When I was a kid my Mom bought me my very own computer, she told me I’d better get good at using it because, in
the future, all the great paying jobs would require me to use them. Boy was she ever right, but I had no idea I’d be carrying around two ‘micro computers’ at all times!
Convincing Myself (and my Wife) that I ‘Needed’ an iPad
Previously I had researched buying a Kindle or the Sony book reader to have paperless property listings for showings with buyers. But when Apple announced the release of the Apple iPad, being that I’m a huge Apple products fan I told my wife that I would really like one. She said, “Why do you want to spend the money on that, you probably don’t really NEED one”. She went on by referencing her days as a real estate agent in Maui, Hawaii. Most of which was spent making gobs of money selling multimillion dollar homes in a frantic buyers market before the bubble burst, but that is another story all together.
Over the course of three or so weeks I tried to think of ways I would utilize such a tool for my Real Estate business. I visited an Apple store to demo it a couple of times in the attempt to make my case stronger. Two major uses were realized and both were situations where I would be utilizing the iPad when working with buyer clients.
Working Paperlessly- Carrying property info sheets on the iPad during showings (it would be greener and mainly more convenient)
Mobile MLS- Using the larger screen to help my clients look at my boards Mobile MLS application on the fly.
Technically the iPad offers a lot more possibilities and is infinitely more versatile than a digital book reader. My wife and I struck a deal, I bought one for her and one for myself…
Use 1: Going Paperless
My usual stack of MLS property sheets would essentially be in digital format, I would be paperless. Instead of pressing the print button to have copies of property info from the MLS, I now create PDF documents. My thought was that this may allow for better organization in the field and at home. The process to get to this level was a bit of trial and error though. I was hoping for an simple and easy filing system that could be created and was accessible from the iPad by just plugging it into your computer (much like a flash drive). Unfortunately, that doesn’t exist straight out of the box, although one of my acquaintances works for Apple and claims it’s been kicked around. My next thought was using the Apple service I subscribe to called MobileMe, it is great for syncing and updating your contacts and the iCal calender program, and also gives you online disk space for storing files on their server. I downloaded the MobileMe iDisk App uploaded PDF files to it only to realize they were very pixilated and hardly readable once downloaded on the iPad.
Solution:
Create PDF files and email them to myself and my client- They are very readable, quick and easy to scroll through!
Pros:
Less to carry
Easy to read
Saves paper
Client has a copy
Cons:
If you want to add properties you have to have your computer to manipulate the PDF document. Can’t take notes- about showing times and other info prior and during showings
Use 2: Mobile MLS
Mostly I use this program on my iPhone on my own driving through my niche areas
without buyer clients. I’ll pull up the property that I’mcurious about on the Mobile MLS application to see it’s specs and showing instructions. It is very convenient to have this basic information in the field, including the agent’s and owner’s phone number so that I can line up a showing.
It’s use on the iPad mainly involves showing properties with buyers. This situation happens all the time- we pass a property that was not on our list of properties for the afternoon, my client asks “what’s the deal with that home?”. If I know the property I usually answer , “Well…it’s the home’s size, price, or condition or we’d be looking at it”. If they don’t remember I’ll pull it up on the iPad, that usually refreshes their memory so that we can continue our tour without them wondering about the mysterious house we just passed. On the other hand if I don’t know the property or it is newly listed, I say, “I don’t know let’s look it up on the Mobile MLS”. This is definitely a better answer than, “I don’t know, I’ll look it up later on the MLS at my office”. Sometimes the home actually fits the criteria of the buyer’s needs, but may have been initially looked over for a variety of reasons. If your client wants to see it, try to fit in in to you schedule, you never know how long it will be before you can get them in the car again. Plus seeing more inventory, even on the fly like this, serves your client better and can help them understand pricing in the market area.
Use 3: Google Maps- Bigger is Better!
This may be the best feature that I never expected from the iPad. I frequently used the Google Maps program on my iPhone and believe it to be one of the best GPS mapping tools available (and it’s on all iPhone & iPads for free).
Soon after I bought my iPad I was walking a lot with a client, this particular property did not have a fence or boundary markers, it was some what large, and in a wooded area of the Texas hill country. My client asked if we were still on the property, I accessed the Google Maps program that showed the actual property lines. We were able to walk the entire property knowing that all of the land we had traversed was included in the sale. And we left the location knowing that the cool wet-weather rock waterfall was unquestionably on the property.
Yes, this can be done on the iPhone but the larger screen creates more detailed visibility and zoom. This is another instance were I saved my client and I time, and was looked at as more of a professional because my tools added information on the spot. Never again do I have to say, “Let me ask the listing agent for a copy of the survey and I’ll email that to you tomorrow”.
Use 4: Email, Web, & Social Networking
I’ve found using social networks, mainly Facebook, really does help promote business and networking with business colleagues. Talk about reaching out and reminding people that your an agent, social networking offers great platforms to harness people’s attention into bite size pieces (I’m not much of a email campaign guy). Regular daily emailing is a definite necessity and is an obvious one so I won’t go into to much detail other than the fact that it is convenient to use a full sized keyboard. The iPad allows you to utilize most web sites in their full versions, not just a striped down app like on the iPhone. So all the same tasks I can do on my home computer I can do on by iPad!
Use 5: ZipForms & Docusign
Currently we’re not in a frantic buyers market where using the iPad to complete a contract from beginning to end needs to be done all electronically. But this could be done all on site if the buyer was worried about losing the house to another person. You better believe if a client wants to submit an offer on the road I can do it using Zipforms and the electronic signature program Docusign!
I do all my transactions using these two online tools on my laptop computer- YES, ALL OF THEM.
The Future
You shouldn’t force things into your business whether it’s in online marketing, social networking, or in the field. If you are only trying a new tool because someone told you just ‘have to‘ your work productivity will suffer and/or you may end up looking poor in front of a client.
Are my clients impressed? They definitely are, and they love having access to additional information on the fly. Does it help me out? For sure it does in a lot ways.
The biggest down fall is working paperlessly with property listings information. It is just not quite as seamlessly as I would like it to be yet. MLS software essentially needs to be modified slightly, it was not programed with the mid-sized mobile computing devices in mind. This would make the step of creating a PDF file obsolete and allow me to organize and access my clients chosen homes wirelessly.
Business & technology is evolving at an alarming rate, and I compare it to surfing in the ocean- If your not looking outside a big set may come. Not only are you going to miss the great waves…you might get pushed out of the way up on the rocks! Essentially, ‘Old School’ methods are going to last only a little while longer before clients are going to demand an agent that is slightly more technology inept, whom has better technology tools. I sat next to a woman in the Technology portion one of Mark Porter’s Real Estate courses last year, she hadn’t been an agent since the late 80’s, she was confused and freaking out. I honestly wouldn’t be surprised if she threw in the towel after the class was over! Soon if learning new technologies feels forced, you may be forced to find a new career.
In reality, I don’t really need an Apple iPad- but it is a tool that if used correctly can provide information & save a lot of time. I’m someone that loves technology and finding ways to apply new tools it to my Real Estate business- I’m a constantly evolving Technology Neo-Realtor®
Ryan Saul, Realtor®, GRI, ABR, GREEN
Avalar Austin Real Estate
512.284.2204
www.RyanSaulREALTOR.com
