Realtors Beware – Sellers Are Watching and Listening! 

With today’s technology advancements, there are many ways to keep an eye on your home while your away. However, many sellers are using new technology to listen in on buyers while their home is being shown. If you search for hidden cameras on Amazon.com, I am sure you will be stunned at the variety of options there are. From phone chargers to picture frames, it’s safe to say you are possibly being watched during your next showing!

Here are a few ways to tell if there are cameras in the home you are showing to your clients:

1. Use a RF detector.

These detection devices are pretty neat! They can pick up on active recording devices in a home. AKA, if you are being watched or recorded in real time, this device will know! They run around $100 and you can easily purchase one on Amazon. Keep in mind, if there is a recording device that runs off of a SD card instead of Wi-Fi, it won’t pick that device up.

2. Use your eyes!

This is one of your easiest options. A lot of homeowners have devices that stand out in plain sight or they are very obvious. Keep this in mind when showing that perfect house to your buyer and remind them to take the negotiation conversation outside!

3. Use a flashlight

Most of us have flashlights on our phones and they are a great way to look for cameras as well. Turn your flashlight on and pan around the house with it. You’ll be looking for a reflection. If you find one, you may have just found a hidden camera lens.

So, your best bet to protect your buyers interest when showing homes is to keep quiet when you are inside! You never know if you are being watched. Remind your clients to keep their comments to themselves when they are looking around and once you’re outside, let the comments flow!

Think Safety Year Round

safety-first-signWith September being REALTOR® Safety Month, I had grandiose intentions of getting this virtual support blog out earlier and addressing the masses. With pen and paper I started scribbling thoughts and ideas about Realtor safety and my research of safety related topics for Agents grew! At that point, I put down my pen, pushed my chair away from the desk and thought…WOW…how do I narrow it down? Bottom line is you can’t! Our clients and agents around the country face safety issues daily, it’s part of their job. Over the next several days, I will attempt to address some of the various topics and break it down into smaller bites focusing on different safety concerns. I’m sure some will be seen as “common sense” but it never hurts repeating…especially when it comes to your safety or that of your client.

Earlier in the month I read an article, “The Safety Talk You Need to Have With Clients”,  and decided it was a good place to start. The article discussed safety from the client’s perspective and offered several suggestions for Agents. As Real Estate Virtual Assistants, we felt this was vital and valuable information to share with our clients, and with it being REALTOR® Safety Month what better time to share a great idea for the “Tip of the Month.” Create a “Safety Packet” for your Sellers and include a checklist of items they should put away or remove from their home, and other tips they can use to promote safety while their home on the market, for example:

  1. Does the house have adequate lighting, inside and out?
  2. Are all locks in good working order – including window locks?
  3. Keep mail up and out of sight to avoid identity theft
  4. Keep prescription medications locked and out of sight
  5. Are there any potential liability hazards…weapons, loose floorboards, electrical issues, etc.?
  6. Consider extra monitoring
  7. Limit obstructions to doors and windows – keep hedges, trees and shrubs trimmed back
  8. Do not allow “drop-ins” or “drive-bys”, showings must be scheduled

These are just a few of the items that could be discussed and become part of your “Safety Packet”.  Call it what you will, give it a clever name and make it yours. The idea is to educate your client on potential safety concerns while they are listing their home.

And if you need some assistance putting together a safety checklist for your Sellers, then give us a call!  We can help!

5 Reasons Why You Need a Real Estate Virtual Assistant

With all the advances in communications and technology (smart phones, tablets, websites, cloud technologies and more) we have the ability to communicate with  anyone… at any time, in any place.  The Jetson’s of the future are here and now in the Real Estate Industry!  Today, Virtual Assistants who specialize in Real Estate can deliver seamless service and support from anywhere in the country using these tools and technologies.  It’s a match made in “the cloud” for mobile real estate agents who are working from home and on the go.

Here are 5 reasons why it pays to hire a professional Real Estate Virtual Assistant:

One-Stop Shopping
AnotherME provides a team of specialists; whether you need support in just one part of your business or a whole team of assistants to support you!  Real Estate VA’s know and understand the specific tasks associated with Listing Coordination, Closing Coordination/Transaction Management, Database Management, Just Listed/Just Sold Postcards and even Social Media Support (like setting up your profiles, setting up tools for managing social media sites, and research information for blogs and writing blog posts) plus so much more.

 

Cost Effective
How much time are you spending on “detail work” on your to-do list? Why invest in payroll, benefits, insurance, etc. when you could be delegating that money to building your business. AnotherME Real Estate VA’s are contracted professionals, not employees. You pay for work completed (not for idle time, vacations, sick leave or absenteeism). There’s no need to make room in the office for an extra person.  Real Estate VAs are motivated to do their best for you at all times because their business success depends on your satisfaction.

 

Customized Support for Your Needs
Whether you need Postcards mailed, a Listing Package, or help with your Closings, a VA can perform these duties. Why spend hours on paperwork that can be done by a VA with Real Estate experience when you could be building your clientele or, more importantly, spending time with your family? Do not miss out on that baseball game or recital to finish that closing by midnight. Know that it was already done by a competent professional, your Real Estate VA.

 

Focus on Your Strength
Why waste time on tasks that are not your primary objective? Successful Real Estate agents find and hire the right people for the right job; that’s called Leverage! Have the peace of mind that your deadlines will be met by a VA who knows the Real Estate industry and is familiar with Real Estate programs and websites (MLS, Top Producer, ePropretySites, RealBird, Wise Agent, Realtor.com just to name a few).

 

Why a VA and not a Temp or a $10/hr Teenager

The VA takes the role of a temp and elevates it to the status of a Team Player. Having a Real Estate VA eliminates problems with staffing solutions and here’s why:

  •  Temps are seeking full-time employment not short term assignments
  •  Temps are a transient solution to long term needs.
  •  Temporary solutions can be expensive ones
  •  It takes too much time and money to train a temp.
  •  Temps are not committed to the success of your business
  •  Most Temps are interested in the paycheck and not the tasks

 

Knowing you have a competent professional handling the administrative tasks vital to your real estate business gives you more time to focus on your clients, thereby finding their dream home creating success for your business. Delegating administrative tasks to an experienced AnotherME Virtual Assistant gives you more time to grow your business and generate profit.

 

 

Image Credit: forum.bodybuilding.com

What is a Real Estate Virtual Assistant?

At AnotherME, our goal as Real Estate Virtual Assistants is to provide real estate professionals with a variety of quality, administrative services orchestrated from a remote location.

What does that mean exactly?

It means the AnotherME team of virtual assistants all have specialized skills that are unique to the real estate industry. We understand what services a Realtor® needs to run their business and become more successful.  Our VA’s collaborate one-on-one with our clients to ensure complete customer satisfaction.

It also means you don’t have to add an employee to your already tight budget, pay for health insurance or deduct those pesky taxes. You don’t have to provide a desk, phone or even a chair! Virtual Assistants work from a remote location and have all the necessary computer equipment, office supplies, office software and communication devices (ie: phones) right at their disposal!

It’s easy to get started – we’ll work with you to set up your checklists for listings and closings, update your login/password lists, collaborate on your marketing templates and flyers, and create special instructions based on your preferences.

What could be easier and more cost-effective? Remember, if you’re spending too much time on the 80% (administrative tasks) then you’re not spending enough time on getting new listings, developing leads and buyers, and more importantly, gaining an advantage over the competition!

So what are you waiting for?  It’s worth a phone call to Another ME to determine if we can help you maximize your time, your money and your efforts.

Here’s to a successful 2012!

Fast “Brain” Food for Real Estate Professionals

Last week, I wrote an article on AnotherME talking about different things you could do if you only had 5 minutes. Well, I found another one and I couldn’t resist sharing it with you.

Have you heard about Real Estate Coach Radio.com? It’s a cool stop on the internet offering 5 minute radio snippets specifically for Real Estate Professionals. Speakers include Kevin Turner, Bernice Ross, Jimmy Dague, Andrew Wooten and a host of others talking about topics relevant to the industry today. You just click and play!

There is a new show every day and you can download to an MP3 or pick up the iTunes version. It’s free to subscribe and what a fast and fun way to grab some food for the brain!

Do you have other ideas for things you can accomplish in 5 minutes?

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sweet Deals for REALTORS® …Compliments of NAR!

I don’t know about you, but I’m always looking for a deal. Some people clip coupons, some people compare prices online. Did you realize, because you’re a REALTOR®, you are entitled to all kinds of really great discounts on products and tools?

It’s called the REALTOR Benefits® Program. Download a free copy of the 2010/11 REALTOR Benefits® Partner Catalog. (It’s a large file so it might take a few minutes to download.)

The National Association of REALTORS® has partnered with top companies to provide you with discounts on products and promotional tools you would use in your business or personal life every day! Remember, these are your member benefits that NAR is providing just for you!

These days every dollar saved is a dollar earned! Look at all the top-rated companies partnering with NAR!

Need a Great Client Gift to drive repeat business or Free Direct Marketing Tools from Lowes?
♦ Entertainment® Book
♦ Lowes

Here are some Really Great Books we would highly recommend and NAR is offering them at great prices!
“The Digital Handshake: Seven Proven Strategies to Grow Your Business Using Social Media”
♦ “Staging to Sell: The Secret to Selling Homes in a Down Market”
♦ “2010 NAR Profile of Home Buyers & Sellers”
♦ “Put Your Business Online”

Ready for a new Printer or Scanner? Ready to go mobile and get a PC or Tablet? Check out these vendors and their discounts!
♦ Dell Computers
♦ Hewlett Packard Computers
♦ Lenovo
♦ Xerox

Why not try some of the latest Tools and Software to streamline the closing process? For instance, next time you need FedEx® to drive across town to get signatures…Think DocuSign®!
♦ DocuSign®
♦ relay®
♦ zipForm®

Use the available discounts now to pursue those Designations and Certifications you’ve been meaning to get! Great online courses are available through REALTOR® University.
♦ ABR
♦ SRES
♦ ePRO
♦ SFR
♦ Green

Save $$$$ on Shipping, Faxing, Copying, Printing and more through these fine vendors.
♦ FedEx®
♦ FedEx® Office
Coming Soon! OfficeMax
Coming Soon! Ifbyphone

So make sure you remember to check out these discounts from the 2010/2011 Realtor Benefits® Program when you’re shopping for new products and tools in 2011!   But wait….there’s more…(ok, I couldn’t help myself!)….to sweeten the deal, call me today, and I’ll give the first 10 REALTORS® a special discount from AnotherME – a 20% discount on 4 Hours of Real Estate Virtual Assistant Services! Is it time to clean up your database, update your forms, create a new listing flyer? I can’t wait to talk with you, so give me a call at 770.414.9393 and let me help you save some bucks!

Social Networking + Real Estate Industry = Big Change!

I honestly think the Real Estate business should be the Poster Child for change!   Quick –  what are 4-5 big changes you can think of right now?

We’ve seen changes to Contracts, Marketing, MLS’s, Brokerages, Short Sales, Mortgages, Associations, websites, and of course “the market!”   And Social Media has been a big part of that change!

Over the last 2 years, I’ve heard so many real estate professionals say things like; “I don’t have time for Social Networking”, “How can you get business from social media sites?”, or “I have a website, why do I need a Facebook business page?”

However… in just the past 6 months, I’ve been to 2 REbarCamp’s and a RainCamp and attendance is up!  Agents and Brokers have realized since the downturn in the industry they must use their offline real estate marketing skills through social media online.  Now, real estate pros are building their brand and generating interest in their listings though the use of online platforms such as Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, ActiveRain, Trulia and Zillow. Interest is growing, Realtors® are finally recognizing the value of this new way of doing business!

So if you’ve been dabbling with Social Media and trying to understand how to implement Social Networking into your business, consider this:

• If you’re a numbers person, the statistics are staggering.

• If you’re a people person, it’s the easiest and fastest way to network with folks right in your community or across the US.

• If you’re budget conscious, it’s free!  That’s F-R-E-E!

• If you’re technology challenged, it’s much easier than you think!

The following video was created by Erik Qualman of Socialnomics in late 2009, so imagine what the numbers will be for 2010!

What are you doing to keep up with the rate of change?

In 2011, make a resolution to get on board and get started with this new way of doing business!  Call AnotherME to find how we can take you from zero to hero with Social Media.

Photo Image – TheLogoRunner.com