iPad: A great tool for Real Estate

If I had to count I am probably responsible for the sale of over twenty iPads. I use mine everyday and it has virtually turned my mobile phone into just that, a phone. It has also rendered my laptop a desktop, I never take it anywhere.

What makes the iPad such a powerful tool for my business breaks down into the hardware and software attributes. The hardware attributes are as follows:

• It is always on. With no hard drive and no off switch I never have to wait while it boots up or spins up the hard drive to do something. If I five minutes in a board room before a meeting or a break between sessions I can do something quickly.
• It is always connected. I’m not a slave to the nearest Wi-Fi connection or bringing my phone with me as my access to the internet. This is akin to always being on because it works everywhere. I didn’t realize how important this feature is until I used it for a couple of weeks. For those of you considering forgoing the 3G because you are going to tether to your mobile phone I hope you reconsider. At the very least you have an effective back up when your phone is off-line.
• The last hardware attribute is not part of the iPad but a separate purchase. I use a stylus with my iPad and for the next two apps it is invaluable.

The software attributes boil down to a few apps. I like and use a number of apps but three have made the iPad indispensable.

The first app is GoodReader. This app performs two very important functions. Firstly, it gives me a place to store all types of files, organize them in folders and email the files directly from the app. Secondly, and more importantly, it allow me to annotate .pdf files. Whether it is floor plans, photos, offers, marketing material or draft proposals I can make comments and changes right on the document and send it back out immediately right from the application. All this done with a stylus in my hand so it is fast.

Notes Plus was the game changer for me. Before I had an iPad I carried a notebook everywhere. I only had the iPad one day and I knew I didn’t want to carry both a notebook and the iPad. I use Notes Plus to take all my notes and in many ways it is better than my old notebook. I create different notebooks within the app for different projects, every thing is time and date stamped and it backs up to my computer every night.

The last app is my secret weapon. Prezi is a presentation app but Andrea Dubeckyj of our solutions team turned it into a very dynamic document handling and reference application. It is like a boardroom table with all your pictures, maps, marketing documents and plans neatly laid out and all you need to do to look at them is tap on it and it zooms into focus. And the best part is that boardroom table is with me all the time.