen Bray Portland OR Home Stager ~ Room Solutions Staging
Room Solutions Staging, Portland OR - Portland, OR
"Staging Consultations that Sell Portland Homes"

Brad ~  You consistently have the best ideas and tools and we appreciate your sharing them with us!  I hope to replicate your business card someday -- we can all dream can't we?

Mar 30, 2009 06:03 AM
Petra Norris
Lakeland Real Estate Group, Inc. - Lakeland, FL
Realtor, Lakeland FL Homes for Sale

Brad - Have never heard of it, will have to check it out. Thanks!

Mar 30, 2009 06:05 AM
Patricia Aulson
BERKSHIRE HATHAWAY HOME SERVICES Verani Realty NH Real Estate - Exeter, NH
Realtor - Portsmouth NH Homes-Hampton NH Homes

I'll be sure to check this out....as always your information is great.

Portsmouth NH Real Estate.

Mar 30, 2009 06:23 AM
Anonymous
Pam Lorange

Brad - Thanks for the good tip. We are always looking for ways to make things easier - especially easier for our clients. Kudos to you!  Pam 

Mar 30, 2009 06:27 AM
#66
Troy Erickson AZ Realtor (602) 295-6807
HomeSmart - Chandler, AZ
Your Chandler, Ahwatukee, and East Valley Realtor

Brad - Just another insightful tip from one of the most informative guys out there.  I am sure this will be a handy tool for me, and thanks for sharing.

Mar 30, 2009 07:15 AM
Laura Monroe
Inman News - San Francisco, CA
Dir. of Industry Engagement & Social Media

OK..I need to take another look at LinkedIn..its been a while since I really checked it out. Thanks Brad for your fabulous tech updates:) Much love to ya!

Mar 30, 2009 03:39 PM
Anonymous
Robin Sagadraca

Brad, I have been loking at another online storage site: www.adrive.com.  They offer 50GB of free online storage!  Too good to be true?

Alooooha!

Robin

Mar 30, 2009 09:45 PM
#69
Brad Andersohn
Retired Executive Director of Education at eXp - Boulder Creek, CA
ActiveBrad - 707.646.1876

Robin - that is incredible!!! 

You sure got my attention with 50gigs of storage space for FREE.  Guess where I'm going right now...   :-)

Laura - LinkedIN is just where I found the box.net, it can be used outside of LinkedIn as well.  It was smart for LinkedIn to add it as a tool for their members, but now all the social networks are tapping into file sharing and the social networking side of it.  It's Very cool, just like you!  ;-)

Mar 31, 2009 03:19 AM
Sonya Loose
Modern Realty - Beaverton, MI
Helping Buyers & Sellers of Waterfront Property

Good information Brad....but I wouldn't expect any less :)

Mar 31, 2009 03:22 AM
June Watson
Weichert Realtors, ProSouth - Florence, AL
Realtor , NW Alabama

Sounded great, so I gave it a try. It wouldn't let me register without a credit card even though I chose the FREE Lite Option. Hmmmm. Didn't finish the registration. Any idea what's up with that?

Mar 31, 2009 08:30 AM
Connie Betz
Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Ambassador Real Estate - Omaha, NE
Top Omaha Realtor - Omaha Homes for Sale

Brad, everytime I have a need, you guys are one step ahead of me. Just this week I FINALLY uploaded a few files to Gmail and I was fat, dumb and happy. Now I read your post and find I can just load to LinkedIn and it's already integrated with most of my social networks.  As always, you ROCK!  The man deserves a raise, I tell you!

Mar 31, 2009 02:46 PM
Anonymous
Bobbi Blades

Brad, this is totally cool!  Question - one of the biggest problems my agents have is accessible storage for their photostory and ppt shows for the MLS.  Would this be the place for them to store their presentations that would link out to other postings?

Apr 02, 2009 04:50 AM
#74
Brad Andersohn
Retired Executive Director of Education at eXp - Boulder Creek, CA
ActiveBrad - 707.646.1876

Bobbie - Box.net would be a great site for storing and sharing those photostory and ppt shows.  Google docs is another for ppts.  You should also check out comment #57 for a list of others that were contributed here by AR members. Here's a link to it so you don't have to scroll back up there. lol~ Comment #57  Hopefully all these options and choices will make it easier for you to decide which will work best for you and your agents. :-)

Apr 02, 2009 05:04 AM
S&B Real Estate Team
Capstone Washington Real Estate, LLC - Vancouver, WA

What an awesome tool! Thanks so much for sharing - I never knew this was available. This will really help to streamline my business!

Apr 22, 2009 10:22 AM