I love new gadgets and tools that make things easier or more fun and spend a large amount of time poking around at whats out there.  It seems like everyday there is a new app or software presented to the market and really they all seem to have a solid place for a Realtor to use daily in their business.  One of the early products that was introduced and I love is  Reesio transaction management and marketing software.  It changed the way we thought about communicating our listings and deals to our customers.  It was good looking, easy to use, worked well with other products and affordable.  Reesio has since been acquired by Realtor.com and to date is a favorite in my business.  Over the years I have tried so many things but always come back to a few tools that I just can’t live without.  Besides the standard iPad or smart phone there are several products I immediatly go to throughout my day to keep me ahead of the competition or to help market my current listings.  Below are 3 that I cant work without and I hope you can benefit from teh list.

  1.  Good GIS – Many if not most cities have adopted a slick GIS webpage product and many times it can be used just as easily from a mobile device.  I really like to use a GIS site from day 1 on a property from prospecting, layouts, dimensions and an array of other data that can help me.  Right away I can find who the owner is to contact as well as the size of a property and its zoning.  Bouncing around from site to site or hoping that its been uploaded properly is rarely a concern when you can adopt a local GIS page for use.
  2. Planning Tools – One of my main functions is to start the planning stages for commercial tenants.  I do not design office space but when we are initially considering a property many times a tenant is unable to see the usability or how they would function within the space.  I am also able to provide a fast drawing for them to do their own layouts and designs from this software.  I currently use Magicplan to draw the space and then upload it to Floorplanner for 3D and details.  These are obviously not perfect but for the level or presentation I need to do they are fantastic.  They generate high resolution images and kept forever for future changes.
  3. Measuring tools – I have used alot of different tools to measure a space and it always comes back to the old trusty walking wheel measuring stick.  The lasers can be goofy in large buildings and if there is no wall they are useless.  Tape measurers are clumsy and I just cant stand the noise so they are out of course.  But these wheels are so reliable.  I have had several of them and have found the smaller the better for indoor use, which is typically what I am doing since I can get most exterior measurements from GIS sites.   I buy these on Amazon and they are affordable enough that I don’t feel bad if they break or get left behind in a dark vacant building.  At one point I decided to stock each vehicle with one like a ice scraper so they are never far off.  Doctors walk in with a stethoscope, Preachers walk in with a Bible and I walk in with my measuring wheel.  I take one to nearly every appointment now.  

Hopefully this short write about tools I am using is helpful or makes you think about what ways you are easing your workload for the better.  I wouldn’t be surprised if there are a dozen items just like these that make my day easier but I did not want to make this too long and boring.  Let me know if I can help with any of these and I look forward to seeing more and more tech and tools that Realtors cant work without.

Curt has been in the Indianapolis Real Estate business for over 10 years and spent his first years learning all aspects of commercial management and brokerage.  He has had great success in managing existing commercial projects and new retail and office developments.  Curt specializes in building owner representation and purchases in the Westfield Indiana market as well throughout the Indianapolis Metro area.  Curt is passionate about growing the local Westfield community and in his free time  volunteers with Westfield Youth Assistance and raising 2 children with his wife Jennifer.