As a real estate agent in Chicago, I don’t touch paper unless it’s the check that closes a deal. Ever. It doesn’t matter what needs to be signed – it’s all signed on the digital line.

An agent since 2002, I began the process of transitioning my business to be 100-percent paperless around 2006 or 2007, when contracts were becoming available as PDF forms. I admit, I love my technology toys, but electronic contracts are also a no-brainer for my business – you get first-generation docs so everyone in the transaction can actually read the details, they’re easy to email around with no degradation in quality, and you can store files electronically instead of in boxes.

There are a few simple solutions I use behind the scenes to manage my business more effectively and efficiently, but there are also some client facing: The ever-improving MLS, for example, and particularly electronic signatures – I use dotloop – which my clients adore. They love that they can be at their separate offices, traveling, live out of state, be anywhere really, and can still review offers and counter-offers, and sign instantly. The convenience lets them focus on the goal instead of the process. Not only that, at times being able to sign remotely has been necessary – being in multiple bids let them sneak in an offer under the wire or respond to a rapidly changing market when necessary.

Eliminating the paperwork and working remotely means I can operate a mobile office, meaning when I want and where I want – my entire office fits in a bag and working in the cloud means I don’t have to be concerned about hardware damage, failure or umm…human error. Now, if only reliable WiFi was ubiquitous.

My Tools

How do I do it? By constantly evaluating low cost, high performance and stable technology. In my business, my clients, staff and I want to focus on the business, not the technology, so I go for the best solutions. Here are a few of my favorites:

  • dotloop – I’ve been using it since it was launched in Chicago at the beginning of 2010, and it’s been fun to watch them grow. It’s an online workspace that lets me manage my real estate transactions from offer to close. I like dotloop because it’s a built from the ground up solution – it’s not just putting a digital band-aid on an analog process, it’s an entirely new way to complete real estate transactions. I call it a ‘non-generational solution’ – I find everyone enjoys using it, because it’s built for anyone. In fact, I just had a client in her 60’s sign a contract on her phone without blinking an eye. I LOVE that!
  • Evernote – This is the closest to paper that I go. It’s a cloud-based tool I can access anywhere, which mimics note taking. It’s great to jot down notes for meetings, phone conversations and other details, whether I’m in the office or in the field. And it’s a lot harder to misplace, accidentally crumple up or spill on.
  • The Elegant Apple – My suite of Apple devices – including a MacBook Air, iPad mini and iPhone – keep me connected, wherever I might be. Interestingly, I haven’t been an Apple user since my college days. Back when it wasn’t clear Apple was going to make it and everything went PC I reluctantly converted and only recently finally got a MacBook Air to complete my conversion back the Apple world. There’s something to be said about keeping your software in the same family but I was just as effective in a PC world. Apple just happens to be my flavor of choice.
  • Verizon WiFi Hotspot – It’s the best I’ve found in the area, and it’s helpful to have an alternative network to ensure I’m always connected, no matter the location and I don’t have to be forced onto an unsecure network.
  • Wireless Multipurpose Printer/Scanner – This is one of the few physical machines I have in the office – I haven’t had a fax machine in years! – so I can, on rare occasions, scan necessary documents, such as HUDS, for my digital file and to submit to the office. Whenever someone tries to hand me a piece of paper, I ask him or her if they can send it to me electronically instead or I just take a photo of it with my iPhone. I just had to buy ink recently and realized it had been a year since the last time I had to buy some. That’s a high-five moment in my world.

My mantra is leverage, and these are some of the technology tools I use to leverage my business – making this year the most successful in my real estate career. I don’t believe balance exists but balancing does so I work around my life and I live around my work, whether I’m taking my dog, AFIS, to the dog beach, preparing and/or attending a Women’s Council of Realtors event or am on the road to the National Championship with the Chicago Force, the women’s tackle football team I volunteer with. (Yes, we won and I can’t wait to get my ring!) Moral of the story, it’s an awesome world out there and I love being in it!

Getting Started

Okay, so you’re not a techie and you might be intimidated. Even I didn’t go paperless in one giant leap so venture out and take a baby step. What will have the biggest impact on your productivity? Evaluate what’s out there and pick the one that will have the greatest breadth of bang for your buck. The more the tool does the fewer tools you’ll need to plug in to your process, costing you less and reducing how much you’ll need to learn (and the number of passwords you need to remember.)

Eliminating the paperwork doesn’t have to be complicated or expensive. Besides, the side effects are you can grow your business, delight your clients and have more free time. What’s not to love?