Recently we were able to catch up with Carmelo Gines, a REAL ESTATE WEBOGRAPHER™ (REW™) certificant and discuss his REW experience. Carmelo is an RE Sales Associate of Keller Williams Realty DISTINCTIVE PROPERTIES.  Many Keller Williams agents have taken and loved the REW certification so we were excited about what he had to say about the program.

REW™ Certificants can answer interview questions at the end of certification for showcase on the Webographers.com corporate blog. Here are Carmelo thoughts on REW:

1. What is your background?

I am the Real Estate Sales Associate of Keller Williams Realty DISTINCTIVE PROPERTIES, Prior to my career in real estate; I was in the Cosmetology industry for 26 years where I learned that providing the very best service is essentially about putting my clients first. This means keeping myself accessible, being a good listener, as well as a good communicator, and responding quickly to customer needs.

2. Why did you undertake the REAL ESTATE WEBOGRAPHER™ certification?

I am always searching for ways to better myself, improve my education and enhance my service offerings for my clients. I always like to stay on top of what’s new in real estate technology.

I chose to be certified as a Real Estate Webographer , so I am able to provide my clients and customers with the newest technologies available. Also I have to begin this new technology lesson at my company which I will be the instructor so as I further educate my fellow associates and give them the necessary tools they will need.

3. What are you impressions of the online experience?

The course was clear and concise offering many examples and needed information to thoroughly improve my knowledge, in particular enhancing my website and blogging. With this additional training I feel I have met my goal and will be able to provide my fellow associates the help they need to further their business, my sellers with the best marketing exposure for their properties, and to provide my buyer clients with an excellent resource in their search for their home.

4. How long did it take you to complete the certification?

It only takes a few hours to actually complete the training, however I spread my time out over a couple weeks, because time didn’t allow - my clients came first!

5. What real estate technologies are you considering implementing (for yourself or your clients)?

I plan to utilize my Blackberry more for email and contact management. Also, with the information provided during my Webographer (REW) training, I feel I will be able to do a better job teaching my fellow associates, start my blogging which I find hard to begin, and increase my web presence.

6. What would you tell those who are considering this certification?

I would tell others if you want to succeed in today’s technology based world, you must invest in yourself. Internet Marketing is often overlooked by Realtors. There is a lot of business being done on the Internet by web savvy clients and agents. Those that took e-Pro need to take REW and see the difference - REW goes deeper and contains what all realtors need to know if you will like to become a savvier agent and to be ready for those savvier clients. 

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Well said Carmelo!  Thanks and all the best!

Computing is evolving from just the PC, from just the Laptop or Notebook.  Hardware is becoming smaller, with applications more niche.

Amazon's Kindle, which utilizes WiFi, allows users to download e-books and various publications; serving a niche literary purpose.

Tablets and Pads are evolving to serve one purpose and to load 1 applicaion; an Internet Browser.  As real estate professionals know, the browser is the most important application for themselves and consumers.

The Crunchpad, which evolved from the folks at TechCrunch has reached near final prototype before production begins; having a sole purpose of accessing a browser through a WiFi connection.  The pad is not for word processing and other desktop applications...the browser is it!

We at REAL ESTATE WEBOGRAPHER Certification foresee great applicability for consumers resting on their couch surfing listings and anything real estate.

Imagine if a Buyer's agent gave one of these to clients for use during the real estate, search experience!  Imagine if the home was selected, transaction was closed and the client gets to keep it (retail value is estimated at $250-$300 as of now)!

We had a chance to speak with Keith J. Roberts, a REAL ESTATE WEBOGRAPHER™ (REW™) certificant about his thoughts on his REW experience. Keith works with his partner Tom DeLeeuw in Palm Springs, CA at Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage.

Tom & Keith are clearly professionals who can truly be counted on to cover every detail until the job is done. But best of all, they’re available and accessible to their clients long after each transaction is complete, offering real estate advice, support and resources.

REW™ Certificants can answer interview questions at the end of certification for showcase on the Webographers.com corporate blog. Here are Keith's thoughts on REW:

1) What is your background?  

Currently I and my partner Tom are a team of agents at Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage here in Palm Springs California.  We specialize in condominium properties on fee land in the South part of Palm Springs.  Previously, I worked as a Computer Support Manager for many years in a variety of settings, including one company that produced massive multi-player online games.

2) Why did you undertake the REAL ESTATE WEBOGRAPHER™ (REW™) certification?   

I’m a geek at heart, and I wanted to apply my computer expertise to the real estate industry in which I work.  The Real Estate Webographer program looked like just the thing for me. 

3) Which course (or courses) did you find the most value in?

I found the courses on Neighborhood Search, CMA’s and AVM’s, and Lead Management the most valuable for my situation.  I already had my website up and running and was already familiar with virtual tours, single-property websites, electronic forms, online transaction management, and mobile technologies.

4) In what ways will you utilize the technologies you learned in the REW certification to enhance your career or business?

I’ve actually signed up for and used the eNeighborhood package for just that purpose.  I also want to further investigate NeighborhoodScout and possibly offer a neighborhood search option on my website.

5) How long did it take you to complete the certification and what are your impressions of the online experience?

I signed up for the program on December 5th and completed it on January 2nd.  I would sit down and try to complete one module at a time over several weeks.  I liked the online experience because it allowed me to work at my own pace and go back and review the materials at my leisure.  I would recommend REW to anyone who wants to apply online technologies to their real estate business. 

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Thanks Keith, and all the best!

How MLSs, Associations and other member groups spend their member dues, has changed in the last couple of years.  Healthy attrition-rates (few members leave...many more joining), meant positive cash-flow for such aggregates of real estate professionals. 

With such cash-flow, technologies and tools are purchased on behalf of members; tools such as Electronic Forms, Online Transaction and tools with native integration with the MLS.

There's been a trend as of late for leadership of such groups to limit purchase of tools, for all members, towards paperless transactions (Electronic Forms and Online Transaction Mgmt).  Is this a problem?

Some may argue such tools really are the responsibility of the broker to provide in-house to member agents.  Irregardless of where you stand, one thing remains true today...

Many brokers need to close brick & mortar offices, before giving up tools that assist a "virtual office" (such as Electronic Forms and Online Transaction Management). 

Many brokerages need to move office operations to the "cloud", executing transactions online versus the brick & mortar offices (not to mention the overhead costs that come with such brick & mortar operations).

Should MLSs & Associations maintain procurement of such paperless tools for all members? 

I feel the decision should not be made in haste, as such tools could lower the overall operating costs of dues-paying members when such tools are correctly utilized and adopted.

We had a chance to interview David A. Cox, a REAL ESTATE WEBOGRAPHER™ (REW™) certificant about his thoughts on his REW experience. David has an extremely diverse background in careers, ranging from the restaurant business, to collection and retail management.

REW™ Certificants can answer interview questions at the end of certification for showcase on the Webographers.com corporate blog. Here are David's thoughts on REW:

1) What is your background?  

I worked in REAL ESTATE for 7 years, the restaurant business for 12 years, and more recently, collection management and retail management.  I have always been in customer service in some way and training wherever I was working.  I am also a TREC approved instructor for Real Estate in Texas.

2) Why did you undertake the REAL ESTATE WEBOGRAPHER™ (REW™) certification?   

I thought it would be a great learning tool for me.  I am already quite internet savvy but you can never know everything.  Education is the key and this was a great course.

3) Which course (or courses) did you find the most value in?

Blogging and Virtual Tours were my favorite courses although they were all great.

4) In what ways will you utilize the technologies you learned in the REW certification to enhance your career or business?

In every capacity.  With helping me get listings and giving them better exposure and with my buyers as well.  I will start blogging now since I had never done that.

5) How long did it take you to complete the certification and what are your impressions of the online experience?

It took me a total of 4 days because I was busy with so many other things.  I think it was exactly what I needed to push me further into the tech world of Real Estate.

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Thanks David, and all the best!

Recently we had a chance to interview Rick Riddell, a REAL ESTATE WEBOGRAPHER™ (REW™) certificant. Rick has a diversified background in financial services, technology, and real estate management.  He recently transferred to his current position as Office Manager at Weichert, Realtors – Watson & Associates in Coppell, Texas from a Weichert franchise located in Orange, CT.

REW™ Certificants can answer interview questions at the end ofcertification for showcase on the Webographers.com corporate blog. Here are Rick's thoughts on REW:

1) Why did you undertake the REAL ESTATE WEBOGRAPHER™ certification?

Besides the fact that I enjoy technology, it has become very evident that the increasing level of technology growth coupled with the way a large percentage of our consumers conduct business, made this course a necessity to be able to ensure increased value to our customers.  

2) What are your impressions of the online experience?

I thought it was presented very well.  The variety of formats and the added videos made it enjoyable as well as informative and educational.   

3) How long did it take you to complete the certification?

Let’s just say I didn’t need the allotted 90 days by any means. After beginning the course I became even more motivated and continued at a serious pace until completion.

4) What real estate technologies are you considering implementing (for yourself or your clients)?

Well, the short answer is “all of them”!  This course compliments already in place initiatives in our office, and provides me with the added information to be able to accomplish them.  

5) What would you tell those who are considering this certification?

I would highly recommend that they take this course and achieve the certification to enhance their business, their skills, and knowledge.  “People Buy People before they buy a Product”.  This certification and the content therein, puts you on the “same page” with a market group that has certain and specific expectations.  This course covers all of this and more.

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Thanks Rick, and all the best!

You can now follow Webographers.com and the REAL ESTATE WEBOGRAPHER Certification on Twitter. Follow @Webographers online at http://twitter.com/webographers for instant updates on certification news and staff happenings.

Recently we had a chance to interview Dora Carr, a REAL ESTATE WEBOGRAPHER™ (REW™) certificant. Dora is one of the many to sign-up &
complete the REW™ Certification through a promotional discount offered
through zipLogix (ZipForm), an REW Technology Partner.

REW™ Certificants can answer interview questions at the end ofcertification for showcase on the Webographers.com corporate blog.

Dora Carr's thoughts on REW:

1) What is your background?

I spent many years taking college classes to become a CPA. I couldn’t go full time because I was a house wife and mother of two. Right at the end of meeting all requirements to become a CPA my brother asked me to take a real estate class with him. Sometime during the class I became aware that real estate was it for me. I’ve been devoted since 1999.

2) Why did you undertake the REAL ESTATE WEBOGRAPHER™ (REW™) certification?

I enjoy learning new things and challenging myself.

3) Which course (or courses) did you find the most value in?

I liked them all.

4) In what ways will you utilize the technologies you learned in the REW certification to enhance your career or business?

I’m really impressed with the Transaction Management System. I’ll be utilizing it just as soon as possible.

5) How long did it take you to complete the certification and what are your impressions of the online experience?

I think it took about a week but I was in the middle of moving and painting a new house.

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Thanks Dora, and all the best!

The REW Handbook (355 pgs) is now free to REW Certificants in e-book format at completion of the REW certification.  Although REW professionals can access course materials 1 year after certification, the handbook provides as a lasting field guide; complimentary to the interactive, multimedia-driven presentations they experienced online.

Industry leaders, such as Josh Sharfman, CTO of the California Association of REALTORS(r), commented on the book as saying:

“...this book promotes core real estate, web-centric technologies that further enable the committed REALTOR® to continue in well-exceeding clients’ expectations."

Hundreds of REW professionals put in requests for immediate access to a guide that complimented course materials, one that can be printed out and later referenced as required.  We have met those requests and then-some.

Other opportunities at end of certification include: press releases on behalf certificants, blog posts on the certificant and other marketing of REW certificants.  Sign-up today and to engage these end-of-certification opportunities.

Recently we had a chance to interview G-II Varrato II and Lori Klindera, REAL ESTATE WEBOGRAPHER™ (REW™) certificants. Both Lori and G-II are of the many to sign-up & complete the REW™ Certification through a promotional discount offered through zipLogix (ZipForm), an REW Technology Partner.

G-II and Lori had many positive things to say about the REW program.  Below we've included a few excerpts from their interview, with more comments in the agent testimonials area on this site.

Lori & G-II are Mentors for Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage in Phoenix, Arizona. They hold several designations, ePRO 500, ABR, CNE, RECS and now REW. They have processed either personally, or overseen and been intimately involved with, over 5,000 buyer or seller transactions during their careers. Lori & G-II have consistently been in the top 1½ to 5% of all Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage agents in Arizona.

"Up until the beginning of 2007, about 98% of our on-line business leads resulted in Buyer traffic ONLY. Almost, like the flick of a light switch, in 2007 we began to receive more Internet leads from Sellers. Today, 98% of our listings have been generated through the Internet."

"Remember, we have been On-Line REALTORS® for nearly two decades."

"The Webographers course is a perfect and natural fit for REALTORS® who wish to propel their business to the next level."

"The bottom line is simply this. If you’re going to do a job, then… DO THE JOB! Develop situational awareness. Understand the Internet and all of its technology, both hardware and software. Embrace every aspect of the Internet. You can’t outrun this technological storm. So, either get on board, baton down the hatches and get proficient or get out of the business. It’s that simple!"

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Thanks Lori & G-II, and all the best!