Category Archives: Techie Stuff

Realtors Beware – Sellers Are Watching and Listening! 

  By Patty | April 25, 2018 - 10:31 am | ,
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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!

Top 5 Reasons Realtors® should recommend Simplisafe!

  By Patty | March 26, 2018 - 10:11 am |
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Here at AnotherME our clients and their customers are very important to us and that includes your safety!                                                      Recently, we’ve been hearing amazing reviews about the company SimpliSafe and their DIY Home Security System. With even more bells and whistles than the top security companies out there, SimpliSafe is a product we highly recommend to our clients and here are the top five reasons why!  

1. No Contracts

With SimpliSafe, you are not locked in to a contract. You have the option to cancel your $14.99 monthly subscription to their 24/7 Home Security Monitoring at any time! Plus, they are so confident you’ll love your new DIY Security System, they will give you a full refund including return shipping within the first 60 days if you don’t!

2. Easy Setup

Unlike the security system industry competitors, SimpliSafe comes in a box shipped directly to your home for you to set up in minutes! That’s right, no annoying appointments with pushy salesmen, no tools and no stress! All you have to do is open the box, plug in the base station, mount the sensors and you are ready to protect your home!

3. 24/7 Alarm System Monitoring

With your monthly subscription, your home is protected around the clock! When a sensor detects a possible break-in, your system will sound off and alert SimpliSafe’s 24/7 Security Monitoring Center. Unless you cancel the alarm when the security specialist calls you, the police will be sent to your home right away!

4. Top Notch Technology

From water sensors that alert you of potential leaks to freeze sensors that tell you when your homes temperature has dropped below 41 degrees, you choose to protect your home in any way imaginable! You can also control your system from your phone, your computer, or a key fob! SimpliSafe products auto-update, work on wi-fi and the batteries hardly ever need to be replaced. The sensors are even pet-friendly; you seriously can’t go wrong with a system like this!

5. A la Carte Components

While you can choose from their pre-built packages ranging from basic ($229) to the all-inclusive “Haven” package ($489), you have the option to customize your own system! You’re required to have the base station and the wireless keypad and from there it’s up to you to add the features you want and need. Whether you have a tiny house or a mansion, SimpliSafe’s Build a System option is perfect for you! 

To learn more about the SimpliSafe DIY Home Security System, check out their website for reviews and more details at https://simplisafe.com/

Top 5 Reasons We Recommend MileIQ!

  By Patty | March 12, 2018 - 8:44 am |
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At AnotherME, we’re always looking out for busy real estate agents and their expenses. With MileIQ, it is now easier than ever to track your mileage to and from appointments. This app is a game changer for real estate agents. We know that you are always on the go and you need to track those miles! Here are the top 5 reasons why you should download MileIQ (https://www.mileiq.com/invite/DZFFD) smartphone today:

1. Tax Deductions!
While MileIQ tracks your miles to and from showings, it is creating a record perfect for tax deductions! No more worrying about writing down the miles, your mileage is automatically recorded for you into a secure cloud that is ready for your accountant.

2. Price!
MileIQ has a few pricing options. While there is a free plan with 40 trips per month, you’re going to want to pay the minimal monthly cost for their premium plan! You get unlimited trips and it cost the same as one of those fancy coffees except it’s monthly! And don’t forget, you get to write it off on your taxes too!

3. Simplicity!
Once you have the app setup, it is so simple! Taking your kid to soccer practice? Swipe left on the trip and mark it as a personal errand. Headed to a closing? Swipe left and it is in now in your tax deductible business category. Categorizing your trips will take you less than 30 seconds!

4. It runs in the background!
Not only does MileIQ take up very little space on your phone, it runs in the background! There is no need to worry about starting up the tracker every time you get in your car. Just make sure you have your GPS on & let MileIQ do the work!

5. Easy Customization!
MileIQ is tailored to fit every individual’s needs. Use the category customization feature to your advantage and you’ll have your very own organized record of every trip you’ve taken. Whether you’re headed to the office or meeting a client for lunch, the more you customize MileIQ, the easier your life will be!

It’s time to get organized and stop guesstimating your mileage! At AnotherME, we highly suggest this app to our clients!

To download MileIQ for free on your Android or iPhone, go to https://www.mileiq.com/invite/KECHL and start tracking your miles today!

Our Clients’ Safety is Important!

  By Patty | April 28, 2012 - 11:19 am | ,
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Safety is a relevant and important topic in the real estate industry.  Heck, safety is an important topic for any industry or individual.  Our clients and all real estate professionals are at risk more often than any other group.  The nature of the business requires you to meet with strangers, spend time in a car with those strangers, enter vacant properties or buildings and hold open houses by yourself.

At the recent RETSO conference in Atlanta, I learned about a “Safety App” from Shannon King with Schoolhouse Realty, called  MyForce.com.    This App was the winner of the 2011 People’s Choice Stevie Award for favorite New Product or Service of the Year.  Pretty impressive!

“MyForce is an innovative security service that acts as your mobile bodyguard and arms you or your loved ones against would-be attackers with the touch of a button on your smartphone.”   It’s available on the iPhone, Android or Blackberry.

Here’s how it works!  Next time you’re sitting at an open house or leaving the office late at night, simply launch the MyForce App.  If a situation arises and you need help, the alert button is right on your phone.  Once you hit the alert button, your phone screen goes black and the MyForce app begins operating in “stealth mode.”  Your phone will records what is happening, the monitoring team begins listening, tracking your location via GPS and alerting the proper authorities.

When it comes to safety, cost is irrelevant.  At only $11.99/month or $120/year, MyForce is an affordable, sweet deal.  Plus, additional subscribers on your account will get a 50% discount!  What are you waiting for… check it out today!

We hope this is one App you never have to use!  Here’s to much success and safety in 2012!

 

 

[wpsr_socialbts]

 

TABLET APPS FOR THE MOBILE REALTOR

  By Patty | April 17, 2012 - 6:55 am | ,
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AnotherME Virtual Assistants just returned from the RETSO (REtechSouth) conference, where we spent an amazing 3 days of learning, networking and connecting with our real estate friends and clients.  If you haven’t been to a RETSO conference, I highly recommend you add it to your budget and your calendar for next spring!

Pam Sherlock – Listing Coordinator Extraordinaire – attended Amy Chorew’s “Tablet Tips” session and took lots of notes!

She put together the following list of Apps for both iPad and Android tablets reviewed in Amy’s session.  Apps for contracts, open houses, file storage (in the cloud) or video – there’s at least one app that a  realtor could incorporate into their business today …and see results!

 

TABLET APPS FOR DAY-TO-DAY USE

Dropbox:     File sharing. FREE 2GB account!
Keynote:    Presentation software for iPad, iPhone and iPod. $9.99
ZipForms:    Complete and sign forms on your mobile device. $12.95/year
PDFExpert:    Read, annotate, highlight, draw and save documents as PDF. $9.99
SignMyIpad:    PDF signature tool for iPad. $3.99
iAnnotate:    Read and make notes on any PDF document – on your iPad. $9.99
TourNarrator:    Capture client feedback about a property on your iPhone or iPad. $1.99
IDreamAgent:    Complement to any real estate app. Take your own photos, make your own notes,  share thoughts, etc., about a property. $4.99
Tout:    Short video status updates to share through Twitter or Facebook. FREE

(And finally, we think this one ROCKS!)

OpenHomePro:    #1 most downloaded real estate app! Manage leads, create listing presentations and collect open house visitor data.  Potential buyers can leave feedback. $3.99

As you move your business to working “virtual” and “mobile” add a few of these apps and watch your productivity increase!  And if you need some help incorporating these tools into your business, give us a call!   We’ve been working virtually for years!

 

image credit: worldlink mobile apps

Trinity, Is There Really a “Matrix”? Yes, Neo, It’s Called QR Codes!

  By Patty | November 4, 2010 - 10:38 am | ,
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Have you all heard of the latest technology being developed today for those people with mobile devices? It’s called a QR Code.  This is a marketing bonanza for real estate brokers and agents to direct potential clients to websites, videos, contact information, virtual tours or music in just a few seconds!

What is a QR Code? Basically, it’s a lot like the barcodes you are familiar with today, but a QR Code is a two-dimensional matrix which can be scanned by a smartphone or a mobile phone with a camera to download all the information it contains!

Have no idea what I’m talking about or how it could possibly relate to the real estate industry? Take a look at the following video featuring numerous ways QR Codes can open up those windows of opportunity! After the video, if you would like to read more about QR Codes, read my new post Jump Into the Marketing Matrix with QR Codes! on ActiveRain.com.

If you have questions about building your Social Media Marketing… but just don’t have an extra 2 or 3 hours to do it each month, call Patty Keller at AnotherMe 770-414-9393 for a personal quote for your business!  Don’t Worry About It!  A Real Estate Virtual Assistant can do this Internet stuff for you!

Ask about our Nardigras Discount!

Top 4 Ultimate Facebook Marketing Failures

  By Patty | October 12, 2010 - 12:06 pm | ,
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Are you familiar with the myriad of ways you can commit Facebook Marketing Failures?  Facebook is a great social media marketing tool that can drive your business into the future or collapse it around your ankles if you don’t pay attention to what you are doing.

Have you botched up the way people view your business because of bad Facebook techniques? Let’s take a look at the Top 4 Ultimate Facebook Marketing Failures.

1. Fail to Create a Facebook Fan Page.
According to Susan Payton, the Managing Partner of Egg Marketing & Public Relations, an Internet marketing firm specializing in blogger outreach, social media, and PR, “If you’re a business owner, you really need to set up a Fan Page, or else you risk being left behind as more businesses shift to social networks like Facebook.” Not sure how to create a Facebook Fan Page? Here is a link to Susan’s article on Mashable.com entitled “HOW TO: Set Up a Winning Facebook Fan Page.”

2. Post a Picture of You and Your Kids as Your Profile Pic.
Why would you post a photo of your family and pets on your business Fan Page? Potential clients and businesses want to see YOU not your kids and the family pets. This should be a no-brainer.

3. Tag Indiscriminately.
This can be a dangerous tool in the hands of the indiscriminate professional. Be extremely careful who you tag and for goodness sake, take a look and see what they are doing in the photo. For example, don’t tag someone in a photo where they are picking their nose!

4. Use Bad Grammar.
It’s really tacky and bad form for a professional to post an update to Facebook and misspell words or use bad grammar. It only leaves the reader with the thought of how stupid you look. Read your updates before you post them.

If you would like to read more, take a look at Joel Chue’s article on “Facebook Marketing Mistakes You Need to Avoid.”

Photo courtesy of Oliver Lindner



It works for Righties or Lefties – DocuSign

  By Patty | November 12, 2009 - 1:21 pm | ,
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You know the drill. Just sign here, here, here …and initial here, here, here and here… and when your fingers are cramping and numb, we’ll have ourselves a legal document.

The paperwork in a real estate transaction – from listing to closing – can be a real time-drain for all involved.  On some deals, all those signatures and initials just might necessitate a physical therapy appointment.

DocuSign offers a legal, secure electronic signature service guaranteed to reduce the wear-and-tear on schedules and fine motor skills.  Did you know that an electronic signature is enforceable and legal. (even in California!)

Better yet, DocuSign Lite is a free service anyone can use right from DocuSign’s homepage! There’s no paper, no account to set up, no cost or credit card number to provide. Simply upload the document that requires a signature and enter the email address of the recipient. Your recipient gets an email message from DocuSign notifying them of a document to be signed and you receive an emailed receipt confirming that the process is complete.

For more information, here is a link to the DocuSign blog.  If you’re a Mortgage professional, an REO Professional or a Real Estate Professional, take a moment to read through the section dedicated to the real estate industry.

Learn how DocuSign can speed up the process for everyone on both sides of a transaction.  And if you’re headed to NAR – you can check out their booth.  Tell them AnotherME sent you!

Pen

So when you hear, “where do I sign?”… now you can tell your clients, just click here, here, here and here…

Is your Laptop Hot?

  By Patty | September 6, 2009 - 9:33 pm | ,
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Over the summer months, I’ve been using my laptop in the evenings to update my Facebook and Twitter accounts. And let me tell you, a laptop is hot!targus - lapton

Did you know heat is the probable a cause of some those annoying performance issues, like ‘lockups’.  And it might even be the cause of permanent damage. Yikes! What I’ve learned is that with a laptop, heat issues can be even more of a concern. (now they tell us!) All those heat producing components are tightly arranged inside a small space…so there’s not much room for a cooling system. (think tiny exhaust fan)

Use your laptop for an extended period of time and feel the bottom of it. Or feel your legs!

Well, I found a “COOL” solution for the “HOT” laptop! It’s a laptop cooling pad! I had no clue there was a product like this.

One day browsing for a thumb drive at Office Depot, I ran across this little gem. It’s a lightweight, thin “platform” that houses 2 cooling fans. (It’s the same footprint as a laptop) It plugs into your laptop and doesn’t create a big drain on the battery life either! Bottom line – less heat makes for a more efficient computer.

In case you’re wondering, I purchased the Targus brand Chill Pad, but there are others on the market as well. After using this “Cool Tool” for the past few months – I am singing its praises. I’d recommend this $30 investment (average cost) for any real estate professional who uses a laptop.

It will improve your overall computer experience and extend the life of your laptop.  While keeping you from heating up!