By John Allred, Branch Manager – Middle GA
The appraisal industry has gone through many changes. I have been in the industry for about 15-20 years and before my time, appraisers used typewriters, measuring wheels, and film cameras to complete their reports. From that start, we have come a long way with computers, tablets, digital cameras, and lasers. I am sure some of these advancements were met with dismay, but looking back, they were all beneficial. It is good to remember the changes we have endured to get to where we are. This will help us begin to accept future changes.
One of the significant factors in getting me to where I am today is the ability to adapt to change. Sometimes I am too eager to change, but for the most part, it has been to my benefit. There is always a better way to look at an issue, correct a problem, and improve workflow. We work in the grey all day long while appraising but sometimes get stuck in the black and white when it comes to workflow. I have embraced three applications: Mobile devices to aid in field work……scrap the pen and paper. Excel to analyze, sort and build data files and OneNote to organize my day-to-day needs.
Mobile appraising has been around since I started in 2003, but we still have people unwilling to try it. I hear a lot……Why fix it if it ain’t broke? I say,……How do you know it ain’t broke if you have not tried to fix it? There is always a better, more efficient way. One thing that is extremely important anytime you make significant changes is to give it time. In the case of mobile appraising, give it a few weeks. The first few times you try it, you will not like it, but I promise you will love it if you give it a real chance. The time spent on re-sketching homes and dragging and dropping photos is unnecessary. These tasks, as well as note-taking and voice memos, can be accomplished in the field when using a mobile device.
I am not an Excel guru, but I have come to love and depend on the application. Incorporating simple workbooks into your daily tasks can help efficiency and consistency and reduce mathematical errors. All real estate platforms, FMLS, GAMLS, etc., can export to Excel. Exporting your specified criteria can be a simple way to build workbooks of your local markets to aid in adjustments and monitor trends.
The real estate industry can be very demanding. From dealing with clients, deadlines, setting appointments to selling your services. There are many ways to accomplish this balancing act, from paper and pencil to computer-aided. Of course, I prefer computer-aided and ultimately cloud-based, so I can access everything from anywhere, anytime needed. Over the years, I have tried many different applications to accomplish this, but over the last few years, I have settled on OneNote by Microsoft and have been extremely happy. I create a section for each month and pages for each day of the week. This allows me to take notes from phone calls and organize other daily tasks. Two of the most significant benefits is the searchability and portability. I can search for anything I remember from the notes, and with it linked to all my devices, the search can be conducted anywhere from any device. You can even log into your account from a public computer to gain access. No more flipping through wire-bound notebooks and trying to remember which paper notebook it was in.
Although I highlighted three critical pieces to daily life in the real estate industry, the bigger picture is to embrace change. We are scared of the unknown but why? The unknown can only be two things……better or worse than what we started with. If you are unhappy with the outcome, you know you can always return to where you started. Give change a chance.