Top 5 Tools In Your Business That You Couldn't Live Without

[ryanpal]

What are the top 5 tools in your business that you contribute to your success and couldn't live without?

I would say mine are:

1. My assistant (ok this isn't software or a web site but they definitely contribute boat loads)
2. Automated Scripts for site scrapping and data entry
3. Auto Emailer (dadamail)
4. Virtual Assistants (freelance.com)
5. Bandit Signs

What about the rest of the investors on the board?

[justin0419]

1.  Reputation
2.  Banker
3.  Lawyer
4.  Repair guy well versed in everything and with good connections
5.  Support from my wife

[ryanpal]

6. Online record management software (all data accessible through anywhere in the world)
7. Excel (for all data that isn't incorporated in the online system)
8. Zillow and similar sites
9. iPhone (latest addition)
10. Google maps

that's 10 for me...i know others on the board want to share some gold nuggets

[javipa]

Here's some more, in no particular order...

 1.   Aweber (e-Mail auto-responder service for following up on prospective buyers and sellers without having to personally camp on people.
 2.  Corelogic (property data, ownership, direct mail list records source, comps, loan info.)
 3.  Word Press (Creating instant website platforms with unlimited RE related themes).
 4.  Hostgator (Hosting RE webpages and self-downloading WP platform and themes).
 5.  Camtasia (video editing ...especially good for screen capture, but editing anything else imaginable, including video tours, narrations, music, etc.)

Plus six...

 6.   Easy Video Player Pro (Posting, Formatting RE related Videos For Replay)
 7.   Amazon S3 (Online storage for reliable, error-free, video/audio streaming)
 8.   Postlets (Creates nice ads for houses for sale and provides html embed code for all online classified advertising that accepts html).
 9.   Outlook (Contact management, calendar, follow-up, appointments, reminders, etc.)
10.  Excel (Database management/manipulation) to create personalized direct mail pieces of all kinds.
11.  Word (Merging Excel database information into personalized direct mail pieces.

I would like to know which craigslist "strippers" are being used, and what your virtual assistants are being asked to do specifically...

Good posts.

[ryanpal]

Javipa,

I haven't used a craigslist scraper in a while but I was using "CraigslistEmailHarvesterPro.1.1.0".  You should be able to find a free version that doesn't limit you to 50 exported emails.  My VA's are doing everything that involves data entry and/or is repetitious and time consuming.  Mostly skip tracing, obtaining data from MLS and putting it into excel, phone number look ups, and tax records (mailing info).

My question to you is...what does Corelogic provide that other sites do not?  Also, what their monthly fee?

thanks,
Ryan

[javipa]

Corelogic gathers and distributes raw data for at least DataQuick, RealQuest and SitexData.  Corelogic is either a subsidiary, or parent, of First American Title Company. 

They're not inexpensive.  There about 1500/year, depending on the county (and package) you buy.  It's like buying 'minutes' on T-Mobile, but without the roll-over option. 

The best thing is that you have the most recent information available coupled with serious sifting capability.  Their farm mapping/sifting tools are excellent.

You can draw borders on their online map of the territory and create highly defined farm packages for yourself (for direct mail, etc).   You can also sift for all the data the county collects ...from loan rates, terms and balances, to down payments (with a little math).

The other valuable part is getting access to ALL of the most accurate, actual comps in your farm, including private sales, not just the higher priced MLS comps.  It's fine to use MLS comps to work the retail buyers over...     But not when buying.

Also, it's really nice not to have to ask the seller, invasive, banal questions like "How much do you owe?" or "How long have you owned the property?" or the worst one, "Are you in foreclosure?"  You don't even need to ask about the size of the house.  You'll only need to know what they're asking and then work your way elegantly to "Why are you selling?"

Meantime, all you really need is the seller's address.  You don't even need the seller's name.  And if you're sifting is refined enough, you'll already know what the seller's house looks like, because you chose to include it in your direct mail list.  Who knew this was possible?   

[ryanpal]

Javipa,

Great info and definitely worth looking into.

back on topic...who else has items to share?

[chunkoftheearth]

What are the top 5 tools in your business that you contribute to your success and couldn't live without?

I would say mine are:

1. My assistant (ok this isn't software or a web site but they definitely contribute boat loads)
2. Automated Scripts for site scrapping and data entry
3. Auto Emailer (dadamail)
4. Virtual Assistants (freelance.com)
5. Bandit Signs

What about the rest of the investors on the board?

Brah, for me the list is as follows:

1) MONEY.  Just hook it up to my veins brah.  Monthly cash, equity, all good.
2) Marketing of all kinds. 
3) Computer.  Sure could do without, but makes doing business easier.
4) Knowledge.  Being able to put deals together where others can't.
5) Work ethic.  This business takes lots of hard WORK.

[acoleman56]

1. God
2. Virtual Assistants and Team Members
3. I Phone/ I Pad
4. Money
5. Education

[javipa]

Hmmm.  I hadn't thought to use God as a tool.  What's that run? 

[kdhastedt]

Hmmm.  I hadn't thought to use God as a tool.  What's that run? 

It's priceless, Jay...the only cost involved is if you don't!

Keith

[acoleman56]

I knew I would start something everything is God, it is priceless but you don't have to believe. I just know people who don't have a their own idea of high power STRUGGLE with everything! They are lost in the sauce official A-1!

[ryanpal]

I'll add another.  Not sure how this was missed.

Networking