There are many advantages to using a smartphone, both for personal and work use. With upgraded technology nowadays, there’s an app for almost everything! Have you thought about apps that might benefit you as a real estate investor to download? With numerous options to choose from, here are a few categories every real estate professional should think about downloading.

Edit Your Photos

Capturing the work you’ve done on fix & flips is extremely important. Photos are one of the best ways to market your product. But what do you do if you took the photos on a day with overcast? Or if they’re close to perfect but not quite there yet? This is when photo editing comes into play. Of course, you never want to mislead potential clients and completely distort the photos. However, minor touch-ups here and there can transform your photo from good to great. Great apps to use include Snapseed, VSCO, and Adobe Lightroom just to name a few. With a photo editing tool, you’ll be able to control exposure, adjust sharpness, and crop to your liking in no time!

Keep Track of Your Expenses

Tracking expenses is extremely important to stay within budget. With numerous purchases of materials that can occur during a fix and flip, maintaining a log of everything you’ve bought will only help you in the long run. Doing multiple projects at once? Even more of a reason to keep track of the expenses each project requires. QuickBooks is an extremely popular app many real estate professionals use. It’s also worth taking a look at Freshbooks and Xero among others to choose which app works best for you.

Scan Your Documents

Lots of paperwork can be overwhelming to deal with, which is why having a digital copy and filing it into folders can be very helpful. What’s even more convenient is being able to scan a document using your phone! Notable document scanning apps include Adobe Scan, Scanbot, Genius Scan, and CamScanner. Forget the photocopier and just grab your phone!

There are many more apps out there that can benefit you as a real estate investor. Start with these categories and see what additional apps can best suit you!

After the renovations of your fix and flip have been completed, capturing the moment is essential! Not only to hold all the hard work you’ve done in a tangible form, but also for marketing. Don’t have a professional camera? Not a problem! With the right steps, you can take amazing photos with just your phone. Additionally, marketing your rental is also key to making a profit. And it starts with the perfect photos to share with potential clients.

Lighting

Good lighting can make or break any photo. If there isn’t enough lighting, the rooms can appear gloomy and overall give off a bad appearance. The goal of these photos is to give prospective clients the feel that they can see themselves in the space. Therefore, warm and inviting light helps create the illusion as well as opens up the space. Capitalize on getting the most amount of light into the room by taking photos on bright sunny days, opening the blinds, and turning on all the interior lights. Natural light is your friend so be sure to take full advantage of it. Although when taking photos be careful of shadows that can be cast. Shadows often come into play but can be dependent on the angles you take the photo.

Angles

Take a variety of photos from different angles. You don’t have to use them all, but it gives you an abundance of photos to work with. Not only can different angles give a variety, but the quality of the photos can change when factoring in other variables such as shadows. Keep in mind taking photos from corners opens up the room and adds dimension compared to straight-on photos that can make the room appear smaller.

Outside

Of course, capturing the rooms inside is essential, but so is capturing the outside! Outdoor living space can be a major attraction to prospective clients. Again, lighting will be a major component of getting the perfect photo. Be sure no personal belongings are in the shot such as your car in the driveway. And don’t get too caught up in the season you shoot! Although spring or summer may seem like the best options for blossoming flowers, fall and winter can be just as beautiful! Taking an outdoor photo with a fresh blanket of snow on the property or the fall foliage surrounding your fix & flip can add the perfect charm to your array of photos.

Shooting your fix and flip should be fun! All of your hard will pay off in these photos, so you want to be sure to capture the beauty. With these tips in mind, you will be able to take beautiful photos on a budget.

Now that autumn has begun, so has the chilly weather! Those beautiful outdoor spaces you created shouldn’t only be reserved for the summertime. Make your outdoor spaces usable all year.

Stay Warm

If you haven’t already, you should certainly look into investing in a firepit! This is an easy way to stay warm during the colder months of the year while enjoying your outdoor patio. Choose from wood burning, propane, gel fueled, or natural gas fire pits to fit your needs. Firepits are a win-win situation because not only do they serve for warmth, they are perfect for roasting yummy treats like smores! In addition to a firepit, consider adding heat lamps to stay warm and cozy outside. A patio heat lamp is simple to assemble and can often be positioned to heat an individual directly, rather than just the surrounding area. With a wide variety of heating lamps to choose from, match the style to your already existing patio!

Privacy Screen

Think of getting a privacy screen to put up wherever you please. This helps transform your patio from summer to fall, as well as blocks the wind as the temperature drops. Such a quick and simple fix to change seasons! Outdoor screens can add a nice visual to your outdoor patio space and gives you more seclusion from others. Enjoy the peace and quiet of your outdoor space with a beautiful new privacy screen.

Let There Be Light

Just because the sun goes down sooner, doesn’t mean you have to sit in the dark! Add some more lights to your outdoor space to create a warm ambiance. Dive into your style of either twinkling lights, tiki torches, or glowing lanterns. Make sure your lights are weatherproof to avoid having to constantly change them out.

Add Some Aesthetics

Put down an all-weather rug (or a few) to fit the season and giving your feet something warm to walk on. Rugs made from polypropylene are great at withstanding whatever nature may throw at it during the season. Have a gazebo or pergola? Add in some curtains! Allow yourself to draw in the curtains when the temperature drops and that transformation of the summer to fall feel.

Just because summer’s gone doesn’t mean your patio has to close up. Use these tips to maintain enjoying the beautiful outdoor space you’ve created. And don’t forget, throw some more pillows and blankets out there to keep the space extra cozy!

Driving traffic to your website can seem like a daunting task, but it doesn’t have to be! With the right plan of action, you can create increased engagement with users, therefore opening the doors to more clients for your business.

These tips can help take your website and business to the next level.

Prioritize Usability

Of course, the glitz and glam of your website layout can be intriguing and exciting to the eye, but it does no good if the website is difficult to navigate. Having a well-structured website is vital to creating a positive user experience. In addition, having a responsive website is essential considering the broadening use of mobile devices. Whether users are utilizing your website on a laptop, cell phone, or tablet, easy navigation across all platforms is key.

Social Media

Now this seems like a given but is often overlooked. Social media has been and continues to be on the rise. This is one of the most popular marketing tools available and is mostly free! Promoting content from your website such as upcoming events and blog posts can then drive traffic to your website. Social media is a support to website trafficking, not a substitute. Use it effectively, and don’t forget to make your content shareable!

Engagement

Online engagement heavily relates to social media use. It’s simple, the more you engage, the more exposure you get. Increased exposure could lead to more traffic to your website! Get active in your online groups within your industry, and comment on posts here and there. Be sure your engagement is purposefully and sincere. Make your voice heard in the virtual world.

Email Marketing

Email marketing is an incredible way to stay in touch with clients. Useful information can be provided with just the click of the “send” button. This is another opportunity to provide useful links to your website on the content you choose to promote. Again, another chance to drive traffic to your website. Considering we all get bombarded with tons of emails daily, be sure to carefully choose an intriguing subject line in your email. Getting your audience members to actually open the email is an important first step!

Keep in mind driving traffic to your website won’t happen overnight. It can take months before you see substantial results, and that’s okay! Creating a plan and sticking to it can boost your rankings in search engines and in turn, better your business. Plus, with the help of Bridge Loan Network, we can provide you with a custom application link for your website to capture leads for potential clients.

2020 has been pretty unpredictable thus far, including the weather.  Safety is the utmost importance during these unpredictable storms, but of course, you want your home to be protected too! Here are some ways to help protect your home against hurricanes.

Impact-resistant windows and doors

Invest in impact-resistant windows and doors. With these in place, they will help to strengthen the safety of your home against harsh weather. Impact-resistant windows and doors can withstand winds up to 200 mph, in addition to objects that may be thrown at your home. Having these in place can make a huge difference for not only possible storm damage, but the dreaded clean up afterward.

Landscape

Although landscaping may not seem directly apart of the home, it can certainly come into play during a hurricane. Everything and anything surrounding your home come into fair play when the winds aggressively pick up. Consider exchanging harder landscaping materials for soft ones. For example, instead of using gravel or stones, use mulch or wood chips. In addition to using softer materials, be sure to check out your tree branches! Trim any branches that are already breaking or dead. Trimming branches is a great place to start prepping your home since it is a quicker task!

Garage

For a short-term fix to strengthening your garage doors, opt to install vertical door braces or horizontal beams. Utilizing these reinforces the structure of the doors, which will fend better against high winds. For a bigger upgrade, invest in impact-resisting garage doors. Much like the doors and windows, impact-resisting garage doors are the utmost protection for aggressive weather. Although installing these are more expensive than vertical door braces or horizontal beams, they may be worthwhile considering your valuable car is residing inside!

Sump pump

Ever think about installing a sump pump? A sump pump moves water from your basement to a designated area out of your home. This simple mechanism can help protect your home from rising waters which could ultimately lead to structural damage. There are different types of sump pumps such as submersible, pedestal, battery-operated backup, and water-powered backup sump pumps. Ensure the sump pump being used is free of debris to ensure it will effectively work to protect your home against damage.

Of course, a generator would be a huge help for possible power outages too, just make sure you use it safely and situate it away from your house! But these tips will help preserve your home or investment property during aggressive and unpredictable weather.

With many employees working from home, unfortunately, the traffic of account hackers has also increased. And many of their tactics have gotten more clever for obtaining information online. Be sure to keep your accounts and information safe with these tips and tricks.

Variation

Although simplicity may seem like the best way to go for memory’s sake, add some sort of variance to your password. Whether it be different capitalization, numeric values, or punctuation, you want to ensure you are using a password that cannot be easily guessed. And whatever you do, do not use the same password for all applications! Afraid you’ll forget your numerous password? No excuse! Use a password manager such as Secret Server, Bitwarden, or Dashlane to keep track of all your account information.

Change It Up

Some applications may require you to change your password after a certain number of days. Although this may seem tedious, it is important to change when prompted. Take it one step further by changing the passwords of all your applications every few months. Get into the habit of changing all passwords, even if you are only required to change just one or two applications. Frequently changing passwords will make it, so your account information is less likely to be tracked.

Be Cautious of Downloads and Links

Some emails may seem legitimate but can be a hacker in disguise. If the email contains a download or link and you’re not sure if it is safe, look for clues it could be a hacker. Do you recognize the email address it is coming from? Or could the email address have various numbers attached to it? Is the spelling in the email message itself correct? When in doubt if you aren’t sure, don’t open any links or downloads and reach out to your IT Department. In addition, do your best to avoid unknown sites to limit the opportunities of engaging with malicious code.

Two-factor Authentication

Setting up two-factor authentication creates another layer of safety for your information. Many of us use just one password to access certain sites, but if there is an option to enable two-factor authentication, you should take it. Something as simple as sending a text with a code to your phone before logging in can create an abundance of safety so only you can access the account.

Update

Update! Update! Update! Updating your systems is such an important and simple way to help keep your accounts and information safe. Failure to update your systems allows hackers more time to create new and improved ways of obtaining your information. Updating your software, system, firewall, and the browser should remain a priority. So next time you receive an update pop up, don’t close it out!

Shut Down

Turn off your work laptop or computer at the end of every day. Devices that are always left on are more susceptible to getting viruses or malware. Get into the habit of shutting completely down at the end of the day to ensure your accounts are being protected, even when you’re offline.

Bridge Loan Network is a site you can trust. Those who use the Bridge Loan Network (BLN) platform are helping to protect their information, and their client’s information by storing it in the software. Aspects that ensure the safety of information include the entire site being https, all documents and PII are encrypted, and the firewall only allows access to BLN for users in the United States. In addition, the company follows the OWASP secure coding practices to safeguard the information of users. The safety features Bridge Loan Network uses are exactly what you want to look for when entrusting your personal information on different websites.

Although hackers are upping their game while many are still working from home, these tips will help to ensure the safety of your information. Always be cautious while using your devices and if something seems odd, go with your gut. Hackers are smart but you are smarter!

Many of us have heard the phrase “It’s not what you know, it’s who you know”. While some may argue the validity of that statement, it’s no secret that networking plays a large role in various industries. You’ve learned networking as an individual, but how do you transfer that to your business?

Online Engagement

A major component of growing your business is social media. Make your presence known! Effectively use Instagram, LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter to promote your business to audience members. But don’t just stop at posting. Take it another step further and engage with your followers. Respond to comments, throw some likes here and there, and repost relatable content. Make your audience members feel seen. A little engagement can go a long way.

Attendance

Stay in the game by attending conferences and industry events. Although at this very moment in quarantine, it may not be possible to attend in-person events, there are plenty of opportunities to meet people virtually! Come with questions and have an idea of who you would like to speak with once you’re there. That means, do your research! Growing your business through networking will pay off if you put in the work. Not only will you meet other industry professionals at these events, you can also expand your knowledge and gain new skills. In addition to learning hard skills from experienced industry professionals, this is a chance for you to work on your public speaking and networking skills as well. Going up and striking conversation with strangers can seem intimidating, but just as anything else with practice you will improve. So, don’t be afraid to sign up for various events and get you and your company’s name out there!

Give Back

Look for ways to give back locally. This could be hosting educational events on your industry, volunteering, hosting podcasts, sponsoring events, and more. Giving back is not only a way to get your company’s name out there on another level, but you can also create a sense of purpose beyond just making money for your business. By giving back, you are opening your pool of professionals to even greater margins. Use this as another opportunity to gain traction to your business, learn what customers want, and share your experiences and knowledge with others.

Overall, the most important thing about networking is to follow up! It’s great to meet new people with the purpose of expanding your business, but it means nothing if you don’t reach out. And reach out for purposes other than when you need something. Even if it’s just a quick line once a month on LinkedIn to say hello. Networking is all about building long term relationships and looking at the bigger picture. You never know where these relationships may go!

Investing in a fix & flip property but not sure how to make it unique? Or maybe you’re searching for more investment rental properties but aren’t quite sure what to pinpoint. Alexa has certainly brought many of us into a new sector of technology in our homes. But have you ever thought about taking it a step further for your clients? What if you could have built-in smart systems within your home? Add some flair to your investment properties to broaden your tech-savvy audience.

For starters, you may want to think about investing in 5G connectivity. Keep up with the trends, and more importantly, the internet connection! Whether you are looking for an investment property or engaging in a fix & flip, you want to ensure the best of the best for your clients. For a faster and more reliable connection, 5G is certainly worth checking out for your properties. To handle this capacity, you would also need to look into updating the technology of your infrastructure. The update will go beyond changing your connectivity to 5G but will allow you to make other improvements in the home. Your clients would be thrilled to know their property has the strongest internet connection.

Smart Doorbells

Smart doorbells alert residents when someone rings the door and shows a clear image, based on the connection to a smartphone. This is a great highlight for clients because not only does this add another level of safety, residents no longer have to hesitantly peek through the curtains to see who has approached. There are a variety of smart doorbells that can be installed, and some systems even send an alert when someone is approaching. A simple addition to a fix and flip that can go a long way.

Smart Heating

Looking for a unique appliance in your next investment property? Smart heating may be your answer. Smart thermostats control the temperature in buildings via Wi-Fi and cell phones. They can automatically change the temperature depending on the time of day for preference. Some systems are even able to detect when residents are not in the building based on the location of the connected phone. The heating system can automatically shut off, which in turn saves money. For renters, saving money is a key component to properties so smart heating will surely be a feature worth installing.

Smart Lighting

Smart lighting allows residents to turn lights on and off simply from the touch of their phone. In addition, the brightness and colors in different rooms are also able to be controlled. Depending on the system installed, motion sensors can detect a presence and automatically turn lights on and off as well. Smart lighting not only offers convenience but security too.

There surely are many other smart appliances you could add to your property for home improvement. The convenience, long term money-savers, and improved security measures speak for themselves. Not only will a greater pool of investors be interested in these advanced technological applications, but a larger profit can also be made at the conclusion of a fix & flip. Be sure to include smart technology at the top of your list for your next investment property!

This quarantine has surely changed everyone’s day to day routines. We have all had to adjust to the world as we know it while maintaining as much normalcy as possible. The real estate industry has been navigating through these trying times, just like everyone else. One thing for sure that many have relied on is the use of technology. Schools have moved their classes online, companies are holding virtual meetings, and more. The real estate industry took advantage of technology to continue supporting its clients in all efforts. So yes! You can still house hunt during this time, and that is thanks to technology!

3D Tours

This quarantine ironically provides many benefits to those who are house hunting during this time. Many companies have hooked onto the virtual reality and have created 3D tours on properties. Panoramic photos that are taken of the property allow for the 3D showings to occur. Websites allow users to be interactive and make it feel as if they are really there. They can “walk” through spaces virtually and see everything just as a normal showing would be. This convenience allows clients to check out properties while still in their pajamas!

Taking Advantage of Extra Time

Applications such as Zoom, Teams on Microsoft, Skype, and even FaceTime allow for companies to continue business as usual. This includes adhering to clients who want to view properties. In addition to being able to view properties from the comfort of your own home and continuing to stay safe, chances are most clients have a little more free time on their hands. This quarantine is forcing all of us to take a step back from our typical, busy lives, and in turn, more time can be dedicated to carefully searching into all aspects of properties for sale. Clients may even have extra time to view more properties compared to being under normal circumstances.

Broader Reach

Virtual property tours are also a great alternative to those looking into properties out of state. Rather than making the long trek to visit a property, through the use of technology clients can do the same thing while being safe at home! The use of technology for property tours is a win-win situation. It allows those in the business to reach a larger audience, and it allows clients to check out more properties without spending the gas money to travel or time being stuck in traffic. This innovative virtual reality can truly benefit clients by allowing them to look into anything and everything that interests them.

It’s no secret that social media can go a long way. And when used effectively, it can make great differences in your business. Platforms such as Instagram, LinkedIn, Twitter, and Facebook have taken off to allow individuals to reach a broader audience. Social media is amazing nowadays, and you can quite literally reach people across the globe with just the touch of your fingertips. But maintaining the right attitude and energy is essential for the intent of the message. Here are some tips to maximize your visibility and engagement with your business.

The Power of the Hashtag

I know you’ve seen them! Don’t underestimate the power of the hashtag. That simple character works wonders when used effectively. When posting on social media platforms, you’ll want to be sure to pick out keywords to put a hashtag in front of. So, if you’re writing a blurb about cell phones, you may want to include #technology for example. Hashtags are key components to maximizing the visibility of your posts because when individuals quickly search keywords that you’ve included, your post will show up. Embrace the hashtag!

Less is More

Don’t feel pressured to push out meaningless content every hour. Organize your content in a fashion that highlights exactly what you want to say and say it! With that being said, know your platform. You may post differently on Twitter versus Facebook, and the main factor to that is the character limit. There’s no need to beat around the bush and create long, overdrawn-out posts. Social media can be used to capture your reader’s attention quickly and concisely. Stand out from the feed of users (with the help of hashtags) and tell them what they need to know. Consistency is key! Make sure you have a regulated schedule of appropriate posts but don’t overdo it.

Engagement & Interaction

Find a way to engage with your audience members. Are you including a #TestimonialTuesday? Or a #MotivationMonday? Find something that suits you and your business and roll with it. Another form of interaction includes showing those that work behind the scenes of your company. People want to know who is behind the hard work that contributes to your business succeeding. Of course, promoting your product is important on your platforms, but showing the faces of your workers gets people’s attention. Mix up your posts with information based as well as company fun photos and content. Let the world know who YOU are as a company.

And don’t forget to follow Bridge Loan Network on all our social media platforms!