Techstream | Real Estate News

12 Facebook Marketing Strategies Webinar

Apr 20

As we’ve become increasingly social online, new opportunities to interact and grow our sphere have emerged. Once such opportunity is Facebook-the largest social network in the world. Neilson recently reported that 3 out of every 10 people online in the world were using Facebook. And Facebook themselves stated that over 100 million users login to the site at least once a day, further positioning the social networking giant as a trusted communication channel.

Those real estate agents that authentically engage with their network will succeed in creating new and flourishing relationships across the Internet. Some members of your network may help your business in terms of promotion, referrals or even through a transaction. I can’t tell you which, that depends on you and your actions. Although we can help you by sharing strategies you can implement into your business immediately!

If you’re interested in learning more about marketing your business in Facebook, and you’re free tomorrow (April 21st, 2009) at 10am (pacific) please join us for a free webinar hosted by Cyberhomes.com. The session will be led by @Nik_Nik and me @Cyberhomes.

Resources:

Here are some fun promo videos for the event. Please let us know what you think!
Facebook Strategy #17 – Authentic Messages

Facebook Strategy #24 – Business Pages

Get Your Own Real Estate iPhone App….for FREE!

Apr 15

Real Estate

MobileAppLoader is a new service providing businesses with customized apps for the iPhone. You can take advantage of the fact that it’s still in Beta, and make your own real estate iPhone app for free! The “Real Esate – Real Easy” iphone app provides quick contact buttons (call, Web, email), the ability to search your listings, a neighborhood locater, property feedback, and a loan calculator.

This app is only going to be free for a couple more weeks as beta comes to a close. Upon official launch of MobileAppLoader, the service will include a $99 setup fee (including Q&A and iTunes/Apple approval process) as well as a $9.99 monthly maintenance charge.

To learn more about the “Real Estate – Real Easy” application, watch this.

To browse the iPhone apps created by MobileAppLoader, go here.

MyTechOpinion: For a template app solution, this is a great option. Especially if you take the time to carefully select your images and content. Free is always good, and the price point for after launch seems about right. Completely custom app solutions run about $1,000 an app. See MotherApp

Tesla Model S: An Eco-Friendly Ride for Real Estate Professionals

Apr 10

Real Estate

If you are a real estate professional who is patient and concerned about your environmental footprint….I have the car for you! Well, I don’t, but Tesla sure does. On March 26th, Tesla officially unveiled the new Model S. And last night I had the opportunity to get up close and personal with it at a private showing in Menlo Park.

Here’s what I love about the new Tesla Model S:

It’s completely electric…leaving an environmental footprint I can be proud of.
It looks hot! Teslas (to me) are like the BMW of electric cars…but even sexier in my opinion!
100% torque, 100% of the time! For those of us that achieve Zen moments while driving…this car will set you free….in fast forward! 0-60 mph in 5.6 seconds!
The dash includes a 17″ Infotainment screen with 3G connectivity! Browse the Internet, utilize Google Maps, customize Pandora Radio, etc.
It seats 5 adults and 2 children, making it a great choice for professional parents! Plenty of room for my crew and their gigantic (but safe) Britax cars seats!
Trunk space galore…and even more space under the hood!
Battery options! Choose from batteries that will go 160, 230 or 300 miles on a single charge. Charge time varies, but Tesla recently introduced the “Quick Charge” that only takes 45 minutes yielding 300 miles of drive time!

Here’s why real estate professionals should consider Tesla:

Demonstrate how much you care about your community by reducing your environmental footprint and leading the way in local sustainability!
The 17″ Infotainment screen REALLY makes your car function like a true mobile office with a full functioning Internet browser in the dash. Plan your previewing or showings with Google Maps, search for market trends on the go via Cyberhomes, and introduce clients to local businesses/attractions.
Market your business on the go! Seriously, you COULD plan, launch and engage with social media marketing from the Infotainment screen. Or at the very least leave b-day messages via Facebook. (IN PARK OF COURSE)
Roomy enough to comfortably chauffeur a family of 4 for showings.
Show those Hummer driving gas guzzling agents who’s boss! (No offense Hummer owners…but they are bit ridiculous in terms of size and environmental stability.)
Advertise on your car (license plate, sticker, etc.). You’ll already have curiosity running wild, may as well introduce yourself as someone with environmental integrity.

Here’ s why you have to be patient:

Although you can put yourself on the wait list, and submit your deposit, you’ll have to wait until spring of 2011 for delivery. Tesla is also financing the development of the Model S with deposits from people on the waiting list. You can assure yourself one of the first 2,000 cars by paying a $40,000 deposit. Deposits for later cars are $5,000. So far, 700 customers have reserved their spots on the wait list. (The Tesla Model S base price starts at $49,900.
Tesla is waiting on the Energy Department to hook them up with a $450 million government loan in order to speed up production (which would make the cars more affordable).

For a closer look at the Model S, check out the Tesla slide show below with pics from @Cyberhomes! And take a wild test drive in the Model S with Michael Arrington, Leena Rao, and Sarah Lacy.

A very special thanks to the best Dad ever (Original Nick), who always made sure I had something safe AND cool to drive…but is now making sure it’s also eco-friendly! Woohoo!

4 Ways to Access Your Files Remotely

Mar 30

Real Estate

So, you are like many real estate agents in that you have more than one computer. Usually that entails a desktop computer at the office and a laptop for home and the field. Shortly after adding that second computer, a completely new technology problem arises:

How do you access all of your important files from each computer?

Luckily, software and hardware companies have created numerous ways to solve this problem. The right solution for you will depend on how much data you have, how consistently you have internet access and what your budget is.

Here are 4 ways to access your files remotely:

Microsoft SyncToy

Synctoy 2.0 is a free download from Microsoft. This small program allows you to synchronize files between folders and computers. Use this program to sync your data from a computer to another computer or an external storage device like a USB flash drive.

I used this program for over a year with great success. I created a network drive on my laptop and used Synctoy to transfer files over my network.

Strengths

No internet connection necessary
No data limit
Free

Weaknesses

Microsoft offers no support
Syncing can take time
Corrupted files can cause syncing to fail

Microsoft Live Sync

Previously called Microsoft FolderShare, Microsoft Live Sync is a free online folder synchronization service. Files are transferred from your computer to your Live Sync account. Those files can then be synced with another computer, accessed via a browser or shared with others.

Strengths

Free
Access your files from any internet connected computer
Share files with others

Weaknesses

Data limited to 2GB
Requires an internet connection to access files

GoToMyPC

GoToMyPC is a paid service that provides remote access to your computer from any internet connected computer. Not only does the service provide access to your data, programs can be run remotely, as well.

Strengths

Secure remote access to your data and programs
No need to sync files

Weaknesses

$20 a month fee
Requires internet connection
Computer with the data must be on

Seagate FreeAgent Go

Portable external hard drives have come a long way. Using laptop-size drives, these small devices provide storage capacities of up to 500GB.

While many manufacturers make portable drives, the Seagate FreeAgent Go is my favorite. They are the only company to offer a desktop dock and carrying case as an optional upgrade.

Simply configure the Seagate Sync software and your files are transferred to the external drive. Encryption is also available for added protection in case of theft or loss.

The Seagate FreeAgent Go is the solution that I use to have all of my files, photos, music and videos with me at all times.

Strengths

No internet connect required
Huge storage capacities
Access files from any computer with a USB port

Weaknesses

Drives cost $100-$150 plus $30 for the desktop dock and carrying case
Syncing files can take time

When deciding on a solution for your real estate business, think about what files you need and where you will be accessing them. Some solutions require internet connections, so working at an open house is probably out of question. Other solutions can’t handle large volumes of data and are best suited for limited data needs.

Are you using a different solution to access files remotely? Share it with us.

Lifestreaming Real Estate Web Content

Mar 24

Real Estate

Lifestreaming might sound like something that occurs during your favorite reality TV show, but it’s actually the aggregation of your online presence in one central location or Website. It’s an effective way to organize and display your collective thoughts, ideas, blog posts, and social connections that you share online. There’s really no right or wrong way to lifestream since the content is comprised of your Web activity. But you can think strategically about how and what you choose to share in your lifestream, as well as where you make it available.

For example, here at MTO, we are very resource driven so we aggregate the delicious bookmarks from all three of us (Reggie, Chad, NikNik) into one fluid feed on the homepage. This way our readers get access to the ideas and articles we like in one place. In addition, we have chosen to lifestream a combination of both personal and professional Web content on our individual profile pages. My profile page aggregates my tweets, delicious bookmarks, Flickr pics, Viddler videos, and more!

You can lifestream on your blog as I mentioned above or you can select one specific site to become an online home base for your Web content. Some people even choose to make this their online resume. Personally, I love the option of making your blog the home base. I purchased my name as a domain and have it directed to my profile page on MTO where I lifestream my Web content.

As you can see, there are many options. But when it comes to real estate professionals I think you can greatly benefit from lifestreaming selected Web content that is helpful to your network. If you’re an agent, you may want to consider aggregating your social bookmarks (from StumbleUpon or delicious) that include consumer focused RE articles, local events and updates, and other fun or relevant resources. Flickr and Twitter would also provide a bit more insight into your daily experiences and personality.

If you contribute to a multi-author blog, you may want to consider mashing up the blog posts, social bookmarks, and twitter feeds from all the blog contributors. You could even set up a separate page to display a variety of blog posts, similar to Alltop, Inman Blog Network or AgentGenius Sphere!

To get started, you should identify the Web content feeds you wish to share, decide on where you want to stream the content, and select a plugin or other solution to aggregate the feeds. You’re in luck, because Reggie recently posted “14 Tools for Real Estate Lifestreaming”, and this helpful article provides a plethora of ideas on how to lifestream.

If you have a favorite tool for lifestreaming, or know a great example of a how real estate professional is lifestreaming their Web content, please share! We’ll be extending this article series to include more examples, tools, and ideas for best practices!

What’s YOUR Twitter Success Story?

Mar 6

Real Estate

Twitter, tweet, twit, Twinkle, Tweetie, Tweetdeck, TwtVite, Twinfluence, Twitbacks, TwtPoll, TweetGrid, Tweetag….what’s all this “TWALK” about?

Download your FREE copy of the “Twitter for Real Estate Twits” ebook and allow me to break it down for you! In fact, I cover everything from setting up your Twitter account to strategies for becoming your client’s trusted advisor!

If you’re already a seasoned Twit, then I want to hear from YOU! I’ll be creating an updated version of the ebook. Actually I plan to add to it yearly, keeping it freshly stocked with tools, apps, strategies and more. But for now, I’m looking to add one more chapter that will include success stories from REAL estate professionals. If you’ve had successes large or small with Twitter, tell me about it. Submit your Twitter Success Story, but you must meet these guidelines:

(1) Be a real estate professional

(2) Write 300-500 words on how YOU use Twitter for your real estate business AND/OR the success you’ve experienced

(3) Email your entry to (Nicole at EffektiveSolutions.com) by Monday, March 23^rd, 2009

At this point I’m not exactly sure just how many Success Stories I will include in the new chapter. Could be 5, could be 10. It all depends on how compelling, appropriate, inspiring, creative, smart, and legible they are! But I do know I will select the BEST to be published in Twitter for Real Estate Twits. Here’s a little more about what I expect…

What is Mrs. NikNik looking for?

Passion, no fakers!
REAL success stories
Examples to prove your point
Tools and resources that make Twitter even more effective for YOU!
Grammar counts! Proof read please!

The stellar submissions will be announced with the release of the updated version in the first week of April. If you have any questions, feel free to contact me via the comments or Twitter DM.

Boost Laptop Performance

Mar 3

Real Estate

Windows Vista introduced a new feature called ReadyBoost. ReadyBoost uses high speed flash memory (usually thumbdrives) to speed up the computer’s performance.

Though experts argue over the actual performance improvement seen by ReadyBoost, it is a simple and inexpensive way to add memory to a computer. With 4GB “ReadyBoost Ready” flash drives advertised for $10, even the smallest performance increase is worth the investment.

While I have considered a ReadyBoost drive essential equipment for any Windows Vista desktop, I have never incorporated it into a laptop computer. For portability purposes, having a thumbdrive constantly connected to my laptop seemed impractical.

Luckily, flash memory comes in other shapes and sizes.

Many laptops are now coming equipped with flash card readers. While these can be handy, many people don’t use them. In my case, my Dell laptop has an SD card reader, but I don’t own a device that uses SD cards. Hence, the card reader has remained unused, that is until recently.

To squeeze a bit more performance out of my laptop, I picked up a high-speed SD card to use as a ReadyBoost drive. With the way prices on flash memory has fallen, a 2GB SanDisk Ultra II on sale cost only $15.

Configuring the drive was a breeze. When the card was inserted, Windows gave me the option to use it for ReadyBoost and literally 3 clicks later, the set-up was complete. It took longer to get the card out of the packaging than to install it as a ReadyBoost drive.

Now, my laptop has an extra 2GB of high-speed memory to draw upon and it only cost $15 and a few minutes of time.
Here are a few requirements to consider before adding a ReadyBoost flash drive to your laptop computer:

Your computer must be running Windows Vista
The card reader in your laptop must be fast enough to support ReadyBoost. A quick Google search with the make and model of your laptop and the word “ReadyBoost” should answer that question for you.
The flash memory needs to be high-speed. Many manufacturers will use terms like “100X” or “133X” instead of actually coming the card “high-speed”.

Not much real estate technology can be had for a mere $15 and little time investment. Collect all of the change in your couch cushions and the bottom of the washer machine. You should come up with enough money to pick up a quick laptop performance booster.

Get TECH-NIK-KOL at RETechSouth

Feb 25

Real Estate

Back in college….when I was “finding myself” I temporarily changed the spelling of my first name to “Nikkol” from Nicole. I hadn’t obtained my last name yet…so “NikNik” was not even in contention. Now that you’ve been hit over the head with this completely useless information….let me give you a super tip as to where you can gain some valuable “tech-nik-kol” insight for your real estate business. Here it is, are you ready….attend RETechSouth!

RETEchSouth is taking place Friday, March 20^th in Atlanta. Well, at the Gimmet Center to be exact. Now the really exciting part is that a pair of highly skilled real estate professionals (Brad Nix & Matt Fagioli) is responsible for organizing this 2^nd annual event. And they’ve invited a myriad of real estate innovators and influencers to present, share and teach.

The format for the day includes main stage presentations, smaller breakout sessions, and tech stations where you can get answers to all your burning tech questions via hands-on training. Topics include: Flickr, Real Estate Blogs, Video in Real Estate, New Media Tips & Tactics, the Future of Real Estate Search and more! I will be there with my partner in crime @cyberhomes to share social media strategies for generating business….particularly with Twitter and Facebook.

If you’re planning rock RETechSouth, I look forward to connecting with you! If not, you’ll be missed….but you don’t have to miss out on asking me (or Matt “Fastman” Fagioli) your BIGGEST question about using social media to generate real estate business. That’s because Justin Zimmerman, host of Good Morning Real Estate, will be holding a FREE 50 minute teleseminar this Thursday, February 26^th, at 8pm EST. You can register for FREE here.

Tweet It Forward: The Secret to Building an Invaluable Twitter Community

Feb 19

Real Estate

Recently I’ve been getting a lot of questions about how best to build your network on Twitter. I previously offered up some search strategies for finding your tweighbors. But after finding and following…where do you go from there? Not everyone finds jumping into the conversation that easy. And if you approach twits the wrong way you can end up being outcast as a marketer or spammer…or even worse in my opinion…BORING & SELFISH!

The best way I’ve found to foster community on Twitter is by being a community participant. If you want twits to interact positively with you, then you need to start by positively affecting others. But first, you better get organized.

TOOLS: One confusing aspect of Twitter is the noise factor! It’s true…there are plenty of uninspiring tweets. But maybe that’s because you’re not following the right twits. When it comes to real estate, you often target market to a specific demographic. So if you’re investing time in building relationships online, consider taking more time to check out your twits before you follow. Before following, take a little time to glance at their profile, visit their Website, read their short bio or scan their recent updates. This gives you a better vision of WHO’s tweeting with you.

Once you gain a following…don’t be afraid to rely on a desktop app to better organize your community! Tweetdeck can easily assist in the categorization of your twits. And Peoplebrowsr is like Tweetdeck on steroids with a variety of group features for better targeting those with similar interests.

ACTIVE LISTENING: It might sound like a request from a first grade teacher…and you’re absolutely right! Active listening means you’re listening with your whole self….your eyes, your ears, your heart, your mind…no distractions! And, making mental notes along the way! By becoming a better listener you become a better communicator…making you more productive. And if you learn to master your own communication skills, the easier it will be to leave lasting impressions on those you meet both online and offline. And we all know how misunderstandings can occur from not being able to read someone correctly…especially with email or SMS.

So, you need to listen a lot! I do. In fact I’m lurking in the background and you don’t even know it. I’m taking it all in and thinking about how I can add to what’s being said or shared. I do this to gather details about those I’d like to connect with….so that connecting and communicating become more seamless than stuffy! Not to mention all the fun you’ll have learning about others!

TWEET IT FORWARD “TIF”: Active listening will afford you with the best option for building your network authentically….and that’s “tweeting it forward”. When you listen to your followers you gain details (ladies…you know what I’m saying). Details give you insight into what your new friends like, dislike, need to know, want to learn, etc. So pick a time each day, to scan your followers tweets via Twitter itself or Tweetdeck categories. Better yet, use Twittersearch to find recent tweets related to your local area or interests. Once you’ve identified a couple of meaningful tweets…it’s time to access your resources (business and/or personal) and help!

Let me be crystal clear for moment: the goal here is to share and add to the tweets you find meaningful. This is not thanking your retweeters. I’m specifically referring to helping those who haven’t helped you yet. For example, tweet about someone’s cause that you can also stand behind and help to spread the word. Answer twits with local questions that you can offer real advice for. If someone is looking for a specific resource for their business or is confused by something and needs a tip…be the one to kickstart their success or unscramble their confusion. Even making a random Blip.fm dedication to a twit that’s having an off day can create viral happiness!

The more you surprise others with your helpfulness….the more lasting impressions you make. It’s that simple. And if you’re not sure…just ask yourself, “What would Chris Brogan do?”

Pimp Your Screens

Feb 16

Real Estate

Now that you have 2 (or more) monitors, it’s time to customize your system. Here are a few resources to give you extra functionality and ways to personalize your multiple monitor system.

Utilities

Want the taskbar to extend across all screens? Want to display different wallpapers on each monitor or one large image across both screens? These and other features may require additional software. Here are a few utilities to get more control over your multiple monitor system.

UltraMon ($39.95)

Complete dual monitor utility that I currently use. The most feature rich of the dual monitor control programs. Features include:

Wallpaper support
Extension of the task bar to all monitors
Additional buttons and menu choices for moving, throwing and sizing windows
Shortcuts to open programs in specific locations
Highly customizable

MultiMon (Free or $28 for Pro)
Dual monitor utility with 2 levels of functionality. A free version extends the taskbar across all monitors, adds a move to window button and a few other features. The pro version includes more customization and window management capabilities.

Display Fusion (Free)
Dual screen wallpaper utility with Flickr integration.

Wallpapers

The right image can really make your dual monitor system pop. These have to be very large and panoramic photos. Not really something that you will find in your My Pictures folder.

Here are some wonderful resources for stunning images that fit perfectly on a dual monitor computer.

Custom Stands

The real downside of a dual monitor system is the added desk space taken up. Solve this problem with a multi-monitor stand. Available in configurations holding 2 or more monitors, these space saving devices can mount to a wall, furniture or simply stand on your desktop. ErgoTron and Planar are leading manufacturers of multiple monitor stands.

Archive

Other posts you may enjoy:

Related Posts:

Other posts you may enjoy:

Related Posts:

Other posts you may enjoy:

Related Posts:

Microsoft SyncToy

Microsoft Live Sync

GoToMyPC

Seagate FreeAgent Go

Other posts you may enjoy:

Related Posts:

Other posts you may enjoy:

Related Posts:

Other posts you may enjoy:

Related Posts:

Other posts you may enjoy:

Related Posts:

Other posts you may enjoy:

Related Posts:

Other posts you may enjoy:

Related Posts:

Utilities

Wallpapers

Custom Stands

Other posts you may enjoy:

Related Posts:

Top Real Estate Products

Pages

Style My House

Recent Posts

Tags

Archives

Categories

Meta