Here are just a few of the FREE or low cost tools available online to make your life and business simpler:

• Electronic Fax Programs - http://www.efax.com, http://www.packetel.com, http://maxemail.com, https://www.callwave.com/landing/VirtualFax_L1.aspx Receive important fax documents directly to your email! All charge a minimal monthly fee.
• http://www.primopdf.com and http://www.cutepdf.com - Free software to convert any printable document to a .pdf format.
• http://www.slide.com/ - Create a free slide show with your photos. Great for Website, Listings, Family and Friends etc.
• http://www.blogbackuponline.com/ BlogBackupOnline provides an effortless FREE way to backup, restore, and export your blog.
• To repeat my earlier post, try http://www.jott.com. I use it everyday!
• http://tinyurl.com/ - Sending an email with an extra long URL? Use this tool to convert the URL to a much shorter one!
• http://picasa.google.com - Free Photo editing software... organize, retouch and resize photos.
• http://www.google.com/talk/service/badge/New Free Google Talk Back - Add a "Chat with me now!" link on your website so visitors can contact you when you are online! (must have a Gmail login/pw)
• https://www.wufoo.com/ - Create free forms for your website to get feedback from clients and more!
• http://www.Meebo.com - Log into your Instant Messaging accounts all at once, from anywhere!
• http://earth.google.com/ - Google Earth lets you fly anywhere on Earth to view satellite imagery, maps, terrain, 3D buildings and even explore galaxies in the Sky.
• http://www.zipcodestats.com/ - type in any US Zip Code and receive valuable information about that area.
• http://www.birthdayalarm.com/ - Great to track clients, friends and family birthdays.
• http://www.joggle.com/ Enjoy all your pics, flix and tunes from one single page, no matter where you keep them. Share it all, from anywhere, with a single click.
• http://www.annualcreditreport.com/cra/index.jsp This central site allows you to request a free credit file disclosure, commonly called a credit report, once every 12 months from each of the nationwide consumer credit reporting companies: Equifax, Experian and TransUnion.
• 411 for FREE! Looking for an address or phone number? Weather? Movie times? Simply text what you are looking for to 46645. For example, I can text “tallahassee fl weather” and I receive a response with the conditions for the next 3 days! (standard text charges may apply)

Free Computer Protection Software
• http://free.avg.com/ - AVG Free provides you with basic antivirus and antispyware protection for Windows and is available to download for free.
• http://www.threatfire.com/ - ThreatFire continually protects your PC against attacks by detecting malicious behavior, such as capturing your keystrokes or stealing your data, instead of only looking for known threats like normal antivirus software.
Is there something missing from this list? Feel free to add any tools you’ve found useful by commenting below! Enjoy!

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High gas prices are a hot issue affecting today’s economy, including the real estate market. Before gas prices rose so dramatically, many home buyers opted for suburban homes with big yards and lots of space. Commuting time and gas prices were not as much of a concern. There was an emphasis on suburban home buying and the “white picket fence” depiction of family life and perfect home living in the suburbs. People at the time strove to get a job, make money, start a family, and move away from the city into a nice home with a big yard where you could host parties on the deck and let your children play. But, with rising gas prices is that suburban “white picket fence” lifestyle history?

About a decade ago, it was financially a good idea to pay for gas at $1.25 a gallon in order to commute to work than living in downtown areas closer to work but with a higher cost of living. And, at the time, there were more perks to outweigh the fact that suburban homeowners had to spend more money on gas [1]. Suburban living provided more privacy and open space for families and thought to be more ideal for raising children. Dealing with traffic and commuting was only a small part of daily life, while city dwellers lived in the hectic lifestyle 24/7. Even if they were not driving, but walking, there was constant noise and chaos from the surrounding environment.

Suburban homeowners only had to think about traffic and commuting for a small portion of their day, going to work and coming home. Downtown homeowners had to constantly think about what roads to take to avoid traffic; where and when they can park their car before it’s so packed on the streets that they cannot find a parking spot. And, they would also have to be aware of the people coming into their neighborhood and living space for work and entertainment. But, now with gas prices above three and four dollars nationwide, commuting time and location has become a much bigger impact on home buying.

Many people are looking into moving into the downtown metro areas to avoid their commuting and gas price woes. Suddenly, people are willing to trade in their privacy and larger living space for shorter commute times and less money spent on gas. The real estate market trends are evidence to back up this claim. In a survey of 900 Coldwell Banker agents, results showed that 96% said that rising gas prices were a concern to their home buying clients [3].

Of course that doesn’t mean that they would rather live in the cities than the suburbs; it could mean they still want to live in the suburbs but with a shorter commute time than they already have. But, from the same survey 78% said that higher fuel costs are increasing their desire to move out of the suburbs completely and move into the cities [3]. Home prices out in the suburbs nationwide are decreasing as the demand for them drop, and homes in close proximity to train stations and public transportation have become relatively more expensive and sought after due to current gas prices.

This home buying change results in new condominiums being constructed in downtown cities to accommodate the demand for more urban living. Experts are even saying that we need to prepare for a “city of the future.” There’s going to be a bigger focus on central city living and more public transportation services. Instead of homes and neighborhoods being extended horizontally farther into farmlands and country sides, neighborhoods will be vertical as condominiums and tall skyscraper buildings will be essential in providing many homes and businesses in small, but centrally-located, areas [2].

Although, many realtors are already aware of this switched-location focus, it is going to change the way of selling homes drastically. Realtors had a fixed way of marketing and selling homes because they knew what their consumers wanted and for a long time it did not change. It will be interesting to see what advancements and changes the real estate market will go through to familiarize and adjust to this changing trend that seems like it’s here to stay for quite some time.
References:
[1] www.newsweek.com
[2] www.realestate.msn.com
[3] www.cnn.com

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Consumers looking here. Realtors advertising there?

77% of consumers searched the Internet for information regarding real estate. That is compared to 33% for print. Not surprising, right? What is surprising is that the biggest share of a Realtor’s advertising spend at 40% is print.

A titanic disconnect of where consumers look for real estate and where Realtors advertise.

Based upon a recent study by Yahoo! Inc., here are the results:

• Home buyers and sellers consider approximately two agents on average before making a final decision.
• The Internet impacts consumer trust. Forty percent of respondents credited a site in increasing their trust in the agent.
• 74 percent of people who accessed an agent Web site got there with the help of a search engine.
• The online research process is quick and intense: consumers spent an average of 12 hours online researching agents and 75 percent selected an agent within one week of starting their search.
• 45 percent of respondents used the Internet to learn about agents they didn’t know existed.
• 41 percent discovered special deals and promotions offered from an agent through the Internet.

What is clear is that home buyers, and consumers in general, are moving toward the Internet, not away from it. Shouldn't the savvy Realtor be moving their dollars there as well?

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Do you remember when the Jetsons met the Flintstones? Each felt as if they were in a different world in which they did not belong. The Flintstones had to adapt to the new technology of their surroundings, while the Jetsons had to adapt to living without technology. I think we can appreciate what they dealt with in our own world today.

Technology is booming and the way of the future, but the Green mentality is also taking over. How do we marry the two? Advertisements tell you that you can invest in remodeling your home to benefit both the environment and your pockets, but this poses a concern: Can you really save energy and the economy by living like the Flintstones with the demeanor of the Jetsons?

I believe you can do both. Here are some things that can be incorporated into your house to not only automate, but conserve energy as well:
• Home-automation systems today minimize manual labor while conserving at the same time. Have you ever forgotten to turn the lights out in a closet or bathroom? Install vacancy sensors and you won’t have to worry anymore. These sensors turn lights on and off automatically. They sense changes in heat, including body heat and know when a person enters or exits the room [1]. Stop worrying about remembering the lights; these lights think for themselves.
• How about heating and air conditioning? If you get hot, sensors turn up the air conditioning to let out large amounts of cool air and just the opposite if you get cold. With programmable thermostats, the temperature is automatically adjusted to the occupants comfort level and to the level that is the most efficient for the HVAC system [1].
• Motorized blinds automatically rise, lower, open and close. They too use sensors and can control the room temperature, thus minimizing the need for air conditioning [1].
• An integrated control panel can reduce clutter and help conserve energy at the same time. Put away all those remote controls and use just one. Saves time and energy.
• The iPhone now makes it possible for individuals to monitor a home’s energy consumption. Wow, Apple does it all don’t they? The visual display shows a graphic of the home and how much energy is expended in different rooms of the home and whether energy consumption is low, moderate, or high for that area. It even provides a close-up of the room you choose, telling individuals the amount of energy exerted and from which devices [1].
• In the bathroom, low-flush or dual-flush toilets work to minimize the amount of water used in the toilet.
• Homeowners can use recycled countertops, solar panels, and Energy-Star approved appliances. What a deal!

All of these items do just what they are created to do: They maximize lifestyle and sustainability.

This is not to say that in order to sell a home you have to completely renovate with all sustainable and automated products. That can get expensive in and of itself, but it is the small things that will make the difference.

Installing modern technologies, whether it is Energy-Star-approved appliances or radiant-heated floors, will give your home a distinct advantage over other homes in the market while simultaneously improving the environment.

The trick of today’s household technologies is to keep it modern yet not compromise one’s way of life. No one really wants to employ a wooly mammoth to spray them down in the shower like the Flintstones did, and, I do not think people are truly ready for a Rosie-the-robot-maid in every home either. Create a middle ground between being sustainable and technologically-advanced based on what is acceptable and desired in today’s society.

References:
[1] www.electronichouse.com
[2] www.trendir.com
[3] www.greenhomeguide.com
[4] mag.awn.com/.../goodman05_jetsonsFlintstone.jpg

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Does it seem like sometimes there are just too many websites you need to access online throughout your day? Many of us need to visit a dozen or so different websites to make online payments, check email, receive critical updates, access social networking, all of which require entering their own login information. If this sounds like your daily schedule, remembering various domain names and the occasional “password amnesia” can cause serious frustration and overload.

Pageonce.com, marketed as your “personal internet assistant,” provides a free service to their users which allows them the ability to access all of their various online accounts through one central login screen. Their service allows you to integrate directly with top national banks, cellular companies, utility companies, various email accounts, eBay accounts, social networking sites and many others.

I know firsthand that accessing so many different sites daily can get overwhelming at times, so I decided to setup a Pageonce.com account myself. I was initially skeptical about the service though, heavily concerned about security issues and the possibility that my accounts might be hacked through Pageonce.com. As it turns out, Pageonce.com only has access to your information as part of a “read only” online feed, which can not update or change your accounts. The Pageonce.com service and security is considered to be on par with military level security, certified with Verisign, Truste, and deemed "hacker safe" by McAfee. Another benefit of using a Pageonce.com account is that one can reduce exposure to and eliminate the possibility of “phishing” fraud, a method used to obtain login information of victims online by creating bogus login screens of popular websites.

Though it did take about an hour to setup and store all my usernames and passwords, I believe my preliminary hard work paid off. I can now view from one consolidated login screen and see my credit card balance(s), utility bill balance and next payment, DirecTV balance and next payment, cell phone balance and minutes left, Marriott Rewards balance, LinkedIn messages, Hotmail emails read/unread, Starbuck’s card balance, and a number of others. And even though my local utility company was originally not listed as a partner, I submitted a request to add them as a new partner. About a week later, I received an email notice stating that my utility company was added to my websites, illustrating the adaptability of Pageonce.com. As part of their commitment to user security and communication, Pageonce.com also sends email notices when a significant change is made to one of my accounts through their site.

While still in beta testing, the consolidated website account access from Pageonce.com is a fantastic concept and definitely worth giving a try.

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These were interesting comments from Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson. With an FDIC housing conference last week, he shared blunt, tough-love comments about the home foreclosure crisis.

Does Time = Money? Well, it is a bit more complicated than that. Alison Rogers sheds more light on the subject. Her article is called, "Time is money...sometimes."

Would you like to move to one of the best places to live in this fine country of ours? Check out CNNMoney's 100 Best Places to Live.

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Below are a few of the headlines I have culled from the various and sundry sites relating to real estate for the week of July 7, 2008, after the fourth of July weekend:

Would you like to buy a house for as little as $1,800? Yes, that is the entire asking price!

The Starbucks Effect. Would you like a house with that latte?

Can You Rely On Your Home Equity Line of Credit? Check this out!

Are there still buyers for condos in S Florida? Absolutely!

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I want to thank the Future of Real Estate Marketing blog for giving us good info on these social networking sites.

Most know by now that Web 2.0 is not going away and it is here to stay. We humans are naturally social, and so even with the advent of theInternet where we can cloister ourselves away and order everything we need to live online, we still want that interaction with other humans. We want to feel the human touch.

Enter online communities.

According to Wikipedia, "a virtual community, e-community or online community is a group of people that primarily interact via communication media such as letters, telephone, email or Usenet rather than face to face, for social, professional, educational or other purposes."

Online communities have been around since the late 1980s (BBS anyone?), but they have proliferated in the last five years, and more continue to pop up on the horizon with the advent of the latest ideas and technologies.

Below are a few of the most popular communities online:

* Linkedin.com - This is a professional social networking site that is gaining ground fast. According to their website, "Linkedin is an online network of more than 20 million experienced professionals from around the world, representing 150 industries."
o How can I use this in my business? Contacts, baby!
* Ning.com - This is a do-it-yourself social networking site. According to their website, "Our passion is putting new social networks in the hands of anyone with a good idea. With Ning, your social network can be anything and for anyone."
o Again with the contacts, but you can also be known as that genius on the specific topic of townhouses in Hoboken, NJ. Or wherever else.
* Facebook.com - Facebook seems to be the slightly grown-up version of myspace.com. According to the Facebook website, "Users can join networks organized by city, workplace, school, and region to connect and interact with other people. People can also add friends and send them messages, and update their personal profile to notify friends about themselves."
o Making contacts is key to any business, isn't it? Just slap up your information, make some friends, and you just might sell property for someone you meet through the site.
* Squidoo.com - This is a bit different from the above three site. According to their website, Squidoo is a site "...designed to make it easy for anyone, for free, to set up a single page on a topic he or she knows or cares a lot about. Advertising revenue is shared with these content creators, and some of it is given to charity."
o Become the expert writer-slash-real estate guru when people begin to discover your squidoo page.

Why bother with online communities at all? We are all busy, so what is the importance of these sites? One word: eyeballs. Millions upon millions of people all over the world reside within these sites. They spend lots of time in them. If you had the chance to reach out and touch that many people, would you take the opportunity?

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My guess is that you’ve heard about the new iPhone release – twice as fast and half the price.

But the aspect that I’m just as interested in is the built-in GPS. As mobile devices like the iPhone and Dash become more sophisticated, the possibilities for agents and home shoppers get pretty exciting.

For example, how nice would it be to drive through a neighborhood, stop your car, click the “show-me-homes- that-match-my-preferences-near-where-I-am” button and magically see a map with listings pinned.

Then maybe you could press the “speak-the-driving-directions-to-me” button, and have a voice-automated tour of the homes on your list.

When you got within reach of your home’s wireless network, you could click the “print-my-favorites” button.

It’s just a matter of time.

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Is your email inbox more of a dumping ground for the long list of tasks that seem to continuously grow? Have you even tried to find that specific email regarding the issue you know was resolved, but seems to have popped up again? Are you constantly digging through emails from your colleagues to find a signature with their phone numbers on it? I have to share my favorite organizational tool with you, and it is FREE!

This savior of my Outlook Inbox is Xobni! Funny name for a great tool (it is inbox spelled backwards) but it truly works! Some of the features are:

--Easy to navigate, right side tool bar that instantly shows connections between you, the highlighted sender and the people you both communicate with
--Document/attachment history from each contact
--Email conversation “threads”
--Super fast email search through all of your Outlook
--Easy and quick appointment scheduling
--Automatic phone number extraction for each contact
--Editable contact profiles

One feature I love is that you can search by people—and it will search your entire Outlook, not just one folder! This free product has really made my email much easier to use. Honestly, after using Xobni for the last 3 weeks, I don’t think I can go back to not having it!

To download your own free Outlook inbox miracle, visit the Xobni website:

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Have you ever been out and about and you think of things you need to do, people you need to follow up with or something you just don’t want to forget? Then you realize you have nothing to write on or you write it down, but misplace the paper you wrote it on.

No longer. I've discovered Jott, a very handy free service you can sign up for online. Jott allows its users to easily send emails and text messages, set reminders, organize lists, and much more, and here is the kicker, all by voice commands!

As described on their website, you can use Jott in the following ways:

--Stuck in traffic? Email your boss and let her know you're going to be late.
--Running errands and need to multi-task? Text message your brother with your voice and ask him to bring the salad for tomorrow's dinner party.
--On your way out the door and forgot something? Email your co-workers to have them send their quarterly reports for your presentation.
--Set reminders for your dad's birthday
--Add a reminder to your to-do list from Jott.com
--Create reminders for doctor appointments
--Use the reminder function to stay on top of all your meetings at work
--Add home projects to your to-do-list
--Jott yourself TV shows to record
--Set a reminder to remember to pick up the birthday cake
--Create appointments on your 30 Boxes™ or Google™ calendar
So next time you need to remember something important or remind yourself of something, be sure you’ve signed up with Jott!

After all, their motto is “Life is busy. Talk to Jott. Get Simple Back™.”

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Beware and be careful!

Ah yes Baja California or “Under” California as it’s known, is a gorgeous strip of land stretching 700 miles from Tijuana, Mexico to Cabo San Lucas with golden beaches, five star resorts, golf courses, world-class fishing and of course affordable beach front real estate. It’s easy to get sucked into the vapors of owning land on this pristine peninsula so please do your homework.

Many investors who have not done their due diligence will be paying the price much like many of us who have purchased real estate the past four years in the United States. The recent downturn in the national U.S. real estate market accompanied by a real estate boom in Baja California leads me to believe that we are jumping in with both feet again before testing the international waters.

U.S. lenders entered the Mexican market a few years ago resulting in a burst of real estate investment coupled with an influx of buyers who used their home equity in their primary residences to secure property in Mexico. What a great time to invest, right? Not exactly. Many factors like vanishing home equity, dropping home prices and the disappearance of the U.S. sub-prime market have led to many key U.S. banks and lenders to exit the Baja real estate market.

Also, keep in mind that Baja is one of Mexico’s “Prohibited Zones” meaning foreign investors are not allowed from owning property titles in these areas.

However, there are still ways to purchase property legally there. Below is a link to more detailed information that explains foreign ownership, specifically with regard to Baja, California.

Foreign Ownership in Baja, California

Good luck!

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Homes.com has added another new partner to their expanding listing exposure network.

Hotpads.com, a valuable, free property listing resource of 2 million homes for sale most recently recognized for strides in heat mapping & foreclosure trend analysis, is the latest site to receive a property listing feed from Homes.com.

Through this partnership, Homes.com clients can choose to export their hand-entered listings directly to Hotpads. This addition to the partner network was recently announced by both Homes.com & Hotpads.com to their respective clients and is an exciting new option for Homes.com agents and brokers.

Hotpads.com joins Zillow, Vast, Google Base, Oodle.com, HarmonHomes.com, Trulia, Propbot.com, Yahoo Real Estate and Bargain Network as the latest choice for property distribution for Homes.com customers.

Stay tuned for even more export partners coming on board!

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Where will you be this week?

Thousands of real estate agents & brokers will be heading to Washington, DC May 14-16, to join in the 2008 National Association of Realtors Mid-Year Legislative Meetings & Trade Expo.

As the National Association of Realtors celebrates its 100th birthday celebration during this year’s expo, the agenda promises to be the best yet.

Homes.com is exhibiting as part of the Dominion Pavilion, Booth #320, along with eNeighborhoods, Advanced Access and #1Expert.

All agents & brokers are welcome to stop by and register for your chance to win a FREE iPod, and various show specials.

Hope to see you there!

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Going green, becoming eco-friendly and conservation are the hot topic these days. Whether you want to save the planet, save a few bucks or just get with the times, we're here to help!
Green Living 101 is a profile piece on Green Living with the help of Jessica and Jason Pelletier. They started their business, Lowimpactliving.com in 2006, and they have some great tips on how to live fully without a trouble non-green conscience.

Here is a slightly contrary view on buying eco-friendly housing and the cost it entails.

And finally, from the website, Thegoodhuman.com, comes ten things that can make a home eco-friendly.

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