Inman is interviewing real estate professionals in every area of the field to talk about technology use. Here’s Caroline Gosselin, head of The Gosselin Group and an Inman contributor.
What model phone do you use and why?
I have an iPhone 6 Plus because I dropped my 5S and it smashed on a rock. (The last picture in the 5S was of it free-falling onto the rock.) I got the screen of the 5S fixed and gave it to my 80-year-old father as his first iPhone. I then upgraded to the 6 Plus.
What are your top three apps on your phone?
Facebook, Sunrise, Wunderlist.
How do you split your digital time: how much mobile, how much desktop?
50 percent desktop, 50 percent mobile (I think — though it might be the other way around! J/K).
Describe your job. What do you do every day? How does technology support (or not support) your daily job description?
I am a Realtor and thus am a communicator, logistics person, scheduler, fire putter outer, negotiator and multitasker. Technology allows me to streamline everything I do and to do it on the go.
Do you consider yourself an early adopter of technology? Or do you wait to see what’s working for other people?
I think I would put myself somewhere between early adopter and early majority on the innovation adoption bell curve.
What’s the biggest technology-related challenge you face today? How do you solve it?
Integrating all the various systems I use into one continuous flow. I just hired Curaytor to handle my website, digital marketing and CRM. Going to give that a serious go, as I have a lot of faith in the founders, Chris Smith and Jimmy Mackin — they have always been ahead of the curve.
What do you think is the biggest overall challenge facing the real estate industry? Will technology be able to address it?
Technology is, unfortunately, not going to create harder “barriers of entry” into our industry. In fact, I think technology is enabling those “dabblers” who really shouldn’t be in the business to “fool” the customers into thinking they are full-time Realtors. There is a difference, and consumers don’t realize it until it is too late.
How do you feel technology is changing the real estate industry? Are these changes making the industry better or worse? Why?
It is making the process more streamlined for all parties involved in a transaction and putting so much information at the consumers’ fingertips. As Realtors, we need to show the consumer they need us to help distill the information and act as their trusted adviser.
What email system do you use?
Gmail. Lots of useful extensions, such as Boomerang, that make keeping my inbox (as close) to zero as possible.
Which CRM do you use? What do you like about it, and what feature do you wish it would add in the future?
I have been using Excel but am switching to Follow Up Boss. Can’t report on it yet.
Do you use a calendar app? Which one? What do you like about it?
Sunrise. It’s simple and works seamlessly with Google Calendar across all my devices. (I have to give credit to Peter Brewer for recommending that one to me.)
Do you use digital documents, which one? Why?
I use DocuSign. Because I heard about them at an Inman show a few years back and have been using it ever since. Makes working with clients and deadlines so much easier.
Do you own a camera? What kind? What do you like about it?
I splurged on a Nikon D70 eight years ago and loved it. But when I got the iPhone, I simply have been using it ever since because it is small, compact and so much easier to use on the fly. I use it for everything (work events, vacations). However, I hire a professional photographer and videographer for my listings.
What kind of laptop or tablet (or both) do you own?
I have a MacBook Pro. I use that and my iPhone. I won an iPad at an industry event in 2010, but never took to it. My son uses it.
Do you have a Nest thermostat in your home?
No. Not an early adopter on this one. But it is on my radar.
Do you play games on any of your devices? Which ones?
No. Don’t have time!
Which websites do you visit every day? Why?
Huffington Post for morning news. Inman for industry news. My local MLS site for inventory update.
Which social media app do you use the most on your phone? Your tablet? Your computer?
Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
What’s on your technology wish list — for yourself or for work?
For myself … I want to learn how to use Lightroom to work on photos, and I’m thinking of getting a Fitbit.
For work … Aside from needing a new home office printer, I think I’ve bitten off more than I can chew for now!
Where do you get most of your leads: portals or other sources?
Most of my leads come from past clients and professional networking circles. I just purchased a partial Zillow ZIP code and just hired Curaytor to do a full revamp of my website, CRM and digital marketing … we shall see how that goes. Too early to gauge either.
What is your favorite technology, one you actually get joy out of using?
Photography apps. Playing around with photos is relaxing and fun for me. It’s how I unwind. I also love my new Omvana app — with lots of free and (paid) meditations … they truly have something for everyone.
What is your favorite “unplugged” activity?
Snuggling up with my son and reading a great story, and a close second would be sharing a glass of wine and some tapas with friends.
Read Caroline Gosselin’s article: What are you contributing to the real estate ecosystem?
Would you like to participate in Inman’s technology profile series? Email amber@inman.com.
