Go Paperless! 5 Programs to Consider for Real Estate Transaction Management

Going digital can save time, costs and labor and even provide greater control and security over your documents. While it’s not always possible or desirable to eliminate paper from your office — you can’t be expected to get by without your Post-it notes, after all — you can significantly reduce your ranking from Tree Killer to Twig Snapper.

Here are five programs to consider for real estate transaction management.

Note collection

1. All you spontaneous list-makers, note-takers, idea-jotters and collectors of anything digital can consolidate your thoughts in one place with Evernote. In addition to your own generated notes, you can curate and store Web articles, handwritten notes and photos, then access them anywhere, anytime, whether on desktop, laptop, tablet or smartphone. A basic Evernote account is free, a premium account is $5 per month and a business account with multiple users is $10 per month, per user.

Lead capture

1. When you’re tired of organizing your notes from an open house, give OpenHomePro a try. You can create an open house listing where visitors sign in electronically, then add those leads into your database. The program includes a “lite” customer relationship management (CRM) solution that helps you follow up after the event, categorize how close a lead is to buying or selling, and set up a drip campaign. A basic OpenHomePro account is free. If you opt for advanced features, the annual plan is $179.88 ($14.99 per month) and the monthly plan is $24.99 per month.

Document organization and storage

1. By its own count, Dropbox has more than 300 million users who securely store, share and access all kinds of files within its space. Dropbox is pretty handy for teams — a basic business account accommodates up to five people — because users can open, edit and sync their files regardless of what device they use and no matter their location. A basic Dropbox for Business account is $15 per user, per month, and provides each user with 1 TB of space.

All-in-one

1. If you’re looking to maximize your paper purging, Reesio is a multitasker that combines several features in one solution. It includes a CRM, a system to manage offers and transactions, and the ability to create websites for single property listings. Use it for online document storage, electronic signatures, broker compliance and collaboration. Reesio monthly plans are $25 per month and an annual plan is $19 per month. There’s also special pricing if your brokerage has more than 10 agents.

Digital signatures

1. Still printing documents, getting them signed and then scanning them for electronic delivery? DocuSign is a secure cloud solution that lets you send, sign and manage legally binding documents and transactions — anytime, anywhere, between anyone and from any device. Upload documents, identify required signers, add the signature tag and then send. Once signed, DocuSign stores the files for your records. Annual plans range between $10 and $125 per month.

Going paperless today is easier than ever before. Cloud solutions offer secure, central storage so you and your team always know where your documents are — and can keep track of the latest versions of them, too. Electronic signature tools speed up processes, track your status and help you identify next steps. Other tools help you efficiently capture, organize and manage leads. Choosing digital options over paper ones delivers more benefits than simply reducing waste in your workspace: it allows you to communicate more quickly, easily and securely.