Category: Tech News

Real Estate Technology to Look Out For in 2020

Posted on by Hannah Stewart

Technology is so much part of our everyday lives that just about all the news we have appears to connect to technology and its uses and abuses.

For property agents, it appears that every other email in our inbox entails new technology, enhanced skills or the challenges posed by technology.

Let us take a look at a number of the very buzz-worthy tech themes from last year and learn what to expect as we move towards the second month of 2018. You may find that what began as an obscure side note will become a fundamental part of your technician game program.

Artificial intelligence (AI)

AI has been in the air this year at conventions in addition to in the technology and real estate media. Although many still think of AI in terms of its applications to robotics, in fact, it is only an outgrowth of calculations, except they have the capability to self-improve and become more intelligent with self-learning.

How it was used last year: AI is a complex topic as there are lots of distinct applications. It’s been mostly applied to repetitive jobs because that generates more data and easier decision-making for the AI.

Real estate has largely used AI for chatbots. In its simplest explanation, this implies that when someone visits a broker’s office or website, the chatbot can react depending on the keywords that the individual writes.

The drawback? AI is just as good as the information it is basing its predictions and answers on, including the amount, quality and freshness of information and digital content you supply to it.

How you are going to use it in 2020: Realtors are beginning to use AI to target their advertisements. It can show advertisements to homeowners moving through life-changing events: those who have changed their status from married to divorced or who published a photograph showing they’re pregnant or graduating. Marketing budgets go farther because more leads are created, and they’re more targeted due to tools like AdWords.

Just like Netflix and Amazon, AI can really effectively make suggestions, which might be a game changer in more effectively identifying what customers are searching for. The increased adoption of AI will probably lead to a lot of platforms, and eventually property sites making suggestions for properties or areas, it’s interesting to think about what sorts of jobs could be automated via AI.

Touring houses could be narrowed down on a large scale, saving agents from having to drive buyers from listing to listing dozens of times over, by using 360-degree virtual tours. Buyers can whittle down their lists to two or three houses before viewing anything in person.

Bitcoin and blockchain

It looks like everyone on social websites in the last couple of months has been obsessed with bitcoin. And why not? For all those early adopters who bought bitcoin before it was trendy, the cryptocurrencies meteoric rise has been nothing short of a daily lotto win, with countless dollars added whenever they refresh their Coinbase program.

How it was used last year: During this fall’s first ever Bitcoin-only property buy final in Texas, the buzz started and has not let up, with luxury brokers setting the bitcoin price for their properties and a Miami condo developing a Bitcoin-only listing.

However, the volatility of the money calls this strategy into question, particularly because the value can change even during the hours required to turn the bitcoin into money for the closing. Currently, it appears, Bitcoin’s primary purpose is as a buzz-builder for luxury listings, making a hook which gets them more attention and more prospective buyers.

Additionally, it appeals to early adopters and global buyers who may be searching for somewhere to park their fast-rising bitcoins for more dependable gains.

How you are going to use it in 2020: The jury’s still out on bitcoin as viable money for property acquisition.

There are various cryptocurrencies on the market, and until there’s more stability in their evaluation, it would be tricky to understand how it can become a significant player in the real estate business, though they will without doubt continue to be utilised as an occasional notable exception.

However, what cryptos are built-on, blockchain engineering, has many useful applications for real estate and associated industries.

According to the National Association of Realtors, since the blockchain generates an instantly verifiable, secure public document, it can accelerate transactions by enabling property and naming documents, insurance information and several different items required during the mortgage and the sales management system closing procedure to be obtained more quickly and reliably than ever before.

The International Blockchain Real Estate Association (IBREA) is now working to create and implement standards for the development of best practices to drive the adoption of blockchain and bitcoin from the real estate market.

The more these practices are described and regularized, the more these technologies will continue to be implemented, developed and viewed as reliable.

Mobile applications

You use apps all of the time, and if anything, you are too addicted to your phone and tablet computer, right? Most of us have our favourite apps, and there appear to be more daily. But how do you use programs more efficiently to build your company and allow them to be adopted into the company digital strategy?

How it was used last year: For a lot of us, cellular apps are critical for everything, but they’re usually considered a shortcut into the “real” version of our CRM, workflow system, trade management website or other tech.

Systems and procedures are ideally managed on a notebook but can be handled on the program if needed. Many times, the trade-off contributes to diminished performance but increased convenience.

Even social media is often easier to handle on a computer, even though it is accessed almost exclusively on an program. In actuality, some settings can only be corrected via the online version of several platforms, and distribution and sharing is often considerably easier through the entire version based on mobile data capture.

How you are going to use them in 2020: As we become increasingly used to being working from anywhere, the newest mobile programs will boost our productivity and help us stay organized.

Keeping tabs on all the information generated by all our different email and social networking accounts, direct gen platforms and even face-to-face meetings (I know, right?) Can be challenging without the intervention of a web agency, but smarter apps will be able to help you wrangle all that information and use it to grow your company.

If you are part of a group, you have to have a workflow program. Slack is the one on everyone’s lips at the moment, and it appears to be a favorite because of its simple, intuitive and strangely friendly user interface.

Asana is another favorite, as is Trello, which generates workflow boards which assist you not only share and collaborate but also more efficiently monitor your private progress.

Need an assistant but can not afford one? Look no farther than 24me, among the most recent “smart” assistants. Contain your calendars and schedule tasks, and allow your helper prompt you when you have things to get done, especially crucial when your business covers things like facilities management.

It will even let you know when you’ve got a little downtime and make recommendations for jobs you could fit into your program.

It is a brave new world, and each year seems to bring new technology trends which are daunting at first, but finally become essential. As opposed to dismissing or dreading change, keep searching for ways to make it work for you.

And remember — if everyone’s talking about it, there has to be something there. Do not be afraid to jump onboard and discover out how you can put these technologies to work for you and your company.

How to Keep Up With the Latest Technology for your Business

Posted on by Hannah Stewart

Technology is changing at a very fast pace and this can be daunting for any business owner. At times, it will seem that technology is outdated as soon as the company adapts to it. When a product has just been launched such as a newer model of a drake low loader or upgrade with better features will come out in just a couple of months. Yes, it can be difficult to keep up when trends change so quickly.

The methodology “don’t fix it if it isn’t broken” may be tempting to follow, but there are risks in connection to lagging behind current technology trends.

The Importance of Keeping Up with Changing Technology Trends

For any business to function effectively and efficiently, technology is essential. Just as retail stores use and rely on metal display stands to sell impulse products to customers, it helps in effectively and efficiently running the business.

You can find a few ways to keep up with revolutionizing technology trends that will not only make you stay ahead but help you with your business as well.

Improving Customer Service

Bad customer service can be a company’s downfall. Make sure you provide the best service for your customers and always verify that your systems are running as efficiently and quickly as possible. Whether your customers are visiting your website or interacting with your payments system, they look forward to a seamless experience that will get them what they want without any inconveniences.

Staying up-to-date with technology allows your customers to have a positive interaction with your business and it brings great pleasure seeing them have a pleasant experience with your company. Great customer service can be one of the reasons first-time customers will become regulars.

Streamline Operations

Systems have become much more efficient as new technology is developed and this result to much faster operations in comparison with previous technologies. Tasks which were once burdensome can now be effortlessly streamlined or even automated with the use of the right platforms. By taking notice of changing technologies, your business can run smoothly and efficiently in all areas from payroll to inventory to equipment tracking of the largest cranes you may have, streamlining your operations will bring your business into the future.

Be Ahead of the Competition

There are no signs of technology progress slowing down soon. If you are not keeping up with it, your competitors definitely will. Of course, you would rather have the upper hand. Staying on the same pace as technology will prepare your business for changing consumer expectations and demands. Keeping up with the ongoing trends will absolutely increase your relevancy and customer appeal, thus setting you apart from the competition.

Savings Must Increase

Having obsolete technology puts you in a place where you are at a very high risk of your systems breaking down and repairing them is quite costly. Upgrading to the latest systems will cost money upfront, but in the long-run you can save yourself from spending money for repair and maintenance costs; look at it as a business investment.

The aforementioned advantages can still make many businesses assume that once a platform or strategy has worked for them, it will stay that way. That’s where they’re wrong. Creating a reluctance to improve to newer, better technologies is the wrong way to go. Businesses who have this way of thinking risk falling behind the competition. They miss opportunities, and worse, become obscure. To make sure this does not happen to your company, the first thing you need to do is understand the most effective ways to stay up-to-date with changing technologies and make sure your welded wire mesh business stays in the game.

Define an IT Strategy

It is important to define an IT strategy so your technological needs can be assessed and the resources available to you can be evaluated. Doing this enables you to narrow down the kinds of technologies your business will need in order for it to run smoothly. You will also be better prepared and continuously stay on top of the competition.

Capitalize in Scalable Bandwidth

Confirm that your business is ready for the changing technology trends. Doing this is a necessary step in setting your business up for technological success. If your business is able to encourage and accommodate growth, you will be ready to accept new technologies as you are presented with them. Investing in scalable bandwidth is one of the ways your business can be in this position.

An internet service provider (ISP) can increase the speed of your broadband internet with scalable bandwidth. These changes may be short-term or long-term, but it certainly gives your business room to grow and run smoothly at the same time. This move will set your business in a position to quickly adapt revolutionizing technologies without affecting other areas of operation. If your business sells products consider launching an e-commerce site. For example, if you are a company specializing in tree wood furniture than promote this as it is a niche market to target.

Managed Services

Technology is a critical part of any business and it is inevitable, too. Some companies, though, do not have the desire or time to assign their resources to keep up with the trends in technology and implementing them as they arise.

A great solution for these companies is an internet service provider that provides managed services or a managed IT services provider (MSP). Businesses can offload some or all IT tasks to the MSP which takes responsibility on an ongoing task for staying on top of the most modern technology. Businesses can easily breathe knowing their IT needs are being carried out by professionals. This allows them to get back to other fields of the business that entail their attention.

Automate Software Updates

Most of the programs will send you reminders that it’s time to install the updates on your software or if you set it to automatically update, it will do so. On the other hand, there are those who will never notify you when updates are available.

Determining the best way for your company to get these updates automatically should be part of your IT strategy. This is to ensure that you are not using dated versions of your existing software and falling behind.

Planning Ahead

When it comes to the newest trends in technology, don’t be reactive. There will often be a buzz around new technology before its release. Gather your IT team and have them analyze whether the upcoming technology fits within your strategy.

To stay relevant and competitive in today’s business world, you need to keep up with technology’s changing trends. Making the right technological investments will positively help your tree services business get the most out of it.

Psychological Benefits of White Street Lights

Posted on by Hannah Stewart

Scientists say they have proven that it makes us feel safer.

When you walk the streets when its dark, what makes you feel safe-a friend walking beside you, a mobile phone or how about a sword? What about something as simple as white street lighting? At the University of Granada, that kind of white light actually makes us feel better and safer. For some reason, it dispels our fears a little.

According to a study that was published in Safety Science,  Antonio Manuel Peña García and colleagues surveyed about 275 people who were walking out late in Grenada Spain one night. They wanted to see if the lighting had any effect on their perception of crime and their overall wellbeing. What they found was interesting as people said that they felt “safer and better” walking around in areas that were brightened by white LED’s as compared to the areas that were illuminated by the old yellow sodium lights.

Since when have we had such a fear of the old non-white street lights? Its probably more of a case of the fact that white light allows us to see better and can see the faces of people who are around us so it puts us more at ease. However, the study does caution readers that more research is needed on the part of psychologists but it seems to suggest that white light triggers something awesome in our brains.

This work perhaps suggests that lights with a high content of blue wavelengths, such as white street lighting, there’s a greater inhibition of melatonin. It’s the chemical name that’s often referred to as the sleep hormone. This has been studied in great length in studies all over the world. This study could well prove that white public lighting in our streets makes all pedestrians feel safer when walking the streets at night.

As far as white lighting making us feel safer is still open to debate but one piece of reasoning should be considered here. Would be criminals’ need a very low level of light to perpetrate their crimes. If a victim can see their face clearly, well that could be considered a deterrent and hence the case for white street lighting has won out without too much argument.