In my quest to be smart and technological and real estate-like, I sometimes learn things the hard way. The teacher (and mother) in me cries out to share my experiences with others, so that they can learn from my accomplishments AND my mistakes. So, here I write this post.
Funny though, how many of my “experiences” are in the form of mistakes… Let me share some with you.
Here are the Top 5 Ways NOT to Use Technology in Real Estate:
5. Do not put your cell phone in your back pocket right before using the restroom (girls) – especially if your pants are some type of silk and/or acrylic blend. There is not enough texture to make sure that the cell phone STAYS in your pocket. Trying to figure out how you are going to fish out your communication device is only ONE of the downfalls of this predicament. (and since we are on the subject of cell phones…)
4. If you do not use a blue tooth (I cannot use one because of the odd-shaped-back-of-my-ear-that-doen’t-fit-any-Dr.Spock-Apparatus.) make sure you take great caution when switching the phone from your right ear to your left ear while driving down the highway with you window open. Cell phones are hard to find in 1 mile by 100 feet stretches of highway median and even harder to get a hold of while dodging 75mph traffic on foot.
3. Never, and I mean NEVER try to fax a piece of cloth. Especially if it is your own fax machine and even if the said cloth “seems so much like paper, I bet it will work” …Don’t do it. Fax machines are a pain the butt to fix and you may be better off just replacing it. Either way, it makes for one EXPENSIVE fax transmittal.
2. (Although I believe I covered this before…) Do not drive over your digital camera with your SUV. This makes the camera, well, unusable at best. And even though you may get a way cool brand new camera out of the whole deal …
1. When visiting Austin, always remember to re-pack your brand new camera’s battery charger when you check out of your hotel. Having a cool new camera and no way to recharge the battery for an entire week is entirely too frustrating.
If you can, it is ALWAYS better to learn from others’ experiences. I hope this helped you, even if in just one small way.
Mariana is a real estate agent and co-owner of the Wagner iTeam with her husband, Derek. She maintains the Colorado Springs Real Estate Connection Blog and is also a real estate technology trainer and coach. Mariana really enjoys helping real estate agents boost their businesses and increase their productivity through effective use of technology. Outside of real estate, blogging and training, she loves spending time with her husband and 2 sons, reading, re-watching Sci-Fi movies and ... long walks on the beach?

Teresa Boardman
January 23, 2008 at 4:13 pm
How do you feel about driving 60 or 70 miles and hour and leaning out the window to take pictures. iI get some great shots that way.
Jeff Brown
January 23, 2008 at 4:28 pm
I just got back from KC, and for the second consecutive time, didn’t leave anything in the hotel room. WhooHoo!! 🙂
The worst was a pair of shoes that were, ah, not from Payless.
Mariana
January 23, 2008 at 4:47 pm
Teresa – THAT would be a great way to use technology … so long as the camera was fastened to your body somehow … and YES! Awesome shots … 😉
Jeff – Congratulations! But I must say … I thought Payless was the only place that sold shoes. Hmmm…
Lani Anglin
January 23, 2008 at 5:01 pm
Mariana- you didn’t mention electricaltapeshoes…
Mariana
January 23, 2008 at 5:12 pm
.. OH YEAH. I just figured that using electrical tape to mend the ONLY pair of shoes that I bring to an out of state meeting because-no-store-in-downtown-Austin-even-sells-flip-flops-at-11pm was more a way of using technological accessories more than the actual “technology” …
ines
January 25, 2008 at 10:13 pm
When a rat hides from your dog inside your printer, never, under any circumstance, press the print button.
Mariana
January 26, 2008 at 6:46 pm
Ines – I really cannot seem to remove that visual from my head. Thanks. LOL!
Ines
January 26, 2008 at 9:48 pm
Funny thing is that I kept calling it a “mouse” and Rick corrected me (just because it’s small, it doesn’t mean it’s not a rat) – same thing in my book
Tracy Gibson
January 27, 2008 at 2:03 pm
Mariana – I am roaring with laughter over number 5. I was just telling a friend that I have to stop putting my blackberry in my back pocket, because it has fallen on the floor in the ladies room a number of times. Just a matter of time before it lands in the bowl.
I will take your advice to heart.