Software Packages

[James Knox]

I recently attended a Fortune Builders 3 day intensive, make you feel bad if you don’t buy their program seminar. In truth I learned a lot for my $197 dollar investment, that in reality they only charged my CC $50. However I thought the program was far too much for just starting off.

What I did like was the ‘software package’ that came with the program. Now I am a geek at heart and could create several element of the backend package. However I have learned that it is sometimes far better to not recreate the wheel.

So I am looking for some software packages or services that can do the following in some combination. Your advice or pointers of what you use would be greatly appreciated.

The Fortune Builder’s Backend software provided the following items:

1. Marketing backend that tracked everyone that signed up through your website
   1. Website creation (I can do this easily)
   2. Backend management of those who submitted date (I can create an export)
2. Property evaluation and comp pulls
3. Remodel Designs that include the following ability
   1. Creation of details SOW’s
   2. Creation of sku lists from local Home Depot or Lowes
4. Investor, contractor, Buyer and other related Package Templates

In TRUTH the software backend looked very smooth. The item #2 & #3 are probably the most important to me as a newbie, the Marketing portion is nice and it would be great to have a seamless system.

[Christopher Gibbins]

There are a lot of different systems out there and I spent a lot of money to play around with them. Examples Freedomsoft, Realeflow, ReiPro, Nesters, REI Blackbook and the list goes on. What I found is those systems are great for the specific parts of real estate they are designed for but they aren't scaleable nor can you customize it to fit your workflows and how you want your business to operate. Oh and I think I missed the biggest part, they are expensive.

Now don't get me wrong these are all fine systems and they can truely help you but they aren't the magic bullet that they claim it to be and you wont be sipping from the magic fountain of fortune if you spend the money on it.

I started to use a free system call Podio (Now they do have a paid version as well with better workflows and reporting if you need it). But its a very customizable system that you can use for every part of your business and its portable so I can use it fully on my phone or iPad while I am out looking at properties.

The main thing here is this. Don't rely on or spend a lot of time on the system that you are using for your business because its not the system that makes the business its you that makes the business. Get out there and find and close deals. The system will form over time.