Tag Archives: Techie Stuff

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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!

What’s in a Name?

  By Patty | May 5, 2011 - 8:26 am | , ,
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What’s in a name?  Everything – your reputation, your family history, your personality.  So why aren’t you using your name in your email address?

I see so many agents using MSN.com, Gmail.com, Yahoo.com, etc for their main email address.  It’s not the most professional impression.  How would you feel if you were conversing online with your bank and the account executive used Yahoo.com as their main email?  Not too confident?

Your Name

 

It’s easy to register your full name as a web domain!  So you can send emails from sally@sallysellsrealestate.com or sally@sallysmith.com.  If you haven’t, then go right her to GoDaddy.com and buy your name!

If you have an odd name or a different spelling – then buy a domain that’s easy for people to remember.  For example, it’s not easy to remember this email for Jane –  “jane@janelewczyk.com”  however, “jane@realestatejane.com” or “jane@contactjane.com” makes more sense when someone is trying to remember your email.

And then, you can forward that email address to your Yahoo, MSN or Gmail account.  It’s easy!

Your brand is your name/your company name… use it!

Happy Emails!

Are you LinkedIn… with the leading Social Networking site for Business?

  By Patty | June 28, 2009 - 9:08 pm | ,
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This week I had the opportunity to attend a class for real estate professionals on using LinkedIn and how to “data mine” for new business with this Social Networking site.  I was surprised to see that out of 25+ agents in the class, only 7 or 8 had set up a profile!

The instructor was Richard Kirby, a recruiter who has developed a network of over 3500 connections!  He has successfully used LinkedIn to meet new clients, make connections with Corporate HR contacts and develop his business!

Here are some eye-opening facts about LinkedIn:

* There are over 40 million business users on LinkedIn, including managers and executives at virtually all major employers.

*LinkedIn is the leading online Social Networking website for Business.

*LinkedIn is a giant database of members who are relatively open to networking and inquiries.

*Nearly 60% of the members have incomes over $93,000. (based on a study done by Anderson Analytics)

Are you on LinkedIn?  It’s easy to navigate and set up a profile.  You’ll get the most visibility on your profile when you complete each section: Photo, summary of current position, email address, website links, interests, previous jobs and work experience.  Then start connecting with colleagues, old friends, new friends, past clients, etc.

Join a few groups: college alumni association, sorority/fraternity, special interests, employer groups, and of course, there are lots of real estate groups to join!  Once you have made connections, ask for recommendations.  Richard Kirby recommends getting 5-10! This will complete your profile and give you more visibility!

Start today using LinkedIn to find and develop new clients, connect with clients who aren’t on Facebook or MySpace, share updates, and establish yourself online!

And while you’re there – connect with me!

Whether you like it or not… Sellers love their Listing Flyers!

  By Patty | June 15, 2009 - 7:53 am | ,
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If you take the time to create a flyer, then make it work for you.  How do you get a bigger bang for your buck (and your time) with a Listing Flyer?  Think outside the box, (the front lawn box) or the Kitchen counter display!

Start by using these 6 quick marketing tricks!

1) First – Save it as a JPG. Creating a JPG image of your flyer will open up a vast array of online tools for marketing your listing.   Save an ‘image’ of your flyer and e-mail it to area agents from Top Producer or Outlook.

2) Use that JPG image as one of your 25 photos on Realtor.com.  Instant visibility to hundreds of potential buyers!

3) Put your listing flyer on the internet. After you’ve e-mailed that JPG image, upload the listing to Postlets and Craigslist. Both are great sites for listings – And they’re FREE!  Postlets creates an attractive flyer automatically – it can’t get much easier than that!  Add it to your personal website as well.

4) Facebook. Of course, Facebook or MySpace! Upload your flyer image or the Postlets flyer!  With thousands of members you can take advantage of the huge pyramid of friends who will view your listing.

5) TwitPic –Share it with your Twitter friends using the free TwitPic tool.

6) Hyperlinks! And boost the impact of your flyers by creating a PDF version and adding hyperlinks to area websites like neighborhoods, community and your own website. Potential buyers can then visit these sites to learn more about the area and you. Email the PDF as an attachment to out of town buyers or let your sellers email it to their friends and colleagues.

Live Links in a PDF

Listing Flyers can be a fabulous tool for boosting visibility. Make your flyers work for you, by using them everywhere, for all to see!

(Special thanks to Pam Sherlock – Listing Coordinator – for assisting with the information in this blog post)

Wise Words from Jimmy Buffet!

  By Patty | June 6, 2009 - 9:28 am |
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“If we couldn’t laugh, we would all go insane.”  What a great line! Margarita

I heard a statistic the other day that surprised me. (maybe I’m an eternal optimist, but it surprised me)  Did you know that 87% of everything we are exposed to is negative? Whoa… 87%! That’s a lotta negative!  No wonder we feel overwhelmed,  frustrated or feel like our world is going insane!

Take lesson from Jimmy Buffet and laugh a little!  Come on, there’s always something to laugh about!  Or, at the very least, muster up a little chuckle!  Having a positive attitude and an attitude of gratitude is good for the soul!  And if you need some liquid encouragement, have a Margarita!

So sing a long with me!!

Changes in Lattitudes, Changes in Attitudes

It’s these changes in latitudes, changes in attitudes
Nothing remains quite the same
With all of our running and all of our cunning
If we couldn’t laugh we would all go insane

If we weren’t all crazy we would go insane!

Jimmy Buffet

margaritaville

One Man’s Trash is Another Man’s Treasure

  By Patty | March 27, 2009 - 12:51 pm |
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How To Have A Successful Yard Sale  Yard Sale Sign

Spring is the perfect time to clean out the garage, the attic and the closets (even under the kid’s beds) and have a garage sale!   We’ve heard that listing agents are encouraging their sellers to have garage sales to help drive traffic and awareness!  Better yet, organize a neighborhood-wide garage sale!  Offer to help out your sellers with signs, balloons, post on your website, or make some lemonade!  Here are a few tips to share.

PREPARATION

Preparing for a yard sale is hard work. Ideally, you should start working on your yard sale 3 weeks prior to the event. However, if you work hard, you can have it ready in 2 weeks. Well prepared yard sales can profit upwards of $800.00 or more.

Week 1: Spring Cleaning – choose one or two rooms a day and begin collecting items in the basement or garage.

Week 2 & 3: Organizing – sort, clean and price your items.

ADVERTISING

Place an adin the local paper and any online garage sale sites. Craigslist, www.gslar.com are some to consider. Large signs or banners placed at all the entrances to the neighborhood and directional signs throughout the neighborhood will bring in the customers and keep them shopping. Also balloons on mailboxes are always helpful to confirm you are open and not just cleaning your garage.

PRICING

Put a price tag on everything and ALWAYS be willing to negotiate.

Overpricing is the next hurdle…yard sales are for liquidation. Quality items should be priced less than half off the original price you paid. Overpricing can turn everyone away before they get to the garage.

yard sale

DISPLAY/SETUP

What you have to sell and how much you have to sell are important factors as well. If you don’t have much to sell, then partnering with a neighbor is a good idea. Put everything in one driveway…you need “The Draw”. Walk the sale, re-organize items, always talk to the customers. Some people are too shy to ask for a price or to negotiate…being friendly can make a sale.

As the day progresses and tables get sparse. Consolidate items so that tables are always full.

THE DRAW

“The Draw” is very important. Although you should always advertise your sale in local papers and online, you still have to get customers to come to YOUR house.

Perception is everything. Bring some large items or “hooks” (furniture, play, exercise and lawn equipment, etc.) out onto the driveway. Your goal is to gain their interest. You can also put items out that you have no intention of selling, just to get customers in the garage. Yes, that’s right, you may have some items that you are on the fence about and you are not ready to part with at yard sale prices. Just don’t put a price on it, or, price it higher, you never know, it may sell.

Sell popcorn, lemonade, cookies, water…these are other ways to get people to your house.

(posted by Suzanne Geddes, Marketing/Graphic Designer for AnotherME)

Reflections on attending REtechSouth 09

  By Patty | March 23, 2009 - 1:55 pm | ,
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What’s the best investment you can make? Is it Real Estate?  Is it in the Stock Market or Bonds? (not today, that’s for sure!)  Nope – it’s an investment in Yourself!  You will always get the highest return when you make an investment in your business and YOU!

That’s exactly what I did last Friday (and Thursday evening) when I made the investment of time and money in attending REtechSouth 09!  It was priceless!         

A one day event with great speakers(Jeff Turner- RESpres, Dave Jenks) fantastic classes(Social Media 101, Twitter, LinkedIn, SEO) an opportunity to network with some of the best in the industry (Missy Caulk, Jim Crawford, Debe Maxwell, Connie Harvey, Lane Bailey), and learning about some great new technology companies!  (RealtyVid, ViewThisHome)

Let me tell you…this was not your regular real estate conference.  It wasn’t a sales pitch, or a big rah-rah event!  It was all about sharing technology, sharing information.  Matt Fagioli and Brad Nix did a phenomenal job of creating an environment where learning was fun… and real!

Lots of Ah-Ha moments, ideas and technologies that I can start using in my Virtual Assistantbusiness, today!  (I’m updating my website and profiles this week!) And I have some cool ideas that I can share with my clients to help them incorporate these new technologies into their real estate business!  Who knew that Flickr was a Social Network? And it’s free!  (Jeff Turner, I guess!)

Start investing wisely… Make an investment in yourself!  The dividends are high and the payoff is endless!  Attend REtechSouth next year!  See you there!

Patty Keller, AnotherME Virtual Assistants

Ring, Ring… Hello? Please can you HELP me??

  By Patty | November 21, 2008 - 7:46 pm |
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And just like that ….the busy real estate professional hires a VA and lives happily ever after!

We all know the scenario – the week before you go on vacation everything hits the fan.  You have 2 closings, the phone is ringing off the hook with showings, you get a new listing and 3 referrals!  Sometimes you just don’t realize you’re in over your head until it is too late.I need some help here!

That’s when you call AnotherME. We’ll jump right in and get to work.  You’ll find our experienced closing coordinators and listing coordinators are the best!  However, wouldn’t it be nice to already have a VA during that time?  You eliminate the added stress of scrambling to find your checklists, gathering all the necessary user names and passwords, getting phone numbers and website addresses – in addition to everything else you are doing!  Packing for your trip, arranging for doggie daycare, stopping the paper or the mail, the list goes on and on!

Before you head out of town this holiday season – call us!  We can set up your checklists, user names/pass words; you can even spend a few minutes chatting with your new VA about your process and your preferences!  There’s no retainer fee to pay upfront, just the initial set up fee, and from there clients pay by the hour or by the project!

Ring, Ring… let’s get started!