Real Estate Blog Pro

Add encryption your Gmail account

Afraid your dirty biz is being aired to the world through Gmail?  Here's a way to encrypt your account: Gmail Encrypt [langenhoven.com] [Link via Lifehacker].  One of Gmail's biggest complaints is their lack of encryption support.

Be sure to also check out Lifehacker's guide to becoming a Gmail master.


Technorati Tags: gmail, tips, tricks encryption, security, email

Linking to your property photos from Blogger

Here's a good tip from About for all of you newbie bloggers soon to be Pros: Link to your photos from Blogger
This handy tip includes some great photo hosting sites and tips on keeping track of your uploaded photo URLs.

1. Choose a Photo Hosting Site
2. Open New Entry Window
3. Open New Image Box
4. Add Image URL
5. View Your Entry and Image

I know, this may seem a little elementary, but if you were getting some of the questions Pro has, you'd see that there definately is a need to help some people on the front end.  Hang in there agents!


Technorati Tags: blogger, images, photo hosting

Wikipedia + Google Maps = Wikimapia and one hell of a real estate resource

So.....soon to be Pros, here's a new tool for you to add to your belt:  WikiMapia
Wikipedia (one of the most useful reference pages on the net) mashed up with Google Maps this week. The site is intended to be a Wikipedia-like reference for the planet earth (we all know where that is) .Wikimapia uses a feature similar to the 'notes' feature on Flickr, called "call-outs" which you can add on top of the area of the map you are referencing. You can search for information about an area without even leaving the crib!

LifeHacker WikiMapia - The geographical wikipedia
Digg Wikimapia = Wiki + Google maps

ALSO...Last week, Microsoft (we all know who that is) released a similar map program called Map Cruncher

Have fun with these...and, map something!


Technorati Tags: maps, mapping, wikipedia, wikimapia, google maps, tools, web2.0

Alphabetical List of 101 Software Freebies

Pro thinks that it may be time to devote a few posts to useful links with links.  As a real estate agent, you can never have too much information- you just have to gradually learn how to filter the good stuff out.  This tip should help you out in a tight pinch.  Check out this list of 101 Fabulous Freebies from PCWORLD because you never know what you might need. [link Digg]  Now get out there and sell!



Technorati Tags: tips, software, free, linkswithlinks, links

A top menu bar Typepad Hack

If you noticed the Pro's new navigation menu up top, you might be wondering "How the hell did he do that?"  Well, if you use typepad blogging platform from six apart, you know that hacking it isn't all that easy- and there arent too many hacks out there for typepad.  Nevertheless, check out Jimmy The Geek for this top menu bar hack.  I promise that if you follow the steps as laid out by Jimmy, you'll have one for yourself in no time.
This is especially useful for real estate agents who might want to keep their listings blog and company blog separate from their personal blog.
For other typepad hacks, check here.


Technorati Tags: typepad, hacks, sixapart, navigation,

Add Reverse phone lookup tool to your Google Home Page

If you are indeed a realtor, Pro doesn't need to elaborate on many uses that one may have for a reverse phone number looker upper.  If you're just waking up, here's a clue: This module searches for the owner of the specified phone number. Follow this link and add it to your Google Homepage. You'll thank me.


Have fun with those "for sale" signs, friends!


Technorati Tags: phone numbers, google, reverse lookup, homepage

Create your property setups with Tabblo and send them or publish to your blog

You gotta love options like this! 

Tabblo is a creative and highly customizable photosharing site that allows you to build albums that could easily work wonders as property setups. Its so great, Pro has spent most of his saturday afternoon creating profiles for his Brooklyn rental properties (below was my first attempt, just to give you an idea).  Tabblo (in beta mode currently) has many options for getting your photos into albums, including a Picasa plug-in and integration with your Flickr account. Do yourself a favor and check it out.  It's a real estate agent's dream application and it will make your life easier, if not just a little more colorful.


Technorati Tags: images, tools, tabblo, photography, flickr

A tip for realtors regarding links and linking correctly

The RealtorWeblog posted a useful tip yesterday for realtors regarding linkage.  With Google apparently "cracking down on unrelated links" (per Matt Cutts of Google), it may be time for you to think about who you trade links with.  Realtor Marketing Blog has a few suggestions for who to jump in the linking game with:

Mortgage companies

Home renovators

Mortgage brokers

Banks

home inspection

Realtors from out of town

Technorati Tags: marketing, linkage, realtors

You can collect and save anything from the web with the NEW Google Notebook and other Gthings

There are some exciting things happing in world of Web 2.0  this week.  Flickr left beta stage and arrived in Gamma mode, Paul Stamatiou helps the non-pros out with a guide to Starting a Blog.  But, most exciting is the release of the new Gnotebook by Google.  Its a lot like the  scrapbook extension for Firefox that I discussed a week or two back.  Now you can clip and save images and text that you never want to lose into a notebook. Just think of how impressive your leads and listings will look, splashed like a scrapbook behind your username...ahhh


Note This [official Notebook Blog]

AND...  if you find that impressive, take a look at the Gmail filesystem


[ZDNet] Google GDrive not a rumor
Google GDrive is for Real[Paul Stamatiou]

hey...just tryin to help.  That's how we  become Pros!

Oh and...  here's a really nice map of Web 2.0 from Blogosquare


Technorati Tags: web2.0, blogging, agents, google, flickr, tools, notebook, recent

Technorati Tags: web2.0, blogging, agents, google, flickr, tools, notebook, recent

Technorati Tags: web2.0, blogging, agents, google, flickr, tools, notebook, recent

Technorati Tags: web2.0, blogging, agents, google, flickr, tools, notebook, recent

Technorati Tags: web2.0, blogging, agents, google, flickr, tools, notebook, recent

Use your Gmail account as an FTP server

gDisk is a software that turns your GMail account into a portable hard
drive so you can always have your important files accessible accross
the Internet.




Technorati Tags: gmail, harddisk, files