Editor’s note: View the original article at InmanNext: "Working Paperlessly in the Mile High City."
Andrea Altieri is managing broker of the Walters Team at Candlewood Realty in Denver, one of the Top Markets For Real Estate Agents, according to an Inman News Special Report.
As a discerning adopter of new technology, Altieri has kept the same ream of paper around for more than a year. Altieri shares her thoughts with InmanNext on staying savvy in a changing market and how a good old-fashioned financing offer still generates leads.
What is the No. 1 "tech challenge" you are faced with?
Keeping up with all of the changes and developments is my No. 1 challenge. I’m pretty tech-savvy and am faced with new choices practically every day. For example, I need a new laptop, but do I buy a tablet or a laptop? IPads don’t support some real estate apps yet, and they haven’t reached what I’d call a fully developed platform, so it’s a conundrum.
Are you involved in social networking — i.e., Facebook and Twitter? If so, briefly tell us how you use it to build your business. If you are not, please tell us why.
Of course I am. Using Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, BranchOut, Google Plus and others are all part of my marketing strategy. The more my name gets out there with good information, the more I am considered an expert.
Do you use tools to work "paperlessly," like DocuSign or DotLoop? Why or why not? How important is that to you?
I use zipForm for contracts and an Adobe digital signature so I can work anywhere, "paperlessly." I email everything and have an e-fax service. It’s taken me a whole year to use up one ream of paper.
Tell us about your website and/or blog. How many leads do you generate from your site on a monthly basis? Is that an important part of your business?
Our Walters Team Real Estate website generates most all of our leads. It depends upon the month and the current economic news for how many leads we generate. It could be 10, it could be 50. People are still looking for properties, but investors are the market force.
We have only a 6.6-month inventory in the Denver metro area because many folks aren’t selling, so I’m running into multiple-offer situations again.
How important do you feel content creation is to your business — i.e., social media posts, blogging and email newsletters? Do you create content yourself or do you outsource part of it?
I generate it when I can. Our team is also developing video webinars on current topical information. My (master’s degree) is in journalism, so I’m a pretty good writer.
How do you balance your time? Are there any tools you use to make juggling everything easier?
Some days I don’t. Some days I just can’t be proactive because multiple people want multiple things. I just have to prioritize and do the best I can.
What is the most important tech tool or app you use on a daily basis?
Virtual Office. It is a great, local MLS (multiple listing service) tool that allows me to generate reports and view properties easily and allows me to send them to my clients easily.
What type of smartphone do you use? IPhone, Droid, Blackberry?
Droid.
Do you use a tablet device? If so, how has it changed your business?
Not yet — I can tether my Droid to my laptop as a wireless hot spot, so I can work anywhere.
What is a specific lead-generation campaign that you did in your local market that worked well, and why?
First-time-buyer financing with $500 down and 100 percent financing (with a credit score of 620 and above) offered by a local bank. It’s still available. (The bank) accepts alternative credit and doesn’t charge PMI (private mortgage insurance). Need I say more?
Read more agent and market profiles: Top Markets For Real Estate Agents.
Katie Lance is the contributing editor of InmanNext, and the social media director for Inman News. InmanNext is a part of Inman News.
