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The Old Days

By Don Spera

Real Estate Agent with CR Property Group, LLC

March 28, 2010 06:37 PM

Oh, the good old days.

I know a lot of you out there have been in the business for over 20 years like me. They seems like eternity in some sense, but it is amazing how far technology has come. For the people that are still fairly new in the business, I did not write contracts with a hammer and chisel, but close to it.

I started off with:

Pager, and then you had to scramble around to find a land line or pay phone to call your clients back.
Bag Phone with strap
About an 8" phone with a rubber antenna
Direct Wire Car Phone
My very first cellular phone that could actually fit in my pocket or holster
Flip Phones, and many others throughout the years leading up to my current phone the blackberry curve.

I am due for another upgrade and reading all the feedback's are very confusing on where to go next on the smart phones. My carrier does not have the I-Phone. There is mixed comments on the touch screen phones as far as durability, battery life and all the applications it can do. I do have to upgrade soon as I am going to be behind the times again and feel like I am back in the good old Days again.

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Endre Barath, Jr.

Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices California Properties - Beverly Hills, CA

Realtor - Los Angeles Home Sales 310.486.1002

Don, you made me go back in time..my motorola cell that was a suitcase in the car with me(portable), then my oversized Motorola...Now I have had the Blackberry 8830(world addtion) I am perfectly comfortable with no rush to change...

Mar 28, 2010 06:42 PM

Kevin Dunlap

Trident Investments Group - Las Vegas, NV

I experienced the "good ole' days" about 3 years ago. I went to Bernillio Country (yep that right -- Albuquerque, NM) Tax Deed Sale. On my way back to Vegas i stop by a few smaller towns like Gallup, NM.

They are still on the fax any new listings to the other 5 real estate offices. You search the available housing my looking at faxed listings. NO MLS that is electronic. I think there was like 25 or 30 listings in the entire country (including land, homes and investment properties).

Wow!!! That was a blast to the past.

Mar 28, 2010 07:16 PM

Dava Behrens

Coldwell Banker Valley Brokers - Corvallis, OR

Broker, Corvallis, Oregon

hmmmm..... when I started (I was very young) and I was in a large metro area (LA county)

1. MLS books, with "hot sheets"

2. no cell phone, no pager--humans that took messages (most of the time)

3. pocket calculators were still pretty new; p & i was calculated with factors and charts

4. not everyone had a fax machine, actually hardly anyone had a fax machine and it was termal paper that degraded quickly

5. flyers were distributed manually by driving from one office to the next and delivering them (black type on color paper--no color printing)

6. contracts were manually completed with a pen or a typewriter, NCR forms or carbon paper

Mar 28, 2010 07:54 PM

Don Spera

CR Property Group, LLC - East York, PA

Serving York and Adams County, PA

Dava,

I experienced the exact same. Another thing was no lockboxes where we had to run to the different offices to pick up the keys and then when you were done showing the properties you had to return them ASAP. So a half dozen showings you could have had a full day involved. Thanks for your comments.

Mar 29, 2010 12:22 AM

Kevin, I am in no rush to change either, but if we don't change with the times, we are going to be in one heck of a predicament. Look how much things have changed just since we have been in the business 20 or more years. The newer agents in 20 years, think what they may experience over that same time frame. It will probably be a lot of virtual listings and sales, who knows where it will lead us?

Mar 29, 2010 12:25 AM

Leslie Prest

Leslie Prest, Prest Realty, Sales and Rentals in Payson, AZ - Payson, AZ

Owner, Assoc. Broker, Prest Realty, Payson,

I actually remember MLS listings before WINDOWS. Life is much easier now.

Mar 30, 2010 07:26 AM

So do I. There was no computer screen, just a key board with two black thermocouples. You dialed a phone, listened for a fax tone, layed the phone on the keyboard on top of the thermocouples and that kicked the computer in to be able to go into the multiple list.

Mar 30, 2010 08:33 AM

Robin Dampier REALTOR®

Coldwell Banker King - Hendersonville, NC

Hendersonville & Western NC Real Estate Source

Oh my, technology! It travels at the speed of light! I also had one of those large/clunky Verizon bag phones. What a job keeping up the "Hot Sheet Book" on a daily basis was and the sacred MLS books, on and on.

In today's world you almost have to go to school to know how to properly utilizie all the features on your TV. We just bought a new car and the technology in the thing is awesome.

Technology is great but sometimes I long for the days when a phone was simply a thing to call folks on and people can call you. That usually occurs when I'm in a hurry and can't figure something out! Once figured out I'm again ready for more technology.

Sue of Robin and Sue
Hendersonville, NC

Apr 02, 2010 02:26 AM

The Old Days

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