Instant information at your fingertips

by Stephen M. Canale   While it’s easy to take a notebook to an open house or listing presentation, it’s just not small enough to carry to the supermarket, the chamber of commerce meeting, the golf course, or social events. Fortunately, there are personal digital assistants.

I should note that there are three popular categories of portable information managers:

1. Digital organizers. Essentially, these are just electronic Rolodexes. They’re inexpensive, but not very practical for a business professional.
2. Hand-held personal computers (HPC). HPCs are feature-rich, but pricey, and really not small enough to carry everywhere.
3. Personal Digital Assistants (PDAs). PDAs are small, mid-priced, and the agent’s best option.

Key Features of PDAs

• As long as it runs the Palm operating system, it will synchronize with most real estate contact managers, and this is what makes PDAs the right choice for REALTORS®.
• One button is all you have to push to synchronize a PDA with your notebook or desktop computer. This is a key to being truly productive.
• They’re small enough to carry everywhere.
• They have "instant-on" technology–you don’t have to wait to boot-up.
• They’re extremely easy and efficient to use. It takes only a few seconds to find just about any information you’ve stored.

Additionally, many associations now enable PDAs to download MLS information and to work as digital keys for the Supra lockbox systems. Others are planning on implementing this technology in the near future. So, before buying any PDA, check with your local board to make sure you don’t buy a model that they may not support.

There are also countless accessories available–everything from snap-on digital cameras to wireless Internet and e-mail options. However, what’s truly important is that you have instant access to all of your important contact information, which means you will be able to do more business, more quickly, no matter where you are.

Stephen M. Canale, crb, crs, gri, ram, (www.canale.com) is a speaker, educator, and trainer from Ann Arbor, Michigan.

Buyers & sellers, visit www.texasrealestate.com.
REALTORS®, visit www.tar.org.