I was asked what “tools” do I use for real estate?  In the contracting business a contractor has certain tools that he or she uses on a daily basis.  Among the most commonly mentioned would be: a hammer, utility knife,  tape measure, a square, & a pencil. 

In real estate the most common tools that many agents use would be: the computer, a car, a phone, lockbox keypad, and ????  Hey!  I think that I am limiting myself here.  I don’t think I can list just five.  I use a digital camera to take pictures for marketing the properties I am selling as well as using it to remember things for the buyers I am working with.  Sure, I could use my “Android Phone,” but a camera is still an important tool that I use.  I use “G-Mail” to pull in all of my email accounts into one central database that can be shared with several people (if I like) as well as “Google Calendars” that let me see the calendars of others (as well as the local University, my company calendar, Chamber of Commerce, local Real Estate Association, and more) all combined into one.  I use “Jott” to send out group messages to agents in my office as well as using a mail server to send out group emails to a select list (or to everyone in my MLS) about certain needs or about properties I have for sale.  I use “Dial My Calls” to send out voice messages to people when a text message or email is not appropriate.

Wow, I love using my “HTC EVO Android phone” to communicate with others.  I have it SYNCed with my database of customers and clients so I am never without an important phone number.  I have pictures associated with as many contacts that I can so when they call me (or I call them) a picture pops up on the screen.  The phone is also used for TEXT messaging when a phone call just won’t do.  I use it to access websites as well.

I use” FaceBook” and “Twitter,” I have a website (several) as well as a Blog.  I think social media is great (but can take up a lot of your time if you let it).  Technology can help you- Technology can hurt you.  You can do well with or without it, but I think you should use it the right way and you can do so much better with it.

Bottom line….  Use the right tool for the task at hand.  I love real estate!

Tags: gate city, idaho, pocatello, real estae, Real Estate, real estate helpers, tools, tools in real estate, what i use

Posted on Tuesday, October 19th, 2010 at 4:08 pm and is filed under Buy a House, Commercial Real Estate, Estate, First Time Home Buyers, Home Improvement, Homes, Homes for Sale, Housing Market, Questions and Answers, Real Estate, Real Estate Agent, Selling a House. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.