Have You Outgrown Your Router?

By Chad A. Johnson · May 25, 2008 · 10 Comments 

Let me guess, the oldest piece of technology in your home office is the router. Am I right?

This holds true for most real estate agents. There just doesn’t appear to be a compelling reason to invest in newer technology. That is what I thought until I did a little research. Since then, I have retired my trusty 802.11g router for a new, cutting-edge model.

Originally, you probably bought your router so that multiple computers could share a broadband connection. Plus, the added benefit of a wireless signal gave you the freedom to use your laptop from the couch. For these simple needs, that old router is fine. I’m here to tell you that your needs have grown beyond those simple tasks.

Ask yourself these questions to identify how your home network needs have changed:

1. Do you work primarily from home?
2. Has your broadband connection speed increased (10 Mbps compared to 1.5 Mbps)?
3. Do you have a network connected printer, external hard drive or maybe even a new Windows Home Server?
4. Have you used VOIP (Skype) to make phone calls and video chat?
5. Are you a YouTube junkie?
6. Have you filled up your iPod by downloading music from iTunes?
7. Have you conducted an online meeting (GoToMeeting)?
8. Are you or your child known as a master of Worlds of Warcraft?
9. Have you remotely accessed your home computer (GoToMyPC)?
10. Are your recent vacation photos on Flickr?

I was going to come up with a scoring system to provide a numerical value, but that would be too much like Cosmopolitan magazine. Just know that if Read more

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Marketing Your Real Estate Blog

By Reggie · January 18, 2008 · 2 Comments 

Recently I was invited to the Inman Connect in New York to speak on a panel about “Marketing Your Real Estate Blog”. As you may know this can be a tricky topic. Please enjoy this video:

Remember that marketing your real estate blog will come in many forms. Here are a few more ideas:

1. Start with properly formatted HTML
2. Create remarkable and link worthy content
3. Syndicate original content: Ezine Articles, GoArticles
4. Social Bookmarks: StumbleUpon, Digg and Del.icio.us
5. Participate in communities: ActiveRain, Zolve, RealTown, Trulia Voices, etc
6. Guest post on popular blogs
7. Analytics Software: Google Analytics, Clicky, CrazyEgg
8. Conduct interviews with opinion leaders
9. Widgets: MyBlogLog, WidgetBox

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Dancing with the Bloggers

By NikNik · January 1, 2008 · 1 Comment 

Todd Carpenter asked me to judge his first annual “2007 Humdinger Award” contest along with Dan Green and Chris Lengquist. The entries were funny and the bloggers were fierce! As for the scores…you’ll just have to visit Blog Fiesta to get the true results. They are all superbly hysterical posts in my book. So if you haven’t already checked out these blogger funnies, start off your new year with a big giant smile and get to reading!DTPMMALF – Athol passes the “ass test”! I’m very impressed that he understands what’s really being asked of him. Plus it made great reading material for Reggie.

The Bubble Gum Interviews – Each and every one of them is oddly fabulous! Finally someone gets to the heart of what we really care about…you know…drag racing in Houston, Starbucks, arm wrestling Chuck Norris or Brittney Spears. Thanks Lani, I look forward to the next one!

The Honor is All Mine! – It sucks to be overlooked. Just an oversight on their part I’m sure. But can I buy you at beer at the next Beers & Bloggers so that I can say I know you now?

Ten Marketing Tips You Can Learn From A Prostitute - An amazing introspective article detailing the dualities between prostitution and real estate. Very motivating!

Business Goals – A plan is good. A plan with real expectations is even better. Some of us need to plan our “nice time”. Thanks for the tip!

Top 5 Reasons Why You Wouldn’t Hire a Penguin as Your Next Realtor® - Yes, I run into Penguins from time to time at the gym. They are always the ones ignoring the “no cell phones” rule and insist on talking on their cell phones as I’m running on the treadmill….take it outside already!

Please Don’t Destroy My American Dream – This actually brought back nightmares of my former neighbors who held weekly BBQ’s on the roof of their 7 bedroom home. They had dirt bikes too. (Which I don’t mind enjoying on occasion.) But not while the neighbors are making their own “Jack Ass” movie dragging themselves on crates down my front lawn.

Mademoiselle? Oui. La Spinster?…ZUT! - “Bella Donna” sarebbe la mia scelta!

What I’ve Learned in Two Weeks of Real Estate Brokers Classes - Get to the point already!

WordPressing their widgets into your Facebooks! - Perfectly hilarious and smart!

And, I’m looking for “Dancing with the Bloggers” contestants. Still working on the logistics of the venue…it may have to take place in my gym locker room. But if you own an iPod and you have a little shake left if your booty….you’re in!

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Adding YouTube Video To Your Next Real Estate PowerPoint

By Reggie · December 16, 2007 · 3 Comments 

The impact of YouTube’s video sharing technology is hard to miss. Not only can you find any video imaginable on YouTube, but real estate professionals are leveraging the free bandwidth and enormous popularity to promote their own commercials, video testimonials, local community footage and lots more. However the need to leverage your video in a listing presentation, kiosk, or window display may arise. So let’s talk about how you embed that video into your next PowerPoint presentation.

This is a very straight forward task and can be achieved using a YouTube Video add-In created by Shyam at skp.MVPS.org. The Add-In works for PowerPoint 97’ to current. Keep in mind however the video is streaming, so you will need a live Internet connection to display the video in your PowerPoint.

THIS EXAMPLE IS FOR POWERPOINT 2007. For other versions of PowerPoint, click here.

To get started, download the YouTube Video Add-In here. Start by unzipping the folder.

1. Open PowerPoint, and click the Office Button.
2. Click PowerPoint Options then select the Add-Ins tab.
3. Click PowerPoint Add-ins from the Manage drop down and click Go.
4. From the Add-Ins windows click Add New.
5. Locate the folder you downloaded and unzipped. Select the Add-In YouTubeVideo2k7.ppa.
6. Choose Enable Macros if prompted.

Congratulations, the YouTube icon should now be added to your toolbar as seen below. To use, simply click the button and follow the simple 4 step process.

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Google Offers Free “GPS-Like” Technology for Real Estate Agents

By Reggie · December 5, 2007 · 5 Comments 

As a real estate professional you’re in and out of neighborhoods all the time. You’re expected to know your area well. But at times you still need some directional assistance. When those times arise, you may be thanking Google. Recently the Google Mobile Maps crew has launched a new “GPS-Like”’ technology called “My Location”. This new feature is freely available for most web-enabled phones, and you don’t need to have GPS on your device for it to work.

So how exactly does the My Location technology work?

Google will pinpoint your location within 1000 meters by calculating and estimating your handset location based on the unique footprint of surrounding cell towers. To start up this feature from with Google Mobile Maps, click “0” and your approximate location will be displayed on the Map. Your location will be represented by a blue dot if you have GPS or a blue dot with a light blue circle around if you do not have GPS. This dot is your approximate location.

To get started, simply text the word “bluedot” to 33669 or visit www.Google.com/gmm on your mobile device to download the application.

Other useful Google Mobile Apps:

• Search
• Gmail
• Picasa
• Goog-411
• Google Readers
• Google Docs
• Google Calendar
• YouTube

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Ideas For Getting Readers For Your Real Estate Blog: Part 1

By NikNik · November 4, 2007 · 12 Comments 

Is there a science to getting readers for your blog? Do you have a plan when it comes to gaining readership and blog exposure? Whether you pick and choose your strategies to create a thoughtful plan, or round up every tactic in the book…..there is a method to your madness. We may not go about it the same way, so I’ve decided to collect as many ideas for gaining blog readers as I can find, or stand. Take ‘em, leave ‘em or add to them. I’ll keep the list going as long as I can, and with that, here are the first 5.

1. Add your blog address to your business card & other marketing. Whether you are farming an area, marketing to your sphere, or meeting new potential clients, this is a sure fire way to get the word out. And with the holidays approaching, be sure to have a stack of cards on hand for all those special events.
2. Got RSS? You have an RSS feed on your blog, but are you making good use of it? I suggest downloading an RSS feed image that is obviously recognizable and place it toward the top of your blog so your readers can easily subscribe. Don’t make feed subscription a game of hide and seek. Try Feed Icons or Bittbox for RSS icons and trick out your feed with Feedburner.
3. Custom Widgets: Create a custom widget and place it on your blog for your current readers to download and place on their blogs. Now your content is accessible to people that may not otherwise know what great info you have to offer. To get started creating your custom widget, visit Widgetbox or Spring Widgets.
4. Social Bookmarking & Tagging: Using social bookmarking sites like Digg, del.icio.us and StumbleUpon not only allows users to store, organize, share, and search “bookmarks” of web pages, but there are other benefits to be had. Two possible benefits of social bookmarking are helping a website rank better on search engines, as well as increasing the amount of natural links to the website. And a fabulous benefit of tagging is that you can see how others have tagged their content and see which tags are most important. From here, you can see which tags are most popular, and how to incorporate those tags into your content to become noticeable to the most people. To learn more about Socical Bookmarking, watch this.

5. Comments: If you are truly trying to create community centered around your blog, then you need to participate in the act of creating community. One way to do this is to join the conversations that are happening on other blogs. Visit other real estate focused blogs and make comments on articles you are interested in. Whether you support or disagree, let your voice be heard. The best commentators will take a stance and add upon it with another benefit or helpful resource. Before long, you’ll notice new visitors and comments on your own blog!

These ideas may seem simple and obvious to most, but they are only as good as the user that implements them. Stay tuned for Ideas #6-10 next week.

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Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle Your Real Estate Technology

By NikNik · October 15, 2007 · 5 Comments 

I’m often asked about new real estate technology, but I’m rarely (if ever) asked what to do with the old technology left behind. And if you are technological enthusiast as I am, then you may be upgrading your computer and other electronic devices as often as the seasons change. So, what do you do with your old technology? My kids love adopting my old Blackberries, MP3 players and computers. But eventually even they outgrow these devices…and I’m left with quite a pile of “e-waste”.

What is e-waste?
E-waste is electronic waste that includes computers, mobile phones, entertainment electronics like TVs and VCRs, fax machines, copiers, and any other tech items that have been discarded by their original users.

How does e-waste affect our environment?
The United States generates more e-waste than any other nation, according to the Environmental Protection Agency. Electronic waste represents 2 percent of America’s trash in landfills, but it equals 70 percent of overall toxic waste. E-waste is of concern largely due to the toxicity and carcinogenicity of some of the substances if processed improperly. Toxic substances in electronic waste may include lead, mercury, and cadmium. Carcinogenic substances in electronic waste may include polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs). These toxic chemicals can leach into the land over time impacting nearby communities and the environment. Incineration of e-waste releases heavy metals such as lead, cadmium and mercury into the air and ashes. Mercury released into the atmosphere can bioaccumulate in the food chain, particularly in fish - the major route of exposure for the general public. And sadly, the exportation of e-waste to poor countries is devastating to say the least. To learn more about e-waste exportation visit Greenpeace and watch this video.

So how can real estate professionals help?

1. Reduce, Reuse, & Recycle
   Many of these electronic products can be reused, refurbished, or recycled. You can reduce your generation of e-waste through smart procurement and good maintenance. Reuse still functioning electronics by donating or selling them to others that can use them. And recycle electronic items that cannot be repaired. You would be surprised how many local organizations will actually take your electronics for FREE if you just open your phonebook or do a little digging! In California, you can find a local organization that reuses or recycles electronics by searching the Electronic Product Management Directory (EPMD).
2. Support Green Technology
   Some large companies like Fujitsu have developed technologies to eliminate toxic chemicals by developing lead-free products. Additionally, Sony and Waste Management have partnered recently to launch the “Sony Take Back Recycling Program” to help customers safely recycle all Sony electronics, and even non-Sony products for a market-rate fee. Visit the Sony Electronics Blog to learn more.
3. Support E-Waste Legislation
   The United States Congress is considering a number of electronic waste bills including the National Computer Recycling Act introduced by Congressman Mike Thompson (D-CA). However, this bill has continually stalled. In the meantime, several states have passed their own laws regarding electronic waste management. California was the first state to enact such legislation, followed by Maryland, Maine, Washington and Minnesota. More recently, legislatures in Oregon and Texas passed their own laws.
4. Blog About It
   If you have a blog you have a great opportunity to inform others. This post was inspired by Blog Action Day! But you don’t have to wait until Earth Day to write about environmental issues facing your community and real ways you can help and improve your local sustainability.

Online Resources:

Agency for Toxic Substances & Disease Registry
eWaste.com: Regional Computer Recycling & Recovery
Greener Computing
Make Me Sustainable

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Real Estate Bloggers Participate In Blog Action Day

By NikNik · September 30, 2007 · 4 Comments 

If you have been thinking about ways in which you can make a positive environmental impact, then I have a simple suggestion for you….participate in Blog Action Day.

What is Blog Action Day?
On October 15th, bloggers around the web will unite by publishing posts which call attention to our environment. Major blogs have signed up to participate, including Lifehacker, Dumb Little Man, and Lifehack.org. Real Estate blog friends include: RE Revealed, Agent Solutions and Every Kid Deserves a Yard.

How can I get involved in Blog Action Day?
The best way to participate is to publish a post on your blog which relates to an aspect of our environment that you are passionate about. For example, if your blog focuses on real estate technology then write about a new technology which makes real estate more environmentally friendly, or perhaps sustainable real estate practices. There are numerous articles on the web about real estate going green. Or check out the following ideas:

1. Smart Home Improvement
2. Products and services for an eco-friendly household
3. Realtors Go Green (businesses making a difference in their local area)
4. Homeowners Go Green: tips real people can do to make a difference everyday
5. Green architecture and changes made in housing developments
6. The Green Commute: lessening your fuel impact on the environment
7. The Green Roof: Urban dwellings establish green roof system
8. Solar Powered Credit for Homeowners offered by PG&E
9. Local Threatened or Endangered Species
10. Developers face eco-friendly rules for building

Register your blog
Before writing your post I urge you to visit BlogActionDay.org to learn more about this environmental call to action, as well as register your blog. The site is keeping track of all the blogs that have committed to participating. Visit http://blogactionday.org/commit to register.

Other things you can do
You can also participate in Blog Action Day by posting a banner on your site or by donating your day’s blog earnings to an environmental charity of your choice.

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Why Ubertor For Your Next Real Estate Website?

By Reggie · September 27, 2007 · 2 Comments 

Occasionally here at MyTechOpinion - Technology for Real Estate we will invite a guest writer from a top real estate technology company. This week I am pleased to announce that Stephen Jagger from Ubertor has the spotlight. (By the way…Ubertor also provides SingleProperty websites that allow you to keep all the data within your original site, while having a domain go directly to your single property site.)

Reggie asked me to write a post about what makes Ubertor real estate agent websites so different from our competitors. Here are a few points that make us different. To really get a feel for it, feel free to order a website on our system and you will get the first 30 days free. What a great way to try us out.

1. Google Webmaster Guidelines
We have built our real estate agent websites to follow Google’s http://www.google.com/support/webmasters/bin/answer.py?hl=en&answer=35769
http://www.brianbecker.ca/
http://www.sellwithstratton.com
http://www.loftsvancouver.com
http://www.jameswarren.ca

3. Integration
Our system has the ability of being integrated into Google Sitemaps, Google Maps, Feedburner.com plus you can post any widget that you like into your website. It is quick and easy to manage.

4. IDX Compatibility
We have created the system so that any agent anywhere can use it. Want to have your areas property search built in? No problem, you can use our MLS tab within the control panel to add your MLS property search or the IDX feed of your choice. Here are some examples:
http://www.sandiegocastles.com/ - San Diego, CA
http://www.jeffandsteve.com/ - Palo Alto, CA
http://www.moveuputah.com/ - Draper, UT
http://www.historicmodern.com/ - Okeechobee, FL

5. Flexibility
Without using CSS you can add pages, delete pages, change page names, add banner images, remove the banner completely, flip the template colors, plus much more. The system is built to give you as much flexibility as possible so that you can have a unique look and feel for your website.

There is so much that can be done with an Ubertor website and so many reasons why you should have one. From a dollar point of view we are so confident that you will love our product we will give you the first 30 days free. Plus there is NO Setup Fee, No Contract and No Obligation. Check us our here http://www.ubertor.com/

Here is an interview I did with the Real Estate Channel that answers some more questions about Ubertor:

Here are some testimonials about our product:

“This is just a little note to let you know how pleased I am that I made the move to Ubertor. As you know I had a website designed, built and marketed professionally some years ago. This site was and is a great source of business for me so I was really nervous about changing anything. I wondered, why mess with something that is working? However the site was hard to work with and I had to pay people to do changes to the site, upload photos, etc. etc. I was not skilled enough to do my own work on it. My new Ubertor site is great! It doesn’t take much training to be really good at managing my own site! I am really happy with it.
I still stay up were I was in the search engines too.”
Trish Anderson, RE/MAX All Points
Burnaby, BC

“Ubertor is a small Real Estate software provider based out of Vancouver, Canada that is definitely worth checking out if you’re looking a simple, all-in-one solution to get your real estate business on the Internet.”
Joel Burslem - FutureOfRealEstateMarketing.com
Portland, Oregon

“Ubertor’s product was the first I found that offers the flexibility I desired. The sites are simple enough for the novice yet offer the more sophisticated user the tools required for full content control, such as access to code and the ability to add and edit pages and site navigation. Of course, your featured homes presentation software is among the best I have encountered.”
Kris Berg, Prudential California Realty
San Diego, California

“This has become the best RE sales tool that I have ever invested in! I have referred other fellow agents within my office to their services & they all have been equally impressed. I must say I LOVE my website & the results it gets! Ubertor was so easy to work with in tweaking my site & their support is super! Their excellence continues to exceed my expectations. Use them they are GREAT!!!”
Steve Church, The Muljat Group
Bellingham, Washington

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Google’s New Presentation Technology for Real Estate

By NikNik · September 18, 2007 · 6 Comments 

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Kyte Offers Online TV Technology for your Real Estate Business

By Reggie · August 25, 2007 · 4 Comments 

Video has been reshaping the Internet, and it’s no different for your real estate business. Think back to your listings online, what do consumers want? Enhanced content…right? They want multiple photos, home tours and now video. So the same could be said for real estate information on your website. A text-based story would work, but imagine an article with video and photo support. Could you prove your point better? Could you also brand yourself better? I believe so!

Introducing Kyte.tv; their technology will allow you to create your own FREE real estate TV channel and broadcast it to the world. Your TV channel can include still photos, slide shows, video, music, voice and instant polls to help enhance your online presence and in turn, provide you a competitive edge in your real estate business. You may choose to include videos outlining industry trends, steps towards home ownership, the selling and buying process, real estate investment, or even showcase local attractions & hotspots. Of course you would also include video tours and photos of your listed homes for maximum appeal. Why not also invite colleagues such as your preferred lender to talk on evaluating loans, and improving credit. The ideas are limitless.

Once your TV channel is built, Kyte will allow you to embed it on your website, blog or even Facebook. Then every time you update your TV channel using the KTYE.tv interface, your website and blog will be updated simultaneously. Kyte has also integrated chat technology, allowing your audience to leave comments promoting your website community.

If you are interested in leveraging the latest in Internet TV technology for your real estate business don’t wait; create your own channel today!

A few other companies providing similar TV channel technology:

1. SplashCast
2. Vidiac
3. Panjea

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Real Estate Agents Streamline Tasks with Word 2007

By Reggie · July 28, 2007 · 2 Comments 

1. Open or type the content you would like to reuse, and highlight it.
2. Select the Insert tab, and then locate the Text grouping.
3. Select the arrow on the Quick Parts button.
4. Select Save Selection to Quick Part Gallery.
5. The Create New Building Block window appears.
1. Name: Name your quick part.
2. Gallery: Choose the Gallery to store the item.
3. Category: Choose your category. I recommend creating a category for real estate.
4. Description: Type a description for the building block.
5. Save In: I recommend keeping the default Word location.
6. Options: Choose to insert only the text, text as new paragraph or text on its own page.

1. Open a new or existing document.
2. Click Insert tab, and then click the Quick Parts button.
3. Click on the desired Quick Part to add to the document where the cursor is placed.
4. Repeat as necessary.

Are you still not sure how this technology works? Watch this quick video for more info.

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