Information, On Location

I read an article recently that indicated 80 percent of Florida homebuyers from out of state research properties on the Internet. If one listing doesn’t look right, they can find another just a few mouse clicks away.

Southwest Florida realtors can offer their clients similar efficiency with a personal touch—even when they’re on the road—with a laptop computer and a wireless card. The latter provides Internet access wherever cellular coverage is available. Let’s consider the following scenario as one way the card can greatly enhance an agent’s effectiveness in the field.

A prospective homebuyer flies to Naples for the day. The realtor feels confident she has selected the right properties to show. However, after two showings without any positive response, and even some disappointment, the realtor has to regroup. There isn’t time to go back to her far-away office and scour the Multiple Listing Service (MLS), so the realtor pulls into a parking lot, opens her laptop and inserts a wireless card into the USB port.

In seconds, she is connected to Google maps (www.maps.google.com), which provides a satellite image of the chosen search area and helps them determine that the location is the problem. Once they settle on a new location, they go to real estate site www.trulia.com to see all the listings for sale in that area. (Trulia shows the houses on a map and other information about the area, such as homes that have been sold.) After the client chooses a few houses to visit, the realtor accesses the property appraiser’s Web site in Lee (www.leepa.org) or Collier (www.collierappraiser.com) county to find out some information to make an offer.

Without the wireless card, the agent would have had to return to her office to restart the sales process, wasting valuable time and gas, and possibly lose a client.

User friendly
There are currently three types of wireless cards available in Southwest Florida: Embarq’s EVDO or EVDO Rev A, Verizon’s EVDO or EVDO Rev A, and AT&T’s 3G. EVDO (evolution data optimized) Rev A has the best speeds and can deliver up to 2MB download speeds—about as fast as your DSL at home, which is fast enough for anything you need while away from the office.

The acronyms can be daunting if you’re not tech savvy, but the tool is simple to use. The operating software installs in five minutes and must be installed first. The card easily fits in a side slot or USB port. It operates through the network of the cellular carrier that you purchase the card from and will cost about $60 per month, not including taxes and fees, with a two-year commitment.

Once installed, all you need to do is turn on your laptop, click on the identifying icon and you’re ready to go. You’ll be able to meet the demands of your clients—and even find a great lunch spot for them in locations unfamiliar to you.

Peter Seif has held senior positions in national communications companies and is now president of Synergy Networks.