A Digital Real Estate World

With the invention and practical use of the iPad, it is changing the face of the way we do our real estate business. Since Oklahoma is one of the states that has not approved e-signatures, we are limited in some ways. That being said, the iPad offers a new way with technology that is not an e-signature, but it is digital. With the help of Apps, paperless becomes easier every day!

When writing a contract you can use Zipforms ($9.99 per year), to add contracts and forms and then fill in most of the blanks. In addition to starting a contract on your iPad, it will also pull in contract you have done on your computer since both the app and the online version sync, it allows for seamless usage. I will mention that not all states have this option. My next app to use will work in any state, PDF-Notes (Free). This app is great because you can import any PDF and write on it, yes, I said write on it! It does make it easier when you use a stylus to sign and initial documents, but you can use a finger too. I also like that this app allows you change the ink color, highlight things, and erase the marks without messing up the original document. The newest feature for this app is that you can email the signed document in a PDF form directly to a client, Realtor or your office! The next feature to this is going to be the ability to type on your document which is just like filling in a contract!!!

Not just for contracts, but you can also use your iPad to pull up listings in MLS, provided your local board has an option for accessing the information from a mobile devise. The Greater Tulsa Association of Realtors (GTAR) board has an app that works for both the iPhone and iPad. This is really great for the Tulsa area Realtors because it allows for searches like “homes near me” and custom ones for specific addresses or MLS numbers. The best part is that it displays the showing instructions and contact information. this comes in very handy when you are out showing houses and you drive by a house not on your list and you can find out all about it. It is easy to pull up the listings and show the MLS pictures to clients on the spot. Clients love the convenience of getting the latest information.

All of this has inspired me to create a continuing education class, so look for that soon!

Changes to Selling & Purchasing HUD Homes.

Selling a HUD home is not for everyone, but we have several associates that work them regularly.  HUD recently made changes to the way you bid on HUD homes. Consumers will still need to work with a HUD registered broker and the associate or agent will still have to place the bid online for a client, but the new website to go to is http://www.hudhomestore.com.  Some things to note about the changes include that you will have to register again.  Even if you were previously registered as a HUD broker and have an NAID number, now you must go to the above mentioned website and then register on their site.  Once the main broker has done that, the agents in their office can get registered.  You will need to have your license number and expiration date of your license along with the office NAID number.  Each time you place a bid, you will have to have the NAID and your license (not the broker’s license number) ready to input.

The “insurable” homes are listed for “owner occupants” (people that intend to live in the home) for 30 days which is longer than before.  They will not review the bids for the first 10 days and will remain sealed for that time.  After the 10th day, they will review them and could go with one of the bids, so get your bids in sooner and don’t wait!!  The 31st day will be open to all purchasers if it has not sold.  ”Insurable” homes are homes that can be insured by FHA which means that they require less than $5,000 of repairs in order to be livable.  If it says “insurable with escrow” that means that it would require money to be put in escrow by the buyer in order to bring it up to FHA standards and that would have to be repaired after closing.

The “uninsurable” homes are listed for 5 days to owner occupants and then on the 6th day available to all purchasers.  ”Uninsurable” homes will have to go conventional financing or pay cash, but can NOT go FHA, usually because they require more than $5,000 in repairs in order for them to be livable.  They could go 203K, which is a renovation loan, but not many banks are doing these loans right now.

Some things did not change like the earnest money amounts, $500 for $50,000 or less and $1,000 for $50,001 and up.  The stopped the $100 earnest money program for owner occupants a few months ago.

Another note for the REALTORS is that HUD has reduced the amount of commission they pay for selling a HUD home. They will pay up to 3% to the selling broker and no more.

So basically, you need to be aware of changes and check out programs before place bids for your clients.  Since there was no information passed out by HUD or no notice of these changes, we thought you might want to know.  I am the resident HUD expert in our Keller Williams Metro Group that our associates contact, so if you have clients wanting to make offers or if you are interested in making an offer on a HUD home, please contact me.

 

iPhone Class Today

I get many requests for teaching an iPhone class.  I’m sure that the Apple people do a great job of classes, but I like to think that I add a bit of real world usage to it.  I get emails, Facebook messages, texts and phone calls asking about how to do things all of the time.  This is why I started doing the class.  It has been a success and I have now had companies approach me about training their employees.  I think that is fun!  I teach a couple of classes, basic and advanced because I could not fit all of the information into a few hours, there is just too much!!  I am really excited about the Tulsa MLS app for Tulsa REALTORS.  It is very useful and free!!

I stopped writing your basic “directions” about Apps because, well I just didn’t get much response and so it was not the highest and best use of my time.  Now is the time to just write about many things and more of a flow of thoughts!

The class will be in Tulsa at the Keller Williams Midtown office (2651 E 21st Street Suite 100) at 1pm if anyone is interested in attending.  It is not just for REALTORS, I have had many professions represented in previous classes.

Have a great day and I will leave you with one of my favorite quotes:  ”What you focus on, expands.”  So what are you focused on today?

App of the Week update…

OK, so I have been a bit behind on doing my App of the Week, but the thing I find most interesting is very few people have even asked or said anything.  My question is, do people actually read my emails and blogs?  I’m going to change when I post them to Fridays and maybe add some other comments at different times, but I’m looking for feedback, so what are your thoughts?

App of the Week, DirectTV

This week’s App of the Week #2 is Direct TV.

Description: This app is for entertainment.  If you have Direct TV, you can add a show to your DVR at home from your iPhone or even watch live shows!  This one works from your iPhone, iPod, or iPad.

Cost: Free

Directions:

1. Download the application from the App Store.
2. Once you have downloaded the app, open it.
3. You will need your username and password for your Direct TV account in order to make this app work.  Once you sign in, it will be saved for the next time you enter the app.  It will open up to the browse  section.  You can browse by channel, date & time or order a movie or event now.  When you browse by channel it can be by alphabetical or channel number.  When by date and time, just select the day and time and then tap “get listings”.  It thinks for a minute and then lists them by closest to the date and time you chose to further away.  To order a movie or event now, tap on the bottom button and then locate your move or locate your event.  Find the one in the list, then tap on it and it will display the details, cost and tap on “order now” to be billed for it and watch it on any of your home receivers. (not your iPhone).
4. The tab to the far left is the “search” where you can find shows based on: search for shows, browse by channel or browse by date & time.  When you Search for shows, it will bring up the keyboard for you to type in a name.  Type in a show name, for example NCIS and then it will show folders with multiple shows if there are more than one with that name, in this case, NCIS or NCIS: Los Angeles.  Tap on the folder and it will show you all of the channels, dates and times for each listing in order of the most recent to the furthest away.  Tap on the show, and then it gives you the details of the episode including the name, description, and when it first aired.  It gives you two options, “record this episode” or “record this series”.  If you select “record this episode” it will show you the receiver name, how long it will keep it, and the priority.  Then tap “record this episode” at the bottom and you are done!  Watch it at home when you are ready!
5. The last tab is the “More”, where it gives you two options, manual recording and settings.  Manual recording will give you the options to record instantly on your receiver or change the time.  You input the following: record (once or reoccurring), channel, when (date), start (time), duration (how long), receiver (what unit if you have more than one), and the priority (record if possible or definitely record).  Once you have entered the information, tap “record this channel” and you are good to go.

Options:

• Under the more and settings you can change the default settings for the quick record, so if you want the items you set from your phone to “definitely record” you will have to make that change because the default is “record if possible”.
• If you have a friend or someone else that has Direct TV and they want to use your app, you can do that, but you need to sign out of your account and then have your friend sign into their account or it will record on your receiver and not theirs.

App of the Week, eKey

This week’s App of the Week #1 is eKey.

Description: This app is totally for the Realtors out there, so the rest of you can just skip to the next one if you would like.  Now you can access the iBoxes with your iPhone!!  No more dragging around the DisplayKey.  Now, you will have to get the attachment from your local association, but once they have it, rush over there and get yours today.  When you get the attachment, it will come with some paper work and authorization codes.  You will need this to complete the install an use this app.  This is available to all boards that use “Supra”.  There is a one time charge for the device and then an additional fee if you are currently using the DisplayKey.  Costs are listed below.  You can not install this on two iPhones or iPhone and iPad, I tried and it didn’t work.

Cost: App is Free, Attachment has a cost.

Directions:

1. Download the application from the App Store.  If you already have this app, make sure you sign in to the app store and check for updates and then download them if needed.
2. Open the application.
3. When you first open the app, it will ask you for your “Authorization Code”.  The code is 6 sets of 5 digit numbers, which comes from your board.  Once you enter this code, it will give you access to the options on the app.
4. Now your options include: Obtain Key, Open Shackle, Inventory, Add Keybox, Read Activity, Update, Messages, Settings, About and on the second page: SupraWEB, Help, Flashlight and News.  As you all know, the key has to be updated before you can obtain a key or open a shackle.  Now, it does it automatically for you when you open the app (regardless if the attachment is plugged in or not).  If you do need to manually do it, tap on the Update button and it will give you two options: wireless update or emergency update code.  The only time you would need to do the emergency update code is if you are in a remote area and can not get a signal.  Other than that, us the wireless update.  Then it will say your key is updated with a green check mark.
5. The most important and most used, Obtain Key!  This one is simple, tap on the Obtain Key and it will ask you for your pin code, enter your 4 digit code and make sure you have the attachment with infrared censer plugged into it.  Once you enter your pin code, it will start searching for the iBox and then will beep to let you know it is ready to retrieve the key.
6. Open Shackle is the one to open the lock on the top of the iBox so that you can move your keybox from house to house.  You do not have to be the owner of the box to open the shackle, but you do have to have the code that goes to that iBox.  If you open an iBox that is not registered to you, it will ask you if you want to register the box as yours.
7. Inventory shows all of your keyboxes that are registered with Supra.  Select one of your iBoxes and then it will show you all of the information affiliated with the box like the House it is on, time to box can be opened, and even change the shackle code.  The catch is you have to be in front of the box to make any changes.  One of the cool things you can add is your “business card”.  This is something that a Realtor using the eKey on an iPhone can see.  Mostly it will have your contact information and then you can add a note, like “Thanks for showing my listing!”.  Pretty cool!
8. Add keybox is pretty self explanatory, all you do is enter the shackle code.  Read activity is the same thing, enter the shackle code.  It does have one other option to add to inventory yes or now.  The update button you don’t have to use unless you are in a no signal area when you open the app and it won’t update, then you can get an emergency update code, but the silly thing is that you would have to call in.  If you had signal, you wouldn’t need to call, umm who’s idea was that?  Next would be the messages where Supra sends you messages.  Next would be the settings.  All of them should be on, but if you chose to turn them off, you can.  About gives you information on the app along with the support number, website and email to Supra.
9. Like your main screen, the eKey has a page two.  Slide your finger from the right to left side of the screen and you will see page two.  The first app is SupraWeb.  This is where you sign into the website on the go.  The Help button will give you directions to all the features available on this app.  And then look, it has a flashlight!  Tap on the flashlight and it will light your way to get into a house.  Last but not least, the eKey news where they display the useful information about the iPhone, Blackberry and other apps by Supra.  Now you are up to speed!

Options:

• The board will give you a pin code for you key, but you can change it.  In order to change it, after you have installed the app and authorized the key, go to www.supraekey.com and login to the SupraWEB with your user name and password and then select “change pin”.  You will need to enter the current pin and then the new one twice.
• The cost for the key is $59.50 and the monthly additional charge is $8.45 times 3 months for each quarter would make your quarterly GTAR dues $129.60 ($104.25 + 25.35).

Simple Tip, Phone Number Titles

With one of the current updates, came the ability to edit the title of numbers in your contact list.  Open your contacts and select the contact that you want to edit.  Then tap on “edit”, then tap on the label next to the phone number and scroll down to the bottom where it says “Custom”.  Then it will ask you what you want to title it.  Keep in mind that this “custom” field you title, will be available to other contacts.  Now days there are numbers that you can only text to, so you may create a custom contact that says Text Only, for example if you text to a radio station or vote on reality show.  My dad has a show on KRMG radio and they have a text number, so I saved the number and labeled it “text KRMG” so I have it saved in my phone.