Web/Tech Archives

The Best Apps For Real Estate Agents

5540953795_617de9187f_z For a Realtor, your phone is your lifeline. The number one responsibility of an agent is to remain in constant contact with your clients, and keep them updated on any updates to their home purchase. It’s essential for instant communication, like calling, texting, and emailing. However, smart phones are also a blessing to the modern agent. There are tons of helpful apps out there for Realtors as well; check out this post by Jaime Westman at the House Hunt Network Blog for the best ones:

Slydial- lets you leave a voicemail without calling the person

Open Home Pro- The ultimate open house app. It allows you to collect guests’ contact information from open houses, share photos, and see other listings.

Social media apps like Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram- for marketing and reaching out to your followers.

Photo Credit: PhotoAtelier

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Friday Fun Video: Pokemon Go Tips For Kids

by Shakadoo Leave a Comment

If you’ve been on the Internet at all in the last two weeks, you’ve probably heard about Pokemon Go! This video will help you understand what the heck everyone is talking about. If your kids want to play, just make sure you go out exploring with them so that they stay safe!

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Getting “Catfished” By A House???

by Kathy T. Leave a Comment

If you’re not aware, the show on MTV called Catfish is about people being tricked in online relationships. People make fake profiles, use fake pictures, and construct entire fake lives just to mess with people (or because they’re bored, or insecure with how they actually look). People who catfish others often use pictures that are an entirely different person, or are so heavily photoshopped that it doesn’t even look like them anymore.

So, is it possible to be catfished by something other than a person? You see gorgeous photos online, but when it comes to real life, you get….no what you expected. The answer is yes- ask anyone who has bought a $20 wedding dress from the internet.

But can it happen with real estate photos? Are you actually getting what you see? Most Realtors/sellers will hire a photographer to take professional photos of the home so you will see it in its best light….but do they ever lie? Well, it turns out you’ll have better luck with finding a home online than an honest dating profile. Check out this article by Holden Lewis at the Bankrate.com blog for more:

Most of the photos are actual depictions, but others have been digitally manipulated to portray properties in their best light. What you see online might not be the same as what you find when you show up at the house in person.

It’s unethical for realty agents to misrepresent a for-sale property, but there’s no national standard or set of guidelines as to what’s considered misrepresentation in photos.

Instead, what’s altered and what’s not comes down to the individual agent’s professional ethics.

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What To Delete On Your iPhone For Extra Space

by Kathy T.

As work-from-homers, we all depend on our smartphones. I use mine for to-do lists, writing up posts on the go, emailing, and scheduling. Some people use them for taking photos, taking notes, managing clients, and promoting their brands on social media. Therefore, it”s extremely important for our phones to run fast, and to have plenty of available space on them to store everything we need. Tired of trying to take a photo, then getting that “not enough space” error? Then read this post by Lindsay at The Crazy Organized Blog for tips on how to free up some memory:

-Delete unwanted photos, move wanted photos to a PC, email account, Facebook, or flash drive. Photos take up a LOT of space

-Remove old podcasts- delete them as soon as you listen to them

-Delete old text messages

-Clear your browser history in Safari

-Delete games you never play

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Coolest Interactive Dog Toys

by Kathy T.

Dogs are basically like little kids. They love unconditionally, can be remarkably intelligent, and require almost-constant stimulation to keep from getting bored. We love our dogs, but it can be hard for busy owners to give them our constant undivided attention, especially if we have actual children to also take care of. That’s why it’s important to give our dogs company (by getting another dog), and/or toys to keep them entertained when we can’t. For some awesome toys that your dog can actually interact with, check out this post by Liz at Woof Woof Mama:

KONG Wobbler Treat and Food Dispenser Dog Toy– your dog has to play and “wobble” the treats out

Interactive Green Feeder for Dogs– your dog has to fish out food/treats from rubber blades of “grass”- it helps to slow down super fast eaters

Aikiou Interactive Pet Feeders A puzzle toy with treat compartments

KONG Classic Stuffable Dog Toy– stuff it with peanut butter, bananas, yogurt- then let your dog chew to his hearts’ content!

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Ultimate List Of Companies That Need Remote Workers

by Kathy T.

When you first decide to start working from home, it’s easy to get caught up in the sea of survey-taking and scamming. Some sites are legit, yes, but you’ll be working for pennies an hour. An extra $20 a month in gift cards is not going to cut it. That’s why I love this list by Anna at Real Ways To Earn Money Online. She’s compiled a huge post full of companies – that you’ve probably actually heard of– that are always hiring people who work from home. Check it out:

Amazon – hires customer support workers

American Airlines -hires work from home reservation reps

Apple – home based customer support

Carnival– work as a virtual vacation planner

Mayo Clinic– hires work from home medical transcribers

U-Haul You can work at home for U-Haul doing everything from social media to roadside assistance.

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What Not To Do On Facebook

by Kathy T.

Social media is an amazing (free) tool for getting your name out there. It’s especially helpful if you are a work-from-homer, freelancer, independent sales rep, or if you own your own business. However, just like with any other form of marketing, social media comes with its own set of faux pas. In fact, on Facebook or Twitter, blunders can be especially bad- since they are sent everywhere and read instantly. For what to stop doing on social media, read this post by Melissa at Blog Clarity:

-Auto-posting from Facebook to Twitter- disconnect, and give each platform its own link to your content.

-Overusing hashtags- don’t use more than one or two on Twitter/Facebook, no more than five on Instagram, and don’t use ANY on Pinterest.

-Posting too much content at once- stay relevant, but don’t be annoying.

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Apps For People With Poor Time Management

by Kathy T.

That would be me. I’m a terrible procrastinator, and tend to find a million ways to be super un-productive for my entire day. I did just get a new app called Habitica, which is great for forming new habits and kicking bad ones (like meeting deadlines, working out, quitting smoking, or literally anything you want to achieve). I like it because it’s set up as a video game. Every time you check off something from your to-do list or your good habits list, you get experience points and can level up. It’s super fun (and free on the App Store)! If that’s not your style, check out this post by Laura at I Heart Planners for more apps that will keep you organized:

Cozi (free)- It has a calendar, journal, to do lists, and shopping lists.

iTrackmyTime (free). This is a very simple, clean, and well designed app for tracking your time.

Any.DO (free). This to do app is amazing! I’ve tried a lot of to do apps and this is the best free one.

30/30 (free). This is really great app to help you stay focused and on task

Photo Credit: Mark Morgan

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Work From Home Idea: Photographer

by Kathy T.

Now, I realize that being a photographer means that you will probably not be working from home. Most of the time, you’ll be out in the world, taking pictures of beautiful things. However, it is still an opportunity to be self employed, set your own hours, and be your own boss! If you are a freelance photographer looking for ways to sell your photos online, read this article by Angie Nelson at The Work At Home Wife:

Fotolia

Shutterstock

Dreamstime

FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Shutterfly

Photo Credit: Kishjar

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For Realtors: Say Goodbye To Cold Calling

by Kathy T. Leave a Comment

3966851111_a730f0cb64_z Some Realtors still do get leads from sitting on the phone all day, dialing random numbers. However, you’re probably just wasting your time. Almost everyone has cellphones with caller ID that filter spam calls, and you’re probably just getting blocked. It’s time to step into this decade, and bring your business online. Social media and online marketing takes far less time, and actually puts you in touch with people who want your services. For more info on online and video marketing, read this article by Tyler Zey at Easy Agent Pro:

-Add videos to your Facebook page- they will autoplay!

-Hook up your CRM to your Facebook page

-Record videos around the holidays, to update on local markets, home values rising, nearby attractions, whatever is going on, and let your leads see your face!

Photo Credit: Julian Carvagal

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