Here are our five favorite iPhone apps for real estate professionals:

Evernote

For busy professionals, this app is a necessary extension of your brain. Use this tool to jot down notes about a new listing, take a snapshot of a business card, take a video of a house, and even record a voice memo to remind yourself of an important market statistic you just learned. Use this app when you’re on the go, and sync it to your computer when you are back in the office. Price: Free!

RulerPhone

No need to worry about bringing along a tape measurer! RulerPhone is a great app that does measuring virtually, using your iPhone camera. It is as simple as taking a picture of an object, measuring it up against a credit card, and RulerPhone delivers the dimensions to you! And you don’t have to worry about remembering to bring your tool with you—just take out your phone and the job is done! Price: Free!

Around Me

This app is perfect for letting your clients in on area surrounding the listed home you bring them to. Quickly find the closest gas station, bank, bars, hospital, hotels, movie theatre, restaurants, supermarkets, theatres and taxi service. Use this app as your cheat sheet, and your clients will be impressed with your knowledge of the area. Price: Free!

Home Buying Power

A great tool to have to quickly help clients realize their spending power. This app features a Buy Power calculator to help you determine your client’s price range for a house based on income, desired monthly payment, or down payment; a listing detail view helps you estimate closing costs and easily email information on a listing to your client and save properties to a shopping list. It also has a sophisticated mortgage calculator. Price: $1.99

Trulia Real Estate Search

Out with a client who wants to see if there are any other open houses in the area? With one tap, you see all homes for sale nearby and can browse through open houses to help plan your afternoon. This app allows realtors to scroll through color photos, get details on homes in the area, and scope out the neighborhood by viewing the results on a local map. Price: Free!

Do you have another favorite iPhone app? Let us know!

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Highland Woods

• Dramatic 2-Story Foyer
• Formal Living and Dining Rooms
• Large Family Room
• Open Kitchen Layout
• Walk-In Pantry
• Master Bedroom with His & Hers Walk-in Closets and Full Bathroom
• Generous closets in all bedrooms
• Tech Center on 2nd Floor

The Savannah is a 2-story plan that features, along with all the amenities above, 4 bedrooms, 2 1/2 baths and a 3 Car Tandem Garage. The model is fully decorated as well, which will give you an idea as to what your future home could look like. William Ryan Homes offers single family floorplans from 2,000-3,357 square feet. Homes start from $239,990.

The Savannah is a William Ryan Homes model. William Ryan Homes is one of our featured builders and has made a commitment to showcasing a model home and carrying an ample inventory of homesites available depending upon your personal needs.

Click to schedule your appointment for you or your client today!

The John Hall Homes mission is to build the finest homes with leading edge technology and building techniques, and to meet and exceed your expectations for a reasonable price. The custom-crafted and semi-custom homes feel like they were crafted just for you.

Learn about John Hall Homes exciting current incentives, and the distinct features and unique qualities of the John Hall Home experience in the following video interview with John Hall Jr.

John Hall homesites within the beautifully landscaped Ridgeview, Summergate, Graystone, and Old Bridge neighborhoods feature wooded walkout and lookout basements, as well as corner and deep interior lots. John Hall Custom homes will range from 1,800- to over 4,000-square feet in size.

Homes start in the upper $300’s in Graystone. Take advantage of a Free Finished Lower Level With Full Bath on the last 2 great walk out lots 48 and 52 in Ridgeview. Ana’s Cottage is now available at $679,000.

Schedule an appointment today to visit Highland Woods and learn more.

In this month’s contest, visitors will have the opportunity to win a $75 gift card to Regina’s, an Italian restaurant located at 629 South 8th Street, West Dundee, IL. With an excellent wine list and great Italian food, Regina’s is the perfect spot for date night.

Every month, Highland Woods holds a contest for visitors who register at the Owners Club. Simply have your clients complete an information card at Highland Woods and you will be entered into our drawing held on the first of every month.

Schedule an appointment to tour one of our uniquely decorated models or learn more about the fine custom and semi-custom builders at Highland Woods.

The Dover model home is currently available, with 3,660 square feet of space and other incredible features. Don’t miss out on this wonderful home available for $744,900!

Browse the available features view our interview with Paul Hassler below.

Interior highlights:

• 3660 Square Foot Floor Plan
• Large Interior Kitchen with Custom Alder Cabinetry, 1-1/4″ Granite Counter Tops
• Raised Snack Bar with GE Stainless Appliances
• Four Bedrooms with Walk-In Closets
• Upgraded Moen Faucets and Sinks
• Whirlpool Tub and 2-person Tiled Shower with Sink in Master Bath
• Group II Trim throughout First Floor with Double Crown
• Group II Trim in Master and Hallways, all other Bedrooms are Group I Trim
• Four Full Baths
• Full 9 foot deep Basement with Future roughed in Bath

Exterior highlights:

• Concrete Driveway
• 3-car “side load” garage which is fully insulated and drywalled
• Insulated Garage doors with opener
• Anderson Windows and Sliding Doors
• Maintenance free aluminum overhang and Facia with beaded hardie board cement siding
• Fully sodded front yard with street trees and plantings with rear yard seeded and concrete patio.

For more information on how you can become a part of this master-planned community, sign up for our e-newsletter or make an appointment to visit.

Why Social Media? Attracting sellers who want to list their house on the market, and buyers searching for a new home is the primary goal of a realtor using social media. Allowing realtors to connect easily and effectively, many real estate companies who utilize social media are seeing an increase in revenue. Social media generates more quality traffic back to a company’s main website, where visitors are spending more time browsing the site.

Turning Fans and Followers into Buyers and Sellers. Realtors can take advantage of social media by simply being available and open. Creating a Facebook and Twitter profile are the first steps, but in order to be fully accessible, why not create a YouTube account to showcase walkthroughs of listings; a Flickr account to display a gallery from inside a home; or get on Foursquare to show your clients your current schedule of Open Houses, or to leave neighborhood tips. Realtors can use social media not only to be everywhere their clients might be, but also to actively participate in it. Check out the Crown Community presence on Facebook, Twitter, Flickr, and YouTube.

Showcase Your Expertise. In addition to creating the standard social media sites like Facebook and Twitter, there are many websites that have been designed with realtors in mind, allowing them to lend their expert knowledge and connect to one another. Here are four great examples:

1. Trulia. A real estate search engine that provides buyers and sellers listings, maps, and comps, all in one place with free, full access to advice, opinions, and news from local experts. Real estate professionals are encouraged to use the site to market listings, view real estate data, and promote their own services.
2. Zillow. A leading online real estate marketplace dedicated to helping individuals find and share vital information about homes, real estate, and mortgages.
3. WellcomeMat. A video platform to publish and distribute hyper-local video content used by over 13,000 real estate professionals, filmmakers, and A-list real estate firms. This platform provides all the resources, support, and technology that real estate companies need to publish, brand, and distribute videos of listings, neighborhood tours, market/news segments, school tours etc.
4. ActiveRain. One of the largest social networking sites for realtors that is looking to provide real estate professionals with technology to supplement their business model. The network strives to aid agents in creating business relationships within the real estate industry, as well as with consumers.

Using these four sites and incorporating other popular social media resources, realtors can promote themselves, their business, and their expertise on the Web.

What success have you found using social media? Do you have any tips for other realtors looking to create a social media presence?

For more information, sign up for our e-newsletter.

1. Find an agent you can trust. The real estate agent is the pro. The agent finds people homes for a living, and has gone through this process many times before. Although your clients may do your own research, the agent’s job is to know the market, know the process, and know how to find you your best deal. They also should always have the sense that the agent knows what they want. It will save them a lot of stress if they find someone who they trust will take care of them and whose advice they respect.

2. Set a reasonable budget. Taking on a mortgage is a big responsibility. The mortgage payment will likely be one of the biggest monthly checks to write. Outline monthly expenditures to figure out how much money can be applied to a mortgage. Be sure to consider any association fees, if applicable, taxes, insurance, and approximate utilities in the area. Then use a mortgage calculator to approximate the monthly cost of a mortgage based on current interest rates.

3. Create a list of must-have features. Once your client knows about how much they can spend, have them do a quick online search of homes for sale in the area to see what features are reasonable to include as “must-haves”. They probably have spent some time picturing their ideal home, and they may have a few sticking points that you’re positive you want. Perhaps they love to cook and need a lot of counterspace. Or they have pets, so carpet or flooring that is pet-friendly is a must. Remember to plan 5, 10, and 30 years out if they think they may be in the home that long. They may have not have children now, but perhaps are thinking of starting a family in the future. All of these things are important to consider when doing their search, and very important for them to communicate to their agent (you!) in advance to make the search process as simple as possible.

4. Set up a searching timeline that is a month or less. Don’t make the mistake of being too hesitant when searching for a new home. This market has homes at ideal prices, so your clients really don’t want your search to go on for months and risk missing out on this buyer’s market. And if they’ve done a good job communicating with their agent exactly what they are looking for in a home, they should only be looking at homes that fit their budget and match what they want. Keeping the process as brief as possible will help them to remember the homes they like, what they like about them, and will keep them confident they have made the right decision.

5. Don’t bring too many people along on the search. Ideally they’ll visit the homes with their spouse or anyone purchasing the home with them, and leave others behind, especially on the initial visits. Too many opinions can add chaos to an already overwhelming decision. And other’s opinions don’t matter anyway, as they won’t be living in the home.

6. Take notes and pictures. Especially if they are visiting multiple homes in one day, keep a list of what they liked or didn’t like about each home. Write down the home’s 3 best and worst features, as well as something to remember each home by (for example, 1000 Pleasant Way is the home with the large back deck). This will help them keep track and remember which homes make the final cut. Don’t bother writing likes or dislikes about the homes you are certain are out. Just cross them off the list and move on.

7. Revisit your top two or three. Once they’ve finished your initial visits, give them a few days to rest, step back, and not think about what they’ve seen. Then they should revisit their top 2 or 3 homes before making an offer; seeing the homes with a fresh set of eyes may help them catch things they missed (good or bad) and will give them confidence that they’ve made the right decision when it comes time to make an offer.

Best of luck to you in helping your clients find the home of their dreams! If clubhouse living meets their lifestyle, be sure to make an appointment with them to visit Highland Woods.

Do any experienced agents have other tips to add?

Layering. One way to add visual interest to your home’s decor is to use the layering technique. Above furniture like bookcases, secretaries, hutches, and armoires, layer a couple of pieces of artwork of varying sizes. Start by leaning the largest piece of art against the wall, and then layering the rest of the art forward.

Use Seasonal Décor. Another idea is to utilize seasonal decor, placing it in those empty spaces. Find a great bowl or basket, then arrange seasonal accents inside and rest on top of bookcase or other furniture. As the seasons change, switch out the accents to create an updated look. For spring, try faux floral arrangements. In the summer, try adding more greenery. When fall rolls around, opt for a mixture of pumpkins, gourds, and leaves. For winter, adding pine boughs and ornaments will brighten your holidays.

Celebrate Openness. For the space above your kitchen cabinets, it is important to remember that less is more. Pick monochromatic creamware, or a similar collection of antique baskets to highlight the space. Just remember to leave plenty of open space to avoid clutter.

Highlight with Art. Many newer homes are being built with grand foyers and entry ways, highlighting soaring ceilings. Built in ledges are a common feature, and with a few simple pieces of art or pottery, homeowners can create a dramatic, and inviting entry for guests.

When choosing which pieces to use to decorate your home’s high spaces, there are two important tips to keep in mind. First, it is crucial to keep it simple, and to remember that less is always more. Also, remember to use oversized pottery and artwork since everything shrinks visually up high. Once you have these basics down, the sky’s the limit with what you can do!

For more information on how you can help your clients to accentuate their homes to meet their tastes, sign up for our e-newsletter.

Private Patient Rooms. There are 225 rooms, all providing patients with the privacy they desire. Many rooms feature large, oversized windows that let in natural light, and over look the 15-acre geothermal lake. Patients have access to a private bathroom and shower in each room, and many rooms are furnished with a sleep sofa or chair for family to stay the night comfortably. On each floor, there is a spacious family lounge, which offers patients’ family members free wireless Internet access as well as complimentary drinks and healthy snacks.

Geothermal Lake. With the help of the energy-producing lake located next to the hospital, Sherman is proud to be energy efficient. As it heats and cools the hospital, it is estimated that the geothermal lake will save the hospital $1 million dollars a year in energy costs. Surrounding the lake is a half-mile walking path for patients and guests to enjoy.

Emergency Department. Designed for efficiency, the emergency department has a dedicated entrance for ambulances. Upon entering, patients are greeted and assigned a treatment room. Patients are then able to register via a bedside computer, reducing wait time and allowing more patients to be treated.

Smart Design. All rooms are set up identically to allow the staff to locate needed items without any hesitation. The emergency department is located next to the critical care, surgery and cardiac cauterization suites. The hospital is also easy to navigate for patients and guests as there are separate elevators and corridors for patients, visitors and employees. All hospital equipment is free from patient and guest’s views as it moves through special interior corridors.

Birthing Center. Soon-to-be mothers, new mothers and their families will find comfort in Sherman’s special birthing center. All rooms are private and guests are granted enhanced visiting hours. Sleep accommodations are available for immediate family, in addition to the large family waiting area where guests are provided with complimentary snacks. A Special Care Nursery and a lactation consultant are also located on site.

Cafeteria. Sherman offers patients the opportunity to order their meals off of a restaurant-style menu, deciding what they want to eat, as well as when they want to eat. Guests may dine in the new food court-style restaurant with an abundance of diverse choices, and the option of cooked to order. When the weather is nice, guests may feast in the outside area, overlooking the lake.

Atrium. With the desire to bring the natural world in, patients and guests are greeted by the Tree of Life, a one-of-a-kind architectural wonder, in the atrium. The atrium also features a 2,500 square-foot gift shop and Auxiliary’s Sherman Perk, a coffee shop.

Heart and Vascular Center. While Sherman may have moved to a new location, the hospital still features its experienced and knowledgeable doctors, nurses and staff. Outpatient care is provided for some services as well as quick transfers.

Cancer Center. This new, cutting-edge center provides patients with a separate building adjacent to the hospital for added privacy. Here, patients have easy access to comprehensive care including radiation therapy, all with comfort in mind.

Have you visited the new hospital? What did you think of the new features?

For more updates on information relevant to Elgin-area residents, sign up for our e-newsletter.

Where many have fallen short in each of those areas, Crown has succeeded. Don’t just take our word for it, though. Look at the hard data. In the first quarter of 2010, the Crown Highland Woods community has outsold each of its competitors month after month.

According to Metrostudy*, Highland Woods has sold more than THREE TIMES as many homes in the first quarter of 2010 as its biggest competitor in the Elgin Burlington school district #301 and almost TWICE as many homes as its top three competitors combined. This is the mark of a community that offers more than just a new place to call home.

Highland Woods offers residents a myriad of amenities and a plush, landscaped setting. Crown has invested millions to provide amazing landscaping and neighborhood entry wall systems in addition to numerous parks and paths. Highland Woods has a wonderful reputation for the quality amenities found in the community, such as the pools, fitness centers and sports courts, which include basketball, tennis and volleyball. Highland Woods creates a world-class ambience and inviting atmosphere for families.

Crown also has a longstanding relationship with each of its builders. In fact, Crown has worked with many of the builders for over two decades and maintains outstanding relationships with each, including national builders.

Highland Woods is backed by Crown Community Development, which has been developing award-winning, master-planned communities since 1973. Known for strong architectural standards, impeccable construction quality and extensive landscaping, Crown Community Development forms a vision of what family living should be: creating a sense of community where residents of all ages come together.

*Metrostudy is the leading provider of primary and secondary market information to the housing and related industries nationwide. In addition to providing information, the company is recognized for its consulting expertise on development, marketing and economic issues, and is a key source of research studies evaluating the feasibility of residential and commercial real estate projects. Services are offered through an extensive network of offices strategically located in major metropolitan areas throughout the country. Research subject to change.

To see how this data translates to real life luxury, make an appointment to visit our community today.