5 must-haves for the virtual real estate agent
From Future of Real Estate Marketing
By Katie Lance, Monday, April 26, 2010.
More and more agents are working from home and virtual office spaces. Brokerages across the country are re-evaluating their leases and lavish "palaces" because the office is always half-empty.
Why? With all the resources available to agents online, the need to come into a brick and mortar office day in and day out is not as important as it used to be.
Working virtually is not for everyone. You need discipline and a few great products to make your life easier!
Here are the top five products I recommend for working virtually:
1. Smartphone. In this day and age, I think ALL agents (not just the virtual ones) need a smartphone. My favorite is, of course, the iPhone, but there are other outstanding phones such as the BlackBerry, Droid, and the Nexus One. Try each one, ask your colleagues, and find one that works best for your needs.
2. Laptop. If you are working virtually you need a light and fast laptop that you can grab and go! MacBook Pro is an excellent choice as well as the Dell Vostro V13. I still think there are tons of possibilities for the iPad. It's still too new to see if it will be better than a laptop for agents. I am looking forward to watching how this product evolves.
3. Headset and/or Bluetooth. A must-have! In fact, just today the new Bluetooth 4.0 was announced!
4. Mobile broadband. Sprint's Overdrive allows up to five of your team to get online at the same time and gives you access to faster WiMAX networks. Here is a great list to check out: Mobile Broadband Review 2010.
5. A quiet space! OK, this is not a "product" -- but probably as important, if not more important, than everything else. Find or create a dedicated work space in your home or find a great coffeehouse to park yourself!
So the question remains -- how often do YOU go into your real estate office? Every day? A few times a week? Once a month? I'd love to hear your feedback on this subject -- leave me a comment below!
Click here to view the original blog post.
Katie Lance is the marketing manager for Inman News. Future of Real Estate Marketing is a part of Inman News.
***
What's your opinion? Leave your comments below or send a letter to the editor.
All rights reserved. This content may not be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever, in part or in whole, without written permission of Inman News. Use of this content without permission is a violation of federal copyright law.
You must login or register to post a comment.
Submitted by For Sale By Owner Guy on April 26, 2010 - 4:47pm.
Can we be a little more informative to the public and remove the words "Real Estate Agent". There is no such legal classification in any state so why are you installing this heading?
"The Book That Real Estate Agents Don't Want You To Read"
Submitted by berge charles on April 26, 2010 - 5:34pm.
Believe it or not, the term 'real estate agent' already sounds misplaced - an anachronism from a bygone era. And of course, people don't go to the office much anymore. There is no office to go to. For many businesses, the office is no longer necessary or economically viable.
The virtual real estate agent may well be the last of the real estate agents. The fact is - real agents are quickly going the way of the travel agent.
It's now evident that technology and cultural changes are rapidly reducing the need and demand for most of their (services). Even 'must have' gadgets and gizmos won't likely increase the demand for services no longer needed.
auctionrefer.com