10 Tech tips for Real Estate Professionals

1. 10 Tech tips for Real Estate Professionals

2. 1. Spam and how to avoid it • How do spammers find your address? • Site Scraping • Account Guessing / Brute Force • Tricking you (mailing lists, site forms) • Buying it from your ISP

3. 1. Spam and how to avoid it • What can you do to stop it? • Use a throw-away e-mail address • Always look out for ‘check this box for…’ • Treat unsubscribe requests with suspicion • Never reply to spam • Forward to spam@cbgundaker.com if you receive it at cbgundaker.com

4. CBGundaker.com Statistics

5. 2. Avoiding Adware/Spyware • Install a reputable complete security software suite, like Norton or McAffee • Do not develop a habit of automatically clicking ‘OK’ when prompted • Avoid certain kinds of free software – games, music, gambling, screen savers, desktop images, pornography

6. 2. Avoiding Adware/Spyware • Never purchase suspiciously low-priced software online or through e-mail offers. • Consider using an alternate browser, like Firefox, if you continue to have problems with Internet Explorer.

10. 3. Protecting your Identity • Keep your passwords secure, regardless of how important you may consider the application • Never re-use a password for online banking or credit card access that you use for any other activity online

11. 3. Protecting your Identity • Choose difficult to guess passwords – avoid pet or children’s names. Change them regularly. • Be cautious when purchasing items online through an unkown vendor, or avoid it completely. Use an online service like PayPal rather than providing CC information to vendors

12. 3. Protecting your Identity • Learn to identify Phishing Scams. Never click links from e-mail that claim to direct you to your bank, credit card or other financial institution. Type the URLs directly into your browser.

14. 4. Marketing Yourself • Make sure the popular real-estate sites contain accurate and up to date information on you. • Check your contact information on a regular basis – make sure you keep your mobile phone up-to-date

17. 5. Marketing your Listings • Always double-check listing accuracy. • Keep a minimum of 6 pictures, but more are recommended. Listing exposure is directly related to the availability and number of pictures. • If you make changes to a listing, notify support@cbgundaker.com with MLS#

18. 6. E-mail dos and don’ts • Never spam potential clients • When e-mailing your SOI, you can use the BCC field to prevent each of them from seeing each other’s addresses • Use a professional signature – make sure they know you aren’t an amateur • Know when/how to use auto-prospecting

20. 7. Keeping in touch • Consider an e-mail capable mobile device if you don’t have the opportunity to check the computer often • Getting the most out of your laptop

21. 8. Digital Images • Image size & File size aren’t the same thing. A small camera provides the same quality image as an expensive one, since you must resize anyway. • Average web listing image: < 50k • Average camerage image: > 1mb

22. 9. Back up your data OFTEN • Portable USB storage devices • External hard drive • DVD-ROM Backups

23. 10. If you’re over your head • Recognize when you’re in over your head, and contact a professional sooner rather than later • Often, computer problems are compounded when someone tries to fix it themselves without knowing what to do.

24. 10. If you’re over your head • CBG Phone support 9am-5pm weekdays 314-298-5300 • E-mail support in case of emergencies support@cbgundaker.com