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Real Estate Technology

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Real Estate Agent with Boardman Realty

Real estate technology

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This may not seem like fun to some, but it is for me. I have a confession to make and hope that both of my readers will understand.  I am kind of geeky, which is different than nerdy, I was never in the chess club in high school, nor was I a mathlete in junior high.  I was a normal kid running around raising hell, and was pretty good at it.

I tried to label the picture posted above, so that it makes sense.  I am my own technical support person so I can do anything I want to, using my hardware, software and a little imagination. I use a laptop computer and have it hooked up to a monitor and set it up so that I see two screens at the same time. 

My email, and anything I am writing is on the laptop screen. On the larger screen I have a web browser so I can access the MLS and have access to web based programs and the internet.   I can move my mouse from one screen to another, and drag windows from screen to screen.    My computer has a couple of gigabytes of ram and some additional hardware so that I can run multiple programs on multiple monitors without losing any speed.  The best part is that I can watch a DVD on one screen and use the other for computing.  This set up is just drop dead cool, there isn't any other way to describe it.

My clients seem to appreciate my ability to get infromation and follow up quickly when they have a question.  When it comes to the geeky stuff no one else really gets me, which is O.K., I don't get me either.  I occasionaly meet other people that are like me but they are usually men in their twenties and thirties.   

Vendors send me products to test and people ask for my opinions and comments on various software doodads made for the real estate industry, or for blogs.  I teach some classes for realtors and help other realtors with some of the basics.   Some of the gadgets in the side-bars of this blog are products that I am testing for myself or for someone else, which is why they kind of come and go.  I almost never have to read a manual or use online help, if I do I figure I am just not smart enough to use the product.

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Sharon Simms
Coastal Properties Group International - Christie's International - Saint Petersburg, FL
St. Petersburg FL - CRS CIPS CLHMS RSPS
OK, Teresa - I need to know - how do you set it up for the dual screens?  I'm a geek, too, but not always my own techie. Too bad my techie son moved to California.
Mar 07, 2007 10:36 PM
Teresa Boardman
Boardman Realty - Saint Paul, MN

Sharon - easy to do, no technical skills needed.  I am doing it with my lap top which of course has a screen of it's own.  With a desk top machine I guess an adapter would be needed to plug in two monitors.  With the lap top:

1.  Turn it off

2.  Plug in a monitor

3.  turn it back on.

4.  Right click on the desk top

5.go to properties  in Windows XP or Personalize  in Vista, and go to displays tab

6.  You should see a pciture of two monitors, and be able to click on each and configure the resolution and determind which monitor will display which part of the screen.

Have fun.

Mar 07, 2007 10:45 PM
Sarah Cooper
Real Estate Shows - Hurricane, WV
WOW.  I am so in awe of your Geeky Tech Powers.  You are so far above me it's not even funny!!  You're the gadget QUEEN!  Drop dead cool indeed! 
Mar 07, 2007 11:18 PM
Kristal Kraft
Novella Real Estate - Denver, CO
Selling Metro Denver Real Estate - 303-589-2022

T ~ you don't need an adapter to plug in two screens.  It's called "expanded desktop" when you have two screens that present TWO different pictures. (I know you know this, I was responding to Sharon.)

Working with two monitors on one PC is the only way to go.  I agree with you, for once!

Where's the fruitcake in the photo? 

kk

Mar 08, 2007 12:24 AM
Jeff Turner
RealSatisfied - Santa Clarita, CA

Teresa... here's my set up. We are both geeks it appears. The two monitors are connected to my Intel Mac, the laptop to the left is my 17" Powerbook. What you can't see is the PC laptop behind me or the old G5 that acts as a photo and music server for the house. I mainly work on two computers at once, but am often testing something on the PC as well. I love my office set up! :)

desk

Mar 08, 2007 02:02 AM
"The Lovely Wife" The One And Only TLW.
President-Tutas Towne Realty, Inc. - Kissimmee, FL

I see that Turner. LOL...   :-)

You have a TLW Fan Club mouse pad...  Kewl...

Sorry Teresa....

That seriously made me laugh. I had to get that out of my system...

I guess I'm not much of a geek. YET. Two laptops, one mouse, two keyboards, one old fashioned cell phone. That's it :-) Oh! Wait. I have a printer now too.

I have everything I need to play on AR and shop on line. A also have a great view overlooking a lake with no neighbors. I really can't ask for, or want, more than I have. Except of course I would love to have a digital camera. With any luck at all Broker Bryant will see this post and figure out what I want for my upcoming 50th Birthday :-)

Yup. I'm getting ready for my half a century. Damn time flies when you're having FUN. SVVW.

TLW...ROAR!

Mar 08, 2007 06:35 AM
Jeff Turner
RealSatisfied - Santa Clarita, CA
Doesn't everyone have a TLW Fan Club Mouse pad?
Mar 08, 2007 10:48 AM
Fran Gatti
RE/MAX Integrity - Medford, OR
Managing Principal Broker - RE/MAX Integrity

Teresa,

I am not a computer nerd or geek, but I'm trying like heck.  I have to work hard for every bit of knowledge I get.  Learning how to post comments and get my blog going took an inordinate amount of brain power, however, I am willing to keep trying. 

Thanks for the post,

Fran

Mar 08, 2007 01:49 PM
Craig Schiller
Trempealeau, WI

FIRST... JEFF's desktop makes ME SICK. SURE JEFF RUB IT IN!

Teresa... I am much like you... Mish Mosh mess. But without the view, I am stuck in the basement.

But I do have one question... what is that ancient contraption on the right side? It has buttons and a phone handset.

Mar 10, 2007 12:03 AM
real estate real estate
Providence, RI

do not mean to hijack this blog, but Jeff, your rig looks fantastic.

Aug 30, 2008 04:06 PM