Signatures Slow As Molasses

                                 

As a busy Baltimore Broker, I have the tools to make transactions lightening fast.  I have a scanner and a fax that goes right into my email and a iPad that I can get signatures to any of my clients, Realtor®, attorneys, title companies and lenders.

But on more than a few occasions...the seller does not have a fax, does not have an email and certainly does not have  a scanner. These are the times...Signatures Are Slow As Molasses.

I have been to the seller's house, assisted living, nursing homes and hospitals. I have gotten necessary papers signed, I have notarized, I have taken a photograph of their identification and then scanned and emailed to save critical time.

Just this week...a necessary death certificate was not where it was supposed to be.  We needed it for settlement. I asked the owner, the out of town daughter and the son in law to provide me with a copy.

Each one was to follow up. When I called with a gentle reminder, there was a bit of concern. No one had a copy and it was too late to go the 'Vital Records."

I found out the name of the funeral home and gave them a call. They had the record from 14 years ago and within minutes faxed me a copy to my email. That paper work was slow as molasses but we got it done.

No amount of technology could have sped this process along. Signatures Slow As Molasses 

 Contest rules at  ActiveRain and Adobe EchoSign Challenge: Quick as Lightening, Slow as Molasses

I can list and sell with only a pen and a piece of paper but the gizmos make my life a lot easier

I can list and sell with only a pen and a piece of paper but the gizmos make my life a lot easier.

William Feela wrote a post You have all the latest Tech Gizmo's...So What?  that made me realize....

 I can list and sell with only a pen and a piece of paper but the gizmos make my life a lot easier.

                            

Three of my last four listings do not even use email or computers. Now there is a challenge in this tech savvy business. One of those three is already under contract. It took three days.

This week my 90 year old seller  did not want to join in with the contract discussion because  of his poor eyesight. You should have seen the smile on his face when I showed him his fresh painted garage on the iPad. I was able to make the picture full screen size. That was not very techie but it brought this gentleman some pleasure.

So it does not have to be just techie stuff we do with our toys. A lot is just plain common sense!

 

If you can't help buyers and sellers overcome objections to list and sell property, believe me a high tech gizmo is not going to make you any better.

If you are not good at networking and meeting others, that new iPad is not going to make you better.

If you can't get a buyer to make an offer, the electronic signature is not going to make you better.

If you can't get a seller to agree  to selling their house and using you, your iPhone is not going to make it better.

I can list and sell with only a pen and a piece of paper but the gizmos make my life a lot easier. 

If I could only pick one ...Indispensable..I Can't Live Without...best tool!

If I could only pick one ...Indispensable..I Can't Live Without...best tool! 

There is an ActiveRain Contest  and it deals with technology. My first post back in 2006 was about technology.   That post is a bit outdated.

A pen and paper is all you need to list and sell a house...but our technology tools sure make things a lot easier. 

                                    

What could I not live without in my business?

I could name quite a few but this contest is asking for one... not an easy task. At one time I would have said my GPS, my computer, or each of the various things  in my bag. 

There is no way I would leave home  without my camera,  electronic measurer, calculator, my two faced watch and the myriad of chargers and cords for all the devices. So what else is important?

Can't forget my iPhone that was saved by a Hair Dryer and a Bag of Rice.

So many things that I have come to love and depend on like my business card.

 

But if I had to choose only one...it would have to be my  iPad and how I use it combining almost all of the tools above.

Unlike my iPhone, it is big enough to work with!

It has a full screen calculator, a camera, Multiple Listings ( MLS ) and photos of any and all my properties. I can pull up any one of my 1000 plus blog posts when I am sharing a story or making a point. I can show all of my advertising.

  The full screen calculator comes in handy!

                            

 I love being able to show my latest advertising.

                                   

                                   

I can show my website, my blog, my ads, how I market other properties. I can find tax information and listing history while showing a property. I can make appointments and show comparables.  

Forget the flag at a Realtor® meeting? No problem  I have been the Flag! 

                                                          

I can write an offer, negotiate, pull up a net sheet and email a contract. I can even entertain a 4 year old using an iPad App that is fun.

Indispensable..I Can't Live Without..Contest...best tool!

                                   

                                   

I can WOW the heck out of sellers during a listing appointment with just this one special tool. It has become an extension of me.  Many people have gone out and purchased an iPad after watching me show off with this cool tool. Another contest had me being a  Mentor for the iPad! 

If I could only pick one ...Indispensable..I Can't Live Without...best tool! It would be my iPad!

                                                 

I've Come a Long Way...Baby!

I've come a long way...Baby!

This week I was interviewed about my use of technology. While getting ready for the phone call, I took this photo. Guess I have come a long way over the years.

                       

I've come a long way...Baby!

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A First Showing... Using My New iPad!

A First Showing...Using My New iPad

Today we had our first showing on this very large and spacious condo located at 4001 Old Court Rd. Pavilion in the Park.

This beautiful condo is larger than most homes with over 2600 square feet. And it is unbelievably bright with huge windows on three sides.

But today was a day of liquid sunshine  even though others would call it a rainy day. The condo was still bright even before the lights were  turned the lights on and the drapes opened..

I heard the buyers OOH-ing and  AHHH-ing over the size of the kitchen, the amount of pantry space, the over sized window and the abundance of cabinets. They kept commenting on the size as they explored this beautiful terrace level condo. A few times, they got "lost". When they thought they had seen everything, they "discovered' another bedroom, a laundry room and a space plumbed for a 1/2 bath that allows even more storage.

When I heard them ask..'what is this room?'....I knew what needed to be done!  Listening to their comments and questions, I took out  my iPad!

At the time, they were in the large master bedroom with a door to the terrace, hers and hers walk-in closets, another closet designed  just for shoes, a mirrored make up area, the lavish master bath with jetted tub and walk in shower. I was able to show the master with a king size bed and plenty of room for a sofa. And they wanted to see more. 

It was easy showing the "before" photos with furniture and I  was able to make the individual photos larger...full screen size.

                             


                     

         

  The buyers were impressed with the property but they were equally impressed with the technology. This is just Another Use of My New iPad.  

Being able to show the  Condo while it was furnished  and then compare it  after the sellers moved out    was very helpful. I even had a photo of the parking space and storage...saving us time by not going to the underground garage.

A First Showing ....Using My New iPad