Top producer closes deals on the go |
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By: Mike Hyles, RE/MAX broker and technology expert
"I put everything in escrow without ever opening up my laptop—and I was in a convention center five miles from my hotel!"
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| I've never been bashful about touting one of my favorite tools of the trade: mobile GPS units. I've owned numerous brands and models-the convenience and simplicity of navigation devices have made them an essential real estate technology. But the HP iPAQ rx5910 Travel Companion is not just another GPS unit. It's a mobile office and digital communications powerhouse that's a cinch to operate. And when it comes to mapping routes, the HP iPAQ rx5910 Travel Companion even outperforms the $3,000 navigation system in my luxury sedan! |
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Have to switch cars unexpectedly, no problem! |
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| As an example, I met with a client several months ago who had two small children. I was planning to drive them around and show them several homes but when they arrived they insisted on taking their car because it had child safety seats. That'd be fine-except that I'd already programmed my GPS, which was installed in my car. |
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| With an HP iPAQ rx5910, the problem's solved. It has the same great features as an auto-GPS system-including voice-guided navigation, on-screen prompts and preloaded TomTom Navigator software-but it goes wherever I go and it's even easier to customize. |
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Automatic "smart" routes |
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| With most of the installed GPS systems I've owned, I was never able to enter numerous addresses unless I knew the exact order in which I was going to visit them. On my HP iPAQ rx5910 Travel Companion, I simply enter them all and it creates the most efficient route for me. And if it turns out that one of the houses I'm visiting has been sold, or perhaps another one isn't available until after 5:00 p.m., it's easy for me to change the itinerary on the fly. This kind of flexibility is critical for a REALTOR. |
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Feature-packed device |
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| What really sets the HP iPAQ rx5910 Travel Companion apart from the GPS devices I've owned is the way it packs the features of a cell phone, a GPS device, and a PC into one sleek, easy-to-read unit. Thanks to the SD slot and a preloaded version of HP Photosmart Mobile, I can shoot pictures of a property with my digital camera, download them from the camera's SD card directly to the HP iPAQ, and create an instant slideshow for a client. The slideshow feature is particularly helpful when trying to recall the pros and cons of different properties. And if I need to add some stats to the show, the built-in Bluetooth on my HP iPAQ makes it easy to instantaneously send files back and forth between it and my laptop. |
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Works with Pocket Real Estate |
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| And while I'm driving around showing properties, I can access the MLS with my HP iPAQ thanks to Pocket Real Estate for Windows Mobile 5.0. Clients will see a property and want to know on the spot how much a property is listed for. I don't need to call the office-I've got all the MLS info I need at my fingertips, all for a relatively low monthly fee. |
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Get docs into escrow while away from the office |
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| Even when I'm not visiting properties or dealing with clients face-to-face, the communication features of the HP iPAQ rx5910 Travel Companion help me conduct business no matter where I am. While at a RE/MAX convention recently, I received a contract as a PDF file on my HP iPAQ. I read it, drafted the counter-offer in Microsoft Word and sent it to my office, where the office manager was then able to obtain client signatures. I put everything in escrow without ever opening up my laptop-all from a convention center, five miles from my hotel! |
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Loaded with software and easy to use |
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| Finally, I love my HP iPAQ rx5910 Travel Companion for all the software that comes with it. It comes loaded with Microsoft Windows Mobile, so I can use Microsoft Outlook, Microsoft Word, Powerpoint, Pocket MSN and PhotoSmart Mobile without having to buy additional software. When I've switched handheld devices in the past, the process of moving over my files left the new device clogged with duplicate entries and files. But because the HP iPAQ comes loaded with Microsoft software, I didn't have that problem. And while the help and support that came with the device were excellent, you really don't even need a manual to figure out how to use it. |
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| All in all, the HP iPAQ rx5910 is a tool that enables me to be at the top of my game as a REALTOR. Being a "device junkie," I've owned many good products over the years that filled specific, if somewhat narrow, needs. But this HP iPAQ rx5910 Travel Companion has become indispensable, performing nearly all of the technology functions that have become part of my daily routine. |
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| Note: If you'd like to speak to an HP salesperson trained specifically on the technology needs of REALTORS, call 1-800-888-8177. They'll be able to answer your questions and steer you to the product that will best meet your needs. And if you do end up purchasing an HP product over the phone, be sure to mention code NAR1 to receive the REALTOR BenefitsReal estate agent benefits discount. |
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| Any views or comments expressed in this article are the sole responsibility of Mike Hyles and not necessarily those of any other organization. No person quoted or cited has any known connection to or interest in Hewlett Packard, and their appearance here should not be construed as an endorsement. |
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