Daylight Savings Time Change Affecting Calendars March 30, 2007
Posted by essentialadmin in General Tips, REALTOR Tips, Virtual Assistant Tips.add a comment
March 15, 2007
I’ve still been hearing confusion circulating regarding the Daylight Savings Time Change issue as it relates to time calculating software such as the Outlook calendar, so wanted to provide the help links related to the issue.
First, an overview of the issue. The recent “Spring Forward” occurred three weeks earlier than in the past, due to the passing of the Energy Policy Act of 2005. The Act, described by proponents as an attempt to combat growing energy problems, provides tax incentives and loan guarantees for energy production of various types, and within the bill’s provisions there is a section which amends the Uniform Time Act of 1966 by changing the start and end dates of daylight saving time beginning in 2007. Clocks were set ahead one hour on the second Sunday of March (March 11, 2007) instead of the first Sunday of April (April 1, 2007). Clocks will be set back one hour on the first Sunday in November (November 4, 2007), rather than the last Sunday of October (October 28, 2007).
I for one am ecstatic with the change … especially now that I’m located in Northern Idaho and our days are generally shorter than when I lived in California, so I (and my kids) definitely welcome an extra hour of outside playtime ;o).
But, with this change came an issue … in the technology world it’s generally being referred to as Y2K7.
Basically, any device that automatically corrected its clock to match the time changes to Daylight Saving Time (such as your personal computer) will now need to be updated so that the device knows of the new rules. If the device is not updated, it will show an incorrect time for three weeks in March and one week in November, and cause a number of problems including having e-mail with wrong timestamps, events in calendaring software being displayed incorrectly or set for the wrong time, or syncing between devices that are aware of the changes in DST and those that aren’t (as between an updated Blackberry or Palm device and a computer, either of which may require their own updates).
I noticed this myself with my Outlook. I had ONE recurring entry set for 3pm every weekday. I noticed, beginning on Monday, 3/12, this one entry started displaying (and was set to remind) at 4pm instead of 3pm. Note that all my dates displaying prior to 3/11 showed 3pm. So, simply adjusting my computer clock would not have helped.
Instead, I had to download and install a Microsoft fix. Here is a link to their support site for this issue: http://support.microsoft.com/dst2007
Make sure you step through the whole wizard …. there is a final step for the Outlook update that I missed the first go around.
So, if you’re noticing time-related issues in your software or devices, chances are you need a patch/update/fix. Contact the software or device provider and they’ll most likely refer you to a website to implement the fix.
Virtual Tour Linking to Realtor.com March 30, 2007
Posted by essentialadmin in REALTOR Tips, Realtor.com, Virtual Assistant Tips.Tags: real estate virtual tour, Realtor.com
1 comment so far
November 12, 2007
Here is an update that affects previous Realtor.com posts … click here.
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Wednesday, March 7, 2007
Today’s Tip will cover a few thoughts related to virtual tour linking related to Realtor.com.
Added Bonus for Realtor.com Enhanced Showcase Listing Agents!
Up until a few months ago, ALL tours that were uplinked to Realtor.com had a fee associated with the link, charged by Realtor.com to the tour company, and passed along to you, the customer. This fee usually ranged from $20-$25 depending on the virtual tour provider.
Recently, Realtor.com decided to waive this fee for their Enhanced Showcase Listing Agents. Yay! For some agents, this is a significant savings. So, if you uplink your tours to Realtor.com and don’t yet have a Realtor.com Enhanced Listings account, it may be to your benefit to upgrade your Realtor.com account now. The Enhanced Listing account is priced on a sliding scale based on the number of listings you had in the past 12 months. If you anticipate your listings increasing in the near future, and are evaluating whether to purchase the Enhanced Listing account, sooner is better than later. I had one client in this position, and by the time he wished to enroll, it cost him several hundred dollars more because of new listings garnered just that week.
What are the benefits of linking a virtual tour to the Realtor.com listing?
Without a doubt, reporting consistently shows a significantly increased number of visitor views to listings with virtual tours over those without. Here’s why. When a visitor enters their search criteria on the homepage of Realtor.com, they are then taken to a next page that asks if they want to view listings with virtual tours first. <see update regarding this gateway page>. I don’t recall the exact statistic, but something like 70+% of visitors choose this option. Let’s put this into practical use. Say your listing is $300,000. Say the visitor chooses a search criteria up to $350,000. Since Realtor.com by default sorts the search results from smallest dollar amount to largest, your listing will be way down the line, probably several pages away from the first displayed listing. Chances of that visitor scrolling through all the listings before seeing yours is doubtful. However, if your listing has a virtual tour attached, and that visitor indicated they wanted to see listings with virtual tours first, your listing goes right to the top section of the results … then the listings without virtual tours follow in the standard lowest to highest dollar ranking.
You do not have to have a Realtor.com Enhanced Listing account to have your virtual tour display … you just have to pay the additional fee to the virtual tour provider.
However, if you do have a Realtor.com Enhanced Listing account, you will also have access to the reporting feature. I have never seen a listing report where adding a virtual tour didn’t significantly increase the number of views of that listing. As a matter of fact, I had one agent absolutely blown away by the increase in hits reported after adding virtual tours to existing listings, “I just received the Realtor.com monthly statistics and I am just FLOORED … I’m just WOWED … I’m not sure what you did … my report went from 100 hits or so per month to 4,000!!! That’s just so awesome. I’m astonished, and so grateful, and can’t thank you enough.” A. Martinez.
If you want a quick overview of the benefits of the Realtor.com Enhanced Listing account, look here: http://www.essential-admin.com/portfolio/realtorcom.html
Additionally, I primarily use (and recommend) a virtual tour provider (http://www.tourfactory.com/) who includes the feature of Seller Traffic Reports with each tour. This report displays, on a weekly and ongoing basis, the number of views a specific tour receives, and includes the source of that traffic. For the majority of my clients, Realtor.com views outnumber any other source.
Virtual tour providers don’t all offer the uplink services
When selecting a virtual tour provider, I highly recommend choosing one that offers the Realtor.com uplink service. Most do these days, but some don’t. Even if you don’t wish to uplink all your listings, you want the option if you have a change of heart or a specific listing where you want to increase the exposure or be able to promote this added feature to a specific seller. When choosing a tour provider, ask them, 1) do you provide Realtor.com uplinking services, 2) how much is the linking fee if I’m not a Realtor.com Enhanced Listing agent, 3) how much is the linking fee if I am a Realtor.com Enhanced Listing agent (it should be free), 4) if I later re-list the property (i.e., listing expired, etc.), do I have to pay the fee again. Again, I highly recommend http://www.tourfactory.com/ and you can learn more about their features on my website at http://www.essential-admin.com/portfolio/virtualtours.html.
If you’d like more information about the fees for the Realtor.com Enhanced Listing account to evaluate which tour linking choice is best for your pocketbook, here is their rate calculator:
http://resource.realtor.com/controlBar/RateCard/RateCard.asp
Or, if you call one of their reps, they can tell you the exact number of listings you had in the past 12 months and what your rate would be: 800.878.4166. They offer an annual or monthly payment plan.
Mailing to Fellow REALTORS March 30, 2007
Posted by essentialadmin in REALTOR Tips.1 comment so far
February 28, 2007
One question I encounter often from agents is, “How can I get the email addresses of other local agents to send email correspondence such as Just Listed/Price Reduction/Open House notifications?”
There are a few solutions for this:
1) Some MLS providers offer this “roster” information within the MLS control panel. For example, Hawaii Information Service (Hawaii) allows a global download based on search criteria. Heartland MLS (Kansas City) provides the information, but not in a global export … it’s a much more manually intensive process to extract the information and build a database.
2) There are various providers who offer use of their lists in conjunction with their product. For example, EmailFlyers.net (http://www.emailflyers.net/) is an agent-to-agent service (you must be an agent to use their service) with pre-designed flyer templates, and they service many area markets across the country. E-flyer prices range from $89-$99 (resends are $19) and the eflyer is sent to thousands of agents in your designated area; however, not all areas are serviced. EmailFlyers.net only allows mailing to agents in your state, so if you’re looking to market your $4M estate in Hawaii to agents in Southern California, you’re out of luck. However, there’s an even less expensive provider who does allow you to market out of state: www.mlseflyer.com. Last flyer I sent to Los Angeles County agents (marketing the $4M estate) cost a mere $29.
Or, iHouse (www.iHOUSE.com) offers their Agent Directory solution where the first 500 records are included, and then it costs $.03/address after that. However, it’s my opinion that option #3 below is a more cost-effective solution as you purchase the list once and have unlimited use.
3) If you need to build a list quickly, without much manual labor, I recommend a service I just used for the first time this week: Email-Local-Agents.com ( http://www.email-local-agents.com). They have numerous customization options … zip code, county, city, local MLS association, etc. You can combine the search criteria as well. For example, I selected a specific local MLS association + another county for a total of 7,000+ contacts. It cost about $200. Had I selected just the local MLS association, it would have been under $100. The list is available for immediate download in a standard format (i.e., .csv, Excel, etc.). The list is yours …. i.e., it can be used unlimited times.
Some purchased lists I’ve seen with other providers “rent” you the list — you have to pay each time you use it — not so with these.
Now a second question remains, “Now that I have a list, how do I distribute to these agents?”
It’s not recommended to use a service such as ConstantContact.com or VerticalResponse.com with purchased lists because these vendors specifically prohibit sending to purchased lists. However, if you have a list that is not purchased, but downloaded from your MLS agent roster as part of a member benefit, this is a viable option because it’s not purchased and you belong to the same professional trade organization, so therefore have an existing “relationship”.
First, look to your web host to see if they offer a solution. For example, Advanced Access (www.AdvancedAccess.com) offers their IntelliCards solution to their website customers (http://www.advancedaccess.com/productsservices/intellicards.html). You upload your list into groupings not exceeding 500 contacts each (i.e., you may have group 1 called Realtors1, group 2 called Realtor2 and so on). When it’s time to distribute, you send to one group and immediately follow with the subsequent groups. They have easy import steps, and all emails are distributed with the required opt-out solution, directly linked to the recipient’s contact record within the IntelliCards control panel.
If your web host doesn’t offer a solution, there are other vendors that provide this service, such as iHouse’s MarketReach product (http://www.ihouseweb.com/Products/Market_Reach/Features/Features.html), which can be purchased as a stand-alone product for under $20/month (i.e., you don’t have to be an existing iHouse website customer). If you upload your own list, you can send an unlimited number of emails to an unlimited number of recipients. Because your uploaded list is targeted to other industry colleagues/agents, they do not consider it spam, and you fall within their use rules.
Another similar option is SharperAgent (www.SharperAgent.com); however, SharperAgent requires a yearly contract, and they run about twice as much as the iHouse solution. If you already use SharperAgent for your other marketing needs, this would be an option for you without adding yet another monthly fee ;o).
If you have a favorite vendor that offers either:
1) REALTOR lists based on geographic location or MLS service area in conjunction with their distribution product (such as the iHouse Agent Directory mentioned above)
or
2) A standalone product that offers the ability to upload your own list (that isn’t opt-in specific), and distribute to an unlimited amount of contacts for a set monthly cost (such as the iHouse Market Research product) …..
….. post it here!
Until the next time … Amber
Launched! March 30, 2007
Posted by essentialadmin in Uncategorized.add a comment
Friday, February 2, 2007
Well, it’s finally time to start putting all these tips and thoughts I’ve been posting in various places in one concise blog. So, let’s first start off with some introductions. I’m Amber Drake, owner/proprietor/principal (I’ve never quite understood all the differences there) of Essential Admin (www.Essential-Admin.com), virtual assistance services, primarily servicing the listing marketing needs of Real Estate Professionals. In the industry, I’m known as a PREVA (Professional Real Estate Virtual Assistant) or the shorter, REVA (Real Estate Virtual Assistant), or even shorter, VA (Virtual Assistant). Because I primarily work with REALTORS, you’ll see many of my tips and thoughts along these lines … but not all. Many will be computer/Internet related, especially when it comes to resources, productivity tools and tips that can be applied to many professions and industries.
Here’s another train of thought my tips and thoughts will undoubtedly wander: Mobile Virtual Assistance. Not just taking the laptop to Starbucks, or working on the road in a hotel …. completely mobile, as in living full time on the road ;o). In late 2005, our 4-person family sold just about everything we owned in Northern California and moved into our 37′ 5th Wheel Travel Trailer. We knew we wanted to join the exodus out of California because of its fast-paced lifestyle, exorbitant cost of living (median home price in our County was almost $800,000), and questionable school system, but had no idea where we wanted to land. Around the same time, my husband was released from his job, so the timing was perfect.
As a Virtual Assistant, my clients were around the country, so location wasn’t a determining factor for running my business. As long as I had an Internet connection and electricity, I could complete my daily tasks. We’ll talk about these challenges and solutions another day. During the majority of 2006, we traveled through 16 states and all the mainland timezones, had adventures, pitfalls, and triumphs, and ultimately landed in the Coeur d’Alene area of Northern Idaho, just in time for the school year to begin.
We had lots of friends and fellow Virtual Assistants (“VAs”) wonder about the “how” it could be done, and I know of at least one VA who’s currently in her preparation stage to hit the road. So, there will be posts, resources, tips and tricks along these lines as well.
So, what will you most likely read about here? Primarily, tips, tricks, thoughts and resources for the Virtual Assistant, Real Estate Professional, Traveling Remote Professional (or those dreaming to be), and those needing the computer for their daily living.
… until the next thought ~ Amber
