Here is the photographic proof of my MacBook running the MLS software without installing Windows. If you're a Realtor in the Dayton Ohio area and are interested in getting a Mac for your business, don't buy Windows just to access the MLS. I can help you get this running in about 5 minutes.
Wednesday, May 30, 2007
MLS on my MacBook!!!
OK, deep down, I know I'm a geek. It's been quite a few years now since I was paid to write software for a living, but since I write a lot of my own code still for my real estate business, I guess I will never lose my passion for technology.
Cut to may 29th, 2007. I was on the verge of having to break down and install (UGH!) Windows on my new MacBook. The thoughts of doing so were almost unbearable. I bought the Mac because of all the problems I have seen in our office with Vista, and the MLS only supports MS Internet Explorer. After getting the same old song from the local MLS, I contacted the software vendor directly in California to complain. Well, it seems that the good people in California like the Mac as much as I do, and also support using a Citrix Client that I can use with OS X! Oh happy day! After about 10 minutes on the phone, my Mac was running the Citrix Client and I was logged into the MLS without issue.
Now if we can just get them to support FireFox and not have to run through Citrix, all will be right in the world. But for now, Citrix is working great and I didn't have to dumb-down my Mac by installing Windows!
Cut to may 29th, 2007. I was on the verge of having to break down and install (UGH!) Windows on my new MacBook. The thoughts of doing so were almost unbearable. I bought the Mac because of all the problems I have seen in our office with Vista, and the MLS only supports MS Internet Explorer. After getting the same old song from the local MLS, I contacted the software vendor directly in California to complain. Well, it seems that the good people in California like the Mac as much as I do, and also support using a Citrix Client that I can use with OS X! Oh happy day! After about 10 minutes on the phone, my Mac was running the Citrix Client and I was logged into the MLS without issue.
Now if we can just get them to support FireFox and not have to run through Citrix, all will be right in the world. But for now, Citrix is working great and I didn't have to dumb-down my Mac by installing Windows!
Tuesday, May 29, 2007
Happy Birthday Dana!
Today is my wife's birthday and I am very grateful to have such a wonderful woman for my wife.
I Love You Sweetie!
Happy Birthday!!!!
I Love You Sweetie!
Happy Birthday!!!!
Wednesday, May 23, 2007
New Lead!
I'm always smiling when I get a good qualified lead. I was working the phones at home after spending the morning at the office when I took this photo from my MacBook.
I have a new marketing campaign coming out late next week so be sure to check my website for some news that could save you thousands of dollars when you list your home with me!
I have a new marketing campaign coming out late next week so be sure to check my website for some news that could save you thousands of dollars when you list your home with me!
Why Join Exit Realty?
I've had several agents over the past few days talk to me about making a move to Exit Realty Partners. I thought this video might help answer some of your questions.
Tuesday, May 22, 2007
Tuesday Ramblings
Well, Dana is safely in Phoenix for our niece's graduation. I miss her already, but am glad she is there, visiting and having fun.
Lots of stuff going on this week. It's Kyle's last week of school and he can hardly wait for it to be finished. I was the same way at his age, didn't really like school until I went to college. But, when you're 12 like Kyle is, you can't wait for summer to get here.
Real estate is keeping my busy. Working on a new marketing campaign and will start rolling it out next week. Would love to share some of it now, but just can't. Sorry.
Well, back to the grindstone. Have a great day!
Lots of stuff going on this week. It's Kyle's last week of school and he can hardly wait for it to be finished. I was the same way at his age, didn't really like school until I went to college. But, when you're 12 like Kyle is, you can't wait for summer to get here.
Real estate is keeping my busy. Working on a new marketing campaign and will start rolling it out next week. Would love to share some of it now, but just can't. Sorry.
Well, back to the grindstone. Have a great day!
Thursday, May 17, 2007
60 Minutes & Realtors
Just got home a short while ago and I am exhausted. I feel like I could sleep for a week. Being the good Realtor I am, I came downstairs to my home office to check email and check on tomorrows schedule before heading to bed, and I had yet another email concerning the 60 Minutes piece on Realtors & real estate commissions.
Let me first start by saying that I honestly believe a big part of this problem falls on the NAR (National Association of Realtors) and the lack of advertising that promotes the benefits of using Realtors services. Good Realtors earn every dime of their commission. Unfortunately, we are also in an industry with high turn over that gives consumers legitimate cause for concern. Couple that with the part timers who have a hobby business in real estate and you can see why so many people have a low opinion of Realtors.
A bigger part of the blame falls on Realtors that don't keep up with technology. Yes, I am lucky to have come into this industry after spending almost 2 decades working for technology companies, but there is no excuse for not knowing how to cut and paste! If you can't get the digital pictures out of your camera and into the MLS, maybe this isn't the career for you (and a camera phone is NOT an acceptable means of photographing a property). Ours is a very personal business, but technology is quickly making it a tech business, not touch business. This is going to be a vastly different industry in 5 years. Realtors don't want to admit this, but the technology skills are going to be much more important as it gets more competitive.
The biggest part of the blame falls directly on consumers. How can I say that? Because the majority of people out there never interview an agent to find one that's right for them and their needs. They think we all do things the same way. It's just not true. Most people out there think that properties advertised as "For Sale By Owner" are simply trying to avoid paying a commission. I talk to these people all the time, and by far, the number one reason is that they have had such a bad experience previously with Realtors they would rather try to sell it themselves than have to deal with all the hassles of a bad agent.
Just this past Tuesday, I called on an expired property that had been off the market about a week to see if they might be interested in letting me list their property. It had been through 2 different agents previously. Both agents talked about all the wonderful updates the home had, but the first agent took just one photo from the outside. The second agent simply copied the same photo when they got the listing!!! They didn't even take the time to put a new picture in. Then, I was told by the property owner that they had re-listed the home the past Thursday, even though it still hadn't been placed into the MLS the following Tuesday. Chances are, that agent will use the same outdoor photo that two other agents already used. Did the consumer question the tactics of their agent and request changes? Probably not. They weren't even aware that their home was off the market until I brought it to their attention. So yes, consumers have some responsibility here as well.
Our industry is a dynamic thing, and as a full time agent, I look forward to these changes. If I can use technology to lower my operating costs and can pass that savings along to the consumer, I don't see that as a bad thing. I'm sure most of my fellow Realtors don't share that point of view, especially the part timers.
Let me first start by saying that I honestly believe a big part of this problem falls on the NAR (National Association of Realtors) and the lack of advertising that promotes the benefits of using Realtors services. Good Realtors earn every dime of their commission. Unfortunately, we are also in an industry with high turn over that gives consumers legitimate cause for concern. Couple that with the part timers who have a hobby business in real estate and you can see why so many people have a low opinion of Realtors.
A bigger part of the blame falls on Realtors that don't keep up with technology. Yes, I am lucky to have come into this industry after spending almost 2 decades working for technology companies, but there is no excuse for not knowing how to cut and paste! If you can't get the digital pictures out of your camera and into the MLS, maybe this isn't the career for you (and a camera phone is NOT an acceptable means of photographing a property). Ours is a very personal business, but technology is quickly making it a tech business, not touch business. This is going to be a vastly different industry in 5 years. Realtors don't want to admit this, but the technology skills are going to be much more important as it gets more competitive.
The biggest part of the blame falls directly on consumers. How can I say that? Because the majority of people out there never interview an agent to find one that's right for them and their needs. They think we all do things the same way. It's just not true. Most people out there think that properties advertised as "For Sale By Owner" are simply trying to avoid paying a commission. I talk to these people all the time, and by far, the number one reason is that they have had such a bad experience previously with Realtors they would rather try to sell it themselves than have to deal with all the hassles of a bad agent.
Just this past Tuesday, I called on an expired property that had been off the market about a week to see if they might be interested in letting me list their property. It had been through 2 different agents previously. Both agents talked about all the wonderful updates the home had, but the first agent took just one photo from the outside. The second agent simply copied the same photo when they got the listing!!! They didn't even take the time to put a new picture in. Then, I was told by the property owner that they had re-listed the home the past Thursday, even though it still hadn't been placed into the MLS the following Tuesday. Chances are, that agent will use the same outdoor photo that two other agents already used. Did the consumer question the tactics of their agent and request changes? Probably not. They weren't even aware that their home was off the market until I brought it to their attention. So yes, consumers have some responsibility here as well.
Our industry is a dynamic thing, and as a full time agent, I look forward to these changes. If I can use technology to lower my operating costs and can pass that savings along to the consumer, I don't see that as a bad thing. I'm sure most of my fellow Realtors don't share that point of view, especially the part timers.
Thursday Morning Emails
Good morning!
Couldn't resist the chance to try out the Photo Booth software and my iSight camera that comes built into my MacBook. Yes, I'm a Realtor and I get up before noon each day to work, imagine that. On a typical day, we are usually up and running around 5:30 am in the Davison household. Oh, for those of you who saw the 60 Minutes story about Realtors, I have to confess, I didn't see it, but it has a lot of people fired up about it. I read the story online, but haven't had much time to think and comment about it. I think the lazy Realtors (yes, there are a lot of them) and the part-timers (again, a lot of them) are the ones most upset about this. Full timers like myself who can actually provide value for our services will have to react to changes, but I welcome change, and using technology just makes it better for those of us who know how to utilize it and can make a difference for our clients.
I have to confess, I have not had the chance to play with a lot of the iLife software that came with my Mac (too bad for me). Dana is heading to Phoenix on Monday for our Niece's high school graduation so maybe I will get in a few late night session on the machine while she is gone. I can't wait to hook my guitar into Garage Band and try it out.
Have a happy Thursday, and every day!
Couldn't resist the chance to try out the Photo Booth software and my iSight camera that comes built into my MacBook. Yes, I'm a Realtor and I get up before noon each day to work, imagine that. On a typical day, we are usually up and running around 5:30 am in the Davison household. Oh, for those of you who saw the 60 Minutes story about Realtors, I have to confess, I didn't see it, but it has a lot of people fired up about it. I read the story online, but haven't had much time to think and comment about it. I think the lazy Realtors (yes, there are a lot of them) and the part-timers (again, a lot of them) are the ones most upset about this. Full timers like myself who can actually provide value for our services will have to react to changes, but I welcome change, and using technology just makes it better for those of us who know how to utilize it and can make a difference for our clients.
I have to confess, I have not had the chance to play with a lot of the iLife software that came with my Mac (too bad for me). Dana is heading to Phoenix on Monday for our Niece's high school graduation so maybe I will get in a few late night session on the machine while she is gone. I can't wait to hook my guitar into Garage Band and try it out.
Have a happy Thursday, and every day!
Friday, May 11, 2007
Mac Daddy!
Hi everyone! Wow, what a week it has been. Seems like Dana and I have 100 things all going on at the
same time and get hit face first with one when we try to take a minute to rest. We are finally making some progress on our yard work and getting our poor, neglected gardens back into shape. We trimmed shrubs last night and I had to dig one out that had been killed in the last cold snap we had. It was a chore.
I have to tell you, I now understand why people LOVE their Macs! This machine has really been a pleasure to work on. I have plugged every peripheral into it that I own, and they just work, no drivers, no blue screen of death. And the help screens are great (I'm still working on how to do things differently than on a PC) and easy to understand.
Well, it's Mothers Day Week-end, so to all the moms, stepmothers, foster moms, and mothers of our four legged friends out there, I salute you! You certainly deserve more than just one day a year for all your efforts!
same time and get hit face first with one when we try to take a minute to rest. We are finally making some progress on our yard work and getting our poor, neglected gardens back into shape. We trimmed shrubs last night and I had to dig one out that had been killed in the last cold snap we had. It was a chore.I have to tell you, I now understand why people LOVE their Macs! This machine has really been a pleasure to work on. I have plugged every peripheral into it that I own, and they just work, no drivers, no blue screen of death. And the help screens are great (I'm still working on how to do things differently than on a PC) and easy to understand.
Well, it's Mothers Day Week-end, so to all the moms, stepmothers, foster moms, and mothers of our four legged friends out there, I salute you! You certainly deserve more than just one day a year for all your efforts!
Tuesday, May 08, 2007
Mac & Windows PC Peacefully Coexisting
I can just hear all the Mac users out there gasping that I got my new MacBook so close to a Windows PC, but hey, they get along very well and play quite nicely together. I guess It's because I haven't put Vista on the PC (and have no plans to ever move to it).
So far the Mac has been pleasure to work with. I'm still getting used to how it does things vs. how I have always done them on Windows. NeoOffice is working great as is FireFox.
So far the Mac has been pleasure to work with. I'm still getting used to how it does things vs. how I have always done them on Windows. NeoOffice is working great as is FireFox.
Sunday, May 06, 2007
My New MacBook!!!
I have said again and again how much I admire Apple and their products, when it was finally time to replace my old laptop, I decided to take the plunge and get away from Windows. Vista just didn't impress me, and the security issues, don't get me started.
So here it is! A big thanks to my wife Dana for making me stick to my guns and go with the Mac. I'm glad she was there when I was deciding what machine to buy! I Love You Sweetie!
So here it is! A big thanks to my wife Dana for making me stick to my guns and go with the Mac. I'm glad she was there when I was deciding what machine to buy! I Love You Sweetie!
Wednesday, May 02, 2007
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