A Realtor's Best Friends

Here are some more apps on my iPhone that I'm having fun with.

I have three apps on my iPhone that I use in my real estate business.

The first one is the Flashlight app. Often I have to get a water meter reading in a dark part of someone's basement. If you don't have a flashlight to see the numbers on the meter, you're in trouble. The flashlight app uses the LED light on the phone and fills the screen with bright white light which is enough to be able to see in a dark corner of a basement or to read the water meter.

The next app that comes in handy is the compass. Often I'll have a buyer ask me which way a house faces. Sometimes it's obvious, others not. So I whip out my iPhone and check my compass. It also gives you coordinates of where you are and with a touch it will go to Google maps and show your location on a map and give you the option to use it as a GPS. There are several different options for a free compass app.

My father was a tool designer and retired from the Stanley Bostitch Company back in 1998. If Dad was here today to see the Stanley Bostitch level app on my iPhone he would be amazed. He would also have an iPhone with this app on it. He was always on the cutting edge of new technology. He had a GPS in their motor home long before anyone else had one. I use level app at home more than when I'm working. Yes, we have several levels around the house but this is so easy to use and so much more convenient than rummaging around in a tool box.

So these are three apps on my iPhone that help me out often at work.

This project is my own idea and I am receiving no compensation from anyone. I am in no way an expert on the use of this equipment or apps. Any additional info or corrections received from people will be considered and should anything be suggested that I feel is pertinent, I will gladly repost with corrections.

Project 365

If you're like me, the older I get, the faster time seems to go. Something that happened three months ago seems like last week.

Apple has an app that keeps a photo record of events each day. It's called "Project 365" and can be loaded on your iPhone, iTouch or iPad.

A calendar that lets you keep photos of something that happened on a particular day for each month, it takes just a few seconds. I often cannot recall what I did yesterday, so this free application (there is also a Pro version for 99 cents) is a fun and useful way to help me remember, and it's a breeze to use.

Press on the current day on the onscreen calendar, take a photo of something that happens that day, or use a library shot, opt to use it for that day and that's it. It takes just seconds.

I prefer to use a picture from my camera roll and add it to Project 365 because if you take a picture and post it directly to the calendar and then inadvertently delete it, you can't get it back. Or at least I don't know how to get it back.

Using a photo from your own library also gives you the chance to take several shots over the course of a day and go back to choose the one you like best. Or shoot several different events during the day and decide which one you want to use later.

You can scroll through the calendar later to see what happened over the course of a week, month or year. Only 40 days into the year and so far I haven't missed one. The app also reminds you if you haven't loaded a photo for the day. You can send your photos to Facebook, too, but I haven't done that yet.

You can add captions. Below is the photo I used on January 12 with the caption "Can't find the pee place, Mom!"

I've had my iPhone for about 18 months, and I love it. It's my first smart phone and I've been really pleased with how easy it is to use. I've also been having fun with several apps.

As a new blog project, I'm planning to post info on some of the apps I've used and like. I'm no computer geek. I thought that might be an advantage for regular people to understand how and why I use certain apps. I know that other providers are now going to offer service for iPhones, too, so I thought it might be a good time to begin.

This project is my own idea and I am receiving no compensation from anyone. I am in no way an expert on the use of this equipment or apps. Any additional info or corrections received from people will be considered and should anything be suggested that I feel is pertinent, I will gladly repost with corrections.

Yeah, There's An App For That

As you might guess from my title, I recently bought an iPhone. Paul and I just spent a week in Georgia visiting family. The trip was scheduled about two months ago. When it arrived it came during what was probably the worst week I could have picked to be away. I had two difficult closings scheduled plus I was negotiating a couple other deals. But how can you plan that two months in advance?

I have half-ruined a couple vacations since being in the real estate business. I just carried a basic cell phone and refuse to travel with a laptop. About the only way to really disconnect is to leave the country. I told Paul as we drove to the airport that it was probably going to be a 'working' vacation for me. He doesn't like it when I'm on the cell during vacations conducting business but he doesn't say much. At least this time he was warned.

As we got to Georgia I was already getting knots in my stomach telling me I needed to check email. I knew the hotel would have a business center, but as we drove into the plaza where our hotel was located I spied an A T & T store! I was anxious enough about the whole week that I thought, maybe I'll just do it and pay the extra $200 they want because I'm still too early in my contract for a full upgrade.

We checked into the hotel and drove to meet family. I begged off sitting in the broiling Georgia sun to watch my nephew's football game. I said I'd go back to the hotel to relax and catch up with everyone later. Forget the hotel, I drove right to the store and bought an iPhone. I didn't have too much time to spend with the tech there but he said it was pretty easy to use, very intuitive. Boy, was he right!

So now I am the proud owner of an iPhone. What an amazing thing! It's like having a computer right in your hand. I am able to check emails on all four of my accounts in seconds! I love music but had avoided buying an iPod, now I have one. I immediately opened an iTunes account and downloaded a ton of music. Love it! I could go on and on about the different apps I've downloaded. And I know I've just scratched the surface of what this thing can do for me.

One of the first emails I sent from it was to Tom, the IT guy for my company. He bought an iPhone about a year ago and highly recommended it to anyone who asked. My note to him simply said....Finally bought an iPhone and I love it! His reply was....My iPhone changed my life.

Kind of dramatic but I think I understand!


Image from Google Images