Real Estate LEADER Magazine (Summer 2004) - Mississippi ...

Been there,
done that
A REALTOR ® Guest ColuMnist ShareS HIS StorY
Saying goodbye to the typewriter:
One REALTOR triumphs over technology
Technology is becoming an important factor in our lives and a critical success
factor in the business of real estate. E-mail and the web have become
second nature. Nobody wonders what the Internet is anymore, and the
prediction of a computer in every home is coming true. As a broker/owner and
appraiser, I thank technology one minute and curse it the next. I’m sure you
can relate. I act as "technology guru" for my office and am the one my agents
call when their computers freeze or start zigging instead of zagging.
One thing I have learned about technology is that you must keep up. Until
recently, I refused to connect my office to a network. I worried that one mistake
on the network could result in all of my priceless data being lost. Finally, I
realized that I’ve been holding myself back. The time and money saved by networking
just makes good business sense. I plan to have my office connected by
this summer.
If you haven’t learned to use a computer – or learned to use a computer well
– I encourage you to take the plunge. My office is located within a block of
Delta State University and many of my agents have taken computer classes.
Becoming proficient in the use of e-mail, for example, has helped agents stay
connected with clients and provides them with fast and efficient customer service.
We have also switched exclusively to using digital cameras. Not having to
wait for film to develop means that agents can e-mail pictures within minutes.
The quicker we can accommodate our clients, the better our business will be.
Technology has made my work as an appraiser much easier, too. Ten years
ago I was typing my appraisals on a typewriter, pasting my maps and photographs,
and drawing my floor plans with a ruler and pencil. Then, I would mail
the appraisals via "snail mail." Now, I complete the report on my computer,
including downloaded maps, digital pictures and a computer sketch. The entire
appraisal is e-mailed within minutes.
By the way, my typewriter now collects dust on a shelf in my supply closet.
Isn’t it about time you retired yours, too? n
David Griffith is a broker and Certified General Appraiser
with Griffith Real Estate in Cleveland. He currently serves
as chair of MAR’s Information & Technology Advocacy
Group.
9 / MISSISSIPPI REAL ESTATE LEADER / Summer 2004