A Frustrating Conversation That Got Me Thinking...

[Caleb Forestal]

I had a conversation with my friend, a real estate agent, a few months ago that really stuck with me. She was venting about how clunky and outdated the tools she uses every day are. I was surprised by how frustrated she was - I had no idea it was that bad.

As we talked more, I started wondering: why can't we do better? Is it really that hard to make a system that's easy to use and actually helps people?

I started doing some research and reading online forums, and it seems like my friend isn't alone. A lot of real estate professionals are struggling with the same issues. It's like, we're all just trying to make do with what we have, but it's not really working.

So, I started thinking... what if we could create something better? Something that actually makes it easier for people to do their jobs? I don't know, maybe it's a crazy idea, but I think it's worth exploring.

I've been tossing around the idea of creating a platform that integrates different data sources in a way that's actually user-friendly. I don't know what to call it yet (maybe "Real Xcess"?), but the idea is to make it easier for real estate professionals to manage data and focus on what matters most.

But here's the thing: I'm not an expert. I don't know what I'm doing. I need your help. I want to hear from you:

* What's the most frustrating part of working with real estate data?

* What features do you wish you had in your current tools?

* Is this even a good idea?

Let's chat about this. Maybe we can come up with something that actually makes a difference.

No promises, no grand plans (yet). Just a curious mind and a willingness to explore.

[Chris Martin]

This post is attempting to be constructive criticism. 

From your post, I don't see a well-defined problem. You're attempting to find a solution but haven't articulated the details of the problem. Regarding your comment "But here's the thing: I'm not an expert. I don't know what I'm doing." It's a tough ask for software productivity tools when the "spec" (or "problem statement") isn't well defined. 

I've built plenty of software tools for my own investment use. An example problem statement that I may have stated (and built the software for) in 2003, when I started investing full time: Build a tool for lead generation that collects county records from the county recorder's office (and property card data), finds the recent first mortgage defaults  from trustees websites or public filings for properties that are between 1000 and 1700 square feet, in a neighborhood of 90% like-kind properties with greater than 20 parcels, houses built after 1978, that can cash flow at current rates when fully leveraged. 

BTW, I am not a real estate agent so can't help you with agent-related stuff. 

My point is you need a well-defined problem statement.