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Submitting your Broker Price Opinion two hours before the 24, 48, or 72 deadline is very important!! The reason: if the BPO Company/Outsourcer has Quality Control Department has issues with your BPO for accuracy, distances from the subject or whatever the reason may be. If you submit your BPO early, this will give you time to fix any issues and then send it back before the BPO Company flags you for being late!!

 

REOCertified @ www.BrowningRealEstateSchool.com

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I've been using QuickBooks since its inception back in the 80s. In fact, as I was reorganizing my library of software programs and toys, I sorta drifted back to the beginning of my program collection such as my old versions of SuperCalc 4 and 5, MS Office DOS Version (1988 and 89 Copy), QuickBooks 1988 - 2006, Quicken Invoice DOS and Windows (initial Copies), and more. Ok, back to the topic.

I prefer the method below because it allows me to accurately track each property expense, I can apply the property to the vendor job, and when the reimbursement arrives, I can easily retrieve a list of all reimbursements submitted when I begin to type in the property address. NO MORE SEARCHING THE INVOICE SECTION!!!!!

How to setup you REO properties as projects:

  • Create each REO Bank as a Customer in QuickBooks.
  • Right click on the Customer name (Bank) located in the left margin.
  • Select "Add Job".
  • Input the property information as follows: property address-asset number (999 Mockingbird Lane - ALS123456789.
  • Complete as much of the page info as possible.
  • Save the setup.

TIPS!

  • Us the Custom Field in the "Additional Info" tab to add your commission information.
  • As you create new jobs for each project, list it under the "Job Info" tab, this includes the utility deposit, connection fee, membership fee, account number information.
  • Always include the street address and asset number. Most if not all banks require the address and asset number on each invoice.
  • You can easily create multiple jobs under each Project (Property file) for easy tracing of work in progress, pending, completed, cancelled, etc.



Carolyn Nelson
Online Real Estate Assistant

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Organizing Your REO Expenses

REO banks require the agent to turn on the utilities, pay the bill, and submit for reimbursement. It is very important that you keep track of each bill and submit in a timely manner to ensure that you are reimbursed by the banks. During the rush of completing your daily tasks, don't ignore the utility bills by adding it to your already filled and probably overflowing inbox. Separate your utilities and other bills by using hanging trays. Hanging trays can be added to the side of the file cabinet, hanged from the wall, or stored using a vertical rank on your desk. The bottom line is not to mix your bills with other office paperwork. Click Here for a Sample Upon receipt of each bill, add it to the tray for processing and process each bill weekly! Attach a copy of the check to a clean copy of the utility bill. Remember, each utility bill must show the following:

  1. Utility Company Name and remittance address
  2. Utility Account Number
  3. Property Address
  4. Service to and service from dates.
  5. Itemized utility breakdown.

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REO Transaction Management Software – Feature Tips – Part IIIf you are looking for REO Online Transaction Management software for your business, there are many features that you would want to consider before purchasing. Because you want the software to make your job easier not harder! You want it to be able to streamline processes rather than bog them down.Here are five more features that you should consider when purchasing an REO Transaction Management Software.Security- Does this software utilize Secure Socket Layer (SSL) technology? It protects your information using both server authentication and data encryption, ensuring that your data is safe, secure, and available only to registered Users in your organization. Does the software utilize the most advanced technology available to keep your sensitive data secure? How often do they back up their data? And is the backup available to you at your request?Remote Access –Are you able to access your software remotely? Since agents are so mobile it is important to choose a program that fits the way you run your business. You should be able to access your account from anywhere. Also you should be able to access it with any mobile device that you have such as a Blackberry, or cell phone.Flexibility – How open is the company to suggestions from you to help your reo transactions run more smoothly? Let's say you need a feature such as email reminders to be sent before the due date on a task. I once asked a company if they had this feature. They did not. I asked would they be willing to put this feature in their system. Surprisingly they were not and could not see the value that we would receive from it. For REO Agents and transaction coordinators it is important, because then we would not have to log into the system daily to get our reminders.Transition- If you are not using an REO software program, can your data be easily exported to their system? How long will this process take? Will the company do it for you or will you need to do it yourself? Some companies are willing to do this step for you to make your job easier. Also if you are using a REO software program and you want to switch, can your information be easily transferred to the new system?Cost – Some companies have a flat fee for one year for an unlimited number of transactions. Some companies have a set up fee and then a fee for a certain number of transactions. Then you have to pay if you go over that number. Some companies offer a free trial – which is important to take advantage of. You can test it to see if all of the features that are important to you work smoothly. But you can compare costs to see if it will fit your budget. But also you can compare costs with features to see what company offers the best value.Guarantee – Along with the cost it is important to ask what is their satisfaction/guarantee policy. Once you sign the contract, are you locked in? Or can you stop services if you do not receive the services that were promised?Whatever software you choose, just be sure to consider these features before you buy.To your Business Success!
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REO Transaction Management Software - Part I

REO Transaction Management Software – Feature Tips – Part IIf you are looking for REO Online Transaction Management software for your business, there are many features that you would want to consider before purchasing. Because you want the software to make your job easier not harder! You want it to be able to streamline processes rather than bog them down.I will touch on five features:Task Lists – is there a feature where you can use the same task lists for each property? Can you assign a task list to a property with one click? And can you edit the lists easily if need be?Email Tracking – does it automatically store the emails under the particular listing? And also are you able to use your default email provider when sending emails. And if you are able, will the system still track the emails?Expense tracking – If this is an important feature to you, it is important that you find a system that does it accurately and preferably in real time. With so many vendors involved with your assets, it is crucial to have accurate records. Also does this system have an easy way to import and export files, such as an Excel spreadsheet.Support –This is very important because for most agents, it is needed 24/7 because of the many tasks that may be due on a particular property. And some agents may not be able to get to their computer until late in the evening because they are out in the field all day.Document Storage – How much can the transaction management system store? If it is not unlimited, how much will they be able to store before they charge a fee? Also how easy is it to access documents and photos for each file? How user friendly is the filing system? Is it customizable to your business or do you have to use the software’s filing system?These are just five features that should be considered when considering a REO Online Transaction System. The most important point to remember is will it streamline the system you are already using? You want to be able to have a tool that makes your job easier and more organized.In part two I will touch on five other features that you should consider when purchasing REO Online Transaction Management software.
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Q&A on Trulia

Did you know that you can participate in Trulia.com and become an expert voice as the local real estate professional?If you don't know about this, you're missing out on a huge opportunity. It's said that people search for homes on the internet more than anywhere else nowadays. What Trulia (and Zillow) has done is bring a forum to the buyers/sellers and pros to bounce questions and ideas off each other. I've been doing this for the past year, and I'm not at all a power user on Trulia, but I've noticed that my comments have had great responses as well as decent leads that come through my website because I answered someone's question.I also cross market my profiles on the internet that links Trulia.com, Zillow.com, Activerain.com and other sites that allows me to participate. People tend to feel more at ease looking at my profile without the pressure of talking to someone live. The best part about this is that it is free marketing and it paints a picture of who you are on those sites!If you already do this and don't seem to have much luck, keep plugging away and always promote your profiles either on your marketing flyers or business card. My business card on the back says "See me online!" then I pasted images of the representative sites that I have profiles.
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Get It In Writing!

Get it in Writing!How many "Denied Payment" does it take to get it right!When working with REO properties, you need to be very cautious when it involves being paid. Do not take for granted that the Asset Manager or representative will remember your conversation or have made a note in their little black book. The sad fact is that most, if not all, handle hundreds of properties and answer questions and emails regarding those properties on a daily basis. At this point, you are a number in their system and not at the top of the "thing to remember" list.If an Asset Manager or Representative calls and are requesting information or requesting that you perform a duty, GET IT IN WRITING! Too often, Brokers and Agents are so ecstatic to get the chance that they fail to create a paper trail that will guarantee payment. If the email or fax never arrives, send a email to the individual with a summary of the conversation. Ask him or her to confirm the request. If you do not receive a response, do not do the work.Never email the Asset Manager or representative outside of their portal if a portal is being used. Once you email them outside the portal, the conversation is most likely not considered acceptable because there will be a disclaimer listed in your service agreement and on the website regarding emails. PAY ATTENTION TO THE POLICIES! Also, just because the note is in the portal today, does not mean it will be in the portal tomorrow. Consider capturing the screen information for your file for backup purposes.If an Asset Manager or Representative requests repair, especially costly repairs, get the request and approval in writing (NOT YOUR WRITING). Do not try to store the information in your memory bank, GET IT IN WRITING! Too often repairs requests are asked to be completed by the brokers and agents without full approval from the seller/clients. If the client does not approve the invoice and the Asset Manager or Representative approves the request prematurely, you will not get paid. Having the request and approval in writing will provide a solid legal foundation in case you have to file a mechanical lien on the property or a claim against the asset company. Know the law for your area.When submitting your invoices, make sure you include a copy of the email with the pre-approval attached. If you have to submit the original invoice to the bank of reimbursement, include a copy of the pre-approval email along with the conversation to alleviate any doubts.Never assume that the conversation will be remembered and/or your invoice will be paid. After all, if the invoice is rejected, you will have to pay the vendor and/or suffer the loss.Carolyn Nelson www.onlinerepa.com
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Do you have a plan that will help you manage your properties? How organized are your files and if the bank calls you regarding an invoice submitted three months ago or inquires about the details of a property, are you prepared? I help several agents remotely organize their files and provide different resolution based on their setup.Here are a few tips that will help keep you organized. It may not pertain to everyone and depends on the current process being used.• Get rid of the post-it notes. They are not meant to be used as long term solutions to tracking notes.• Create a spreadsheet or pay an expert database designer to create a MS Access database that runs on queries. If you would like to create a secure online program, you will need to hire an expert programmer.• If you are not ready to go paperless, I suggest using 3-ring binders and index tabs to keep your files sorted by banks and property address, and/or• Use the correct folders so proper recording is maintain. Go to http://www.filesource.com/ for an assortment of real estate related folders, or use the classification folder with dividers, click here, and/or• Use an online transaction management program for online storage and upload all pertinent documents to the BPO or bank system immediately and check off as completed.• Upload your action plans online or use Outlook to track due dates and send out reminders.• Only use one email address to communicate with the BPO Companies or banks. Multiple emails accounts increase the chance of mail being sent to the junk box or deleted. Include your full contact information in the signature line and account name section.• If you find that you are always responding too late or missing the BPO orders, setup alerts through your Blackberry or a compatible email account such as Yahoo or Hotmail so you can receive your notifications via text message. You can also hire an assistant that will work as a backup to catch those that you have missed and begin the process of ordering photos, pulling comps, etc• If you decide to go paperless, invest in a PDF converter that will allow you to extract documents, delete documents, sort pages, insert files, etc. As the transaction progress, you can add the new pages and/or delete the amended pages and more.• Once the property has closed, remove all old and completed transactions. Archive each to CD or DVD. Make multiple copies if needed.• Use the task reminder of you contact management program. Once you input a task based on a property, you will receive the alerts. This will increase your responsiveness to the bank and buyer agent.•Use Microsoft Street & Trips to calculate proximity if you are looking for a reliable program.• Keep an updated copy of all bank guideline at the front of the binder and/or store online within your OTM program.• Store each property file separately on your computer and label each property using the property address. Example: 1234 Mockingbird Lane, Anywhere US 01234. Then create subfolders. One for the listing documents and the other for the closing documents.• Add the full contact information for each bank, asset manager, accounts payable, etc to your Outlook contact file for the bank using categories. Print out the contact sheet and include it in your binder, folder, or online within the OTM program. This will provide quicker access to contacts when on the road and less searching on the PDA.• Offer a fillable PDF of the Offer to Purchase and all bank documents on your website. By doing so, this will give the buyer agent the opportunity to present a clearly written offer with all required fields completed. You can also include a check list as a part of the download. If the agent doesn't provide all of the check list items, they don't have a serious buyer.• Learn how to improve your process. If one method does not work, move on to something better, not worse.• Know what you have in inventory at all times. A simple spreadsheet can be used to track your inventory and the status.How do you keep your files organized?Carolyn Dobbs, Carolyn@REOBookkeeper.com | www.reobookkeeper.com | www.onlinerepa.com | www.point2close.com
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