What to Do in the First Month

Buy the Right Tools

BY MICHAEL ANTONIAK

Technology delivers many tools for empowering a career in real estate sales. A cell phone, computer system, and e-mail account help make more productive use of your time as you provide the responsive services today’s wired and Web-savvy buyers and sellers expect.

When you’re just starting out, though, the cost of equipping yourself with the essentials can pose an unexpected expense. Set a technology budget—figure out what you can afford to invest without overburdening yourself with debt—and stand by it. Expect to work at least part of your time at home. So even if the brokerage or franchise supplies you with tools, you’ll probably want to outfit a home office as well.

If you’re starting on a shoestring budget, consider leasing rather than purchasing a big-ticket item like a computer. If the company has a digital camera available to staff, borrow it as needed until you can buy your own. Buy only the tools you know you’ll use.

Assembled here, in order of priority, are items that should be found in every new real estate salesperson’s technology toolbox.

What to Get Now

• Cell phone. If you buy nothing else, get a cell phone. It’s the one absolute essential for today’s mobile real estate professional. Buyers and sellers will want to reach you throughout the day, and you need to take and make calls, wherever you are.
  
  
  Starting out, opt for a basic phone with affordable coverage in the areas you roam, during the hours you’ll make most of your calls. A two-band analog/digital phone is your best assurance calls will get through.
  
  
  The standard calling plan may not be your best option. Most are based on daytime usage. If you’re not sure yet when and where your phone will get the most use, talk to your peers about which carrier provides the best service and which plan they use. Make sure you can upgrade or switch plans without incurring additional fees before you sign the service contract.
  
  
• Computer system. The computer will be your hub of activity. It’s where you’ll organize all information on clients and properties; compose correspondence and marketing materials; and access the Web, which is essential to more and more real estate transactions.
  
  
  Your big decision: a desk-bound or portable computer system? Desktop systems are more affordable, starting well under $1,000, with the most value for your dollar at every price.
  
  
  Portables—notebooks, Tablet PCs, and bulkier desktop replacements—cost more than comparably equipped desktop systems. For the difference, though, your computer resources travel with you. If you’re inclined toward a portable, try before buying: the keyboard and screen of mobile PCs may not rival what you’d expect in a desktop system.
  
  
  Whatever your preference, you’ll extend the computer’s useful life by buying the best system you can afford now. Opt for the fastest processor, the most RAM, and the largest hard drive and screen your budget allows. Make sure there’s some form of drive—ideally a CD-R or DVD-R drive—for backing up data.
  
  
• Printer and more. The printer is a key component of your computer system, whether or not one is bundled with the computer. You want color: an inkjet when funds are limited; a laser printer if money isn’t an issue.
  
  
  For the most bang for your buck, check out a multifunction machine, or MFM. These combination printer/scanner/copiers handle all your document needs. Entry-level MFMs start at about $100, making them an attractive option for all users, and especially the home office. They also take up much less space since you won’t have to have a separate unit for each task.
  
  
• Web presence. Today’s buyers search the Web first when looking for a home, and it’s where many will initiate inquiries about listings and services. You need an ISP account for Web service, your own Web site or a page on your company’s site, and an e-mail address where buyers and sellers can reach you.
  
  
  For your Internet connection, a broadband connection, such as DSL or cable modem, is worth the expense.
  
  
• Software. To get started, you’ll need productivity software, such as applications for word processing, a database, graphics, presentations, and spreadsheets, usually purchased as a suite; a Web browser and e-mail account application, and financial management software.
  
  
  Real estate professionals also should invest in a contact management solution, either a generic program or one developed for the field. The software helps organize information about your calendar, clients, properties, and related activity. It’s only as valuable as the information you regularly enter. Develop that habit from the outset of your new career.
  
  
  If you don’t trust your artistic instincts, buy a graphics program for marketing and print promotions. These provide templates to build the flyers, CMAs, postcards, and brochures that make you and your listings look best in print.
  
  
• Fax machine. When asked to get a contract or floor plan to a client ASAP, a fax machine is a major convenience. Fax capabilities are often built into MFM machines or included as software. If not, fax machines start at about $100.
  
  
• Digital camera. Nothing promotes the appeal of a home like a good color picture, online and in print. A digital camera will pay for itself over time in savings on film and processing. It’s the best way to capture pictures destined for the Web. Prices start at about $100, but you don’t want one of the entry-level cameras. Spend a little more for an image sensor of at least 2 megapixels, a power zoom lens that accepts a wide-angle lens adapter, and both an LCD screen and through-the-lens viewfinder. Sample several cameras before making your selection.

• PDA. Best considered an extension of your primary computer system, a PDA gives you a compact alternative to carrying a laptop. Models run on either the Palm operating system or a version of Windows for handhelds. Prices start at about $100 for basic models, which can be loaded with information from your contact database, to wireless handheld computers costing $500 or more.
  
  
• All-in-one handheld. These mobile solutions give you everything you could possibly need in the field: PDA functions, wireless e-mail, wireless Web browsing, and cellular voice and data communications. The selection includes both PDA communicators and smartphones for $300 or more.
  
  
• Mobile e-mail. As you become more reliant on e-mail, you’ll want e-mail in the field. You can opt for wireless e-mail communicators, or you can receive e-mail via certain cell phones, smartphones, and wireless-enabled PDAs for an added fee.
  
  
• Computer system peripherals and upgrades. A variety of peripherals, expansion cards, and upgrades can enhance the capabilities of a notebook or desktop system. Use add-ons to boost performance by increasing memory (upgrade the RAM with additional memory modules), expand storage capacity, or plug in new components.
  
  
• A second printer. A mobile inkjet printer will allow you to print in the field. Back at the office, a color laser model will prove a worthy upgrade when printing color documents in volume.
  
  
• Wireless networking: At some point, a wireless network—which does away with all the cables once required to network your computer, peripherals, and other users—will make sense. By eliminating the physical limitations imposed by a wired network, you'll enjoy greater mobility working in your office. Wireless also makes it easy to add additional users and equipment to the network.