a la mode labs blog

Another Free Tool for a la mode Folks

2007-10-11T10:36:00.000-07:00

Hey gang:

Sorry it has been a while since my last post. I have actually been pretty busy, not from volume, but rather from more and more complex properties that seem to be screaming my name. You know the ones: need three cost approaches to help a developer decide what to do with a high end lot; or the one that has direct adjacent location to not only to the highway, but the toll booth where all the big trucks have to gear down to stop (nothing like external obsolescence).

I am not complaining, just painting a picture for you, as I am thankful for what has continued to be a blessing, and that is surviving. So now you know where I have been, and I am back to remind you guys about a free "tool" available.

Many of you probably already are aware that it exists, but some may not. On yahoo! there is a yahoo group that is not endorsed or sponsored by a la mode, but is a great source to go on and share war stories, or ask questions. There is all kinds of information there, and it allows those of us who are all by ourselves to get a spin on something that we are having problems within an assignment, or to just vent about something or in many cases someone (insert mortgage lender that doesn't pay here).

I contribute occasionally, but mostly read it to see how my contemporaries are doing, and to see if there is anything going on that I need to know about.

Again, a la mode does not sponsor the group, but if you join you will see a few of the guys from the company keep tabs on what folks are saying and such.

Here's hoping you all a successful October!

Woody Fincham
Labs Fellow

Exploring solutions for collaboration

2007-10-04T06:42:00.000-07:00

Collaboration isn't a new concept. In WinTOTAL, we've supported collaboration in it's simplest form with our integrated e-mail delivery. We know that file sharing is the core collaboration function that most appraisers need to accomplish, but we think it can mean so much more.

Here in our labs, we've been thinking about collaboration (Did you read Adam's blog on it recently, or his article on Windows Live Messenger?) and we've come up with three collaboration challenges we want to address:

File sharing
Communication with other assocaites via Instant Message
Communication and assistance in real time with your XSite visitors

Are there solutions out there that do each of these things already? Yes. But we think we can do it better, and all in one solution instead of seperate applications for each. Head on over to the labs site and check out the project page for our new XSite Desktop Collaborator.

Thanks,

Paul E. Stansberry, III
WinTOTAL Product Manager
a la mode, inc.

Sink or Swim??

2007-10-03T07:25:00.000-07:00

Do you work in one of those areas where the real estate market is in the toilet? In my area of metro Atlanta it has become just short of a media frenzy. If you believe what you read and see on the nightly news, buyers are scarce and sellers are freaking out but is that really the case? A recent article said home sales were down over 30% from two years ago at the same time...so what. Two years ago we were in an overinflated market that had no chance of sustaining itself. Why is this such a shock to so many people especially real estate professionals (appraisers included)?

Could we realistically expect that kind of volume to continue? What did we do to prepare for the inevitable day that it slows down? By the way, that's just what this market has done. It is correcting itself...nothing more. It's the laws of economics, supply and demand and buy low/sell high all coming together. The sky is not falling but to listen to many of my customers you would think so.

This is the part where I say how much I love my clients however they expect me and they pay me to be frank with them. I'm candid and I make living telling people what I think so here goes...

It called MARKETING and it's a fundamental part of any business plan. Every small business does it to one degree or another. They plan for and even budget for marketing expenses. It's just something you do - except, for some reason, the average appraisal shop. Here's the way the conversation usually goes...

The client is going on about how business is in the tank and they don't know what to do. They may end up laying off staff and moving from their commercial space back to the home office. They ask me to check the fax machine to make sure it's working properly. I respond by asking what they are doing to actively market their services. Where is the marketing plan and how much have you budgeted? They respond by saying nothing but rather looking at me as if I have three heads. End of conversation.

Someone really famous once said, "These are the times that try mens souls.". These are trying times for most mortgage markets. It's time to step up and start selling your services. Trust me, if you do ANYTHING you're ahead of your competition. Even if what you do stinks, it will be well received because none of your clients have anything to compare it to. Sorry but those are just the facts. As a rule, appraisers don't market because they haven't had to - up until now.

Here are a few off the cuff suggestions:

1- Place your business card in the hand of EVERYONE you meet
2 -Dress you staff including yourself in shirts that display the company logo. Drop the t-shirt and jeans.
3- Have a sign made for your vehicle - nothing flashing just informative
4- Put together a marketing package including a brochure/flyer, business card, resume and (very important) client testimonials.
5 -Take donuts or pizza to your clients office. Let them see your face and remember to be nice.
6 -Learn to use XSellerate - it's one of the best products a la mode provides. It's inexpensive, easy to use and just a phenomenal marketing tool. Check it out at...(http://www.alamode.com/products/Appraiser/xsellerate/Default.aspx). If you are an Elite member, you already own it. This product could literally turn your business around.
6 - Customize your a la mode XSite to differentiate yourself from every other site out there. If you spent 15 minutes setting it up, trust me it looks like you spent 15 minutes setting it up: http://help.alamode.com/appraiser/xsites/default.htm?turl=searchenginetools1.htm
7 - Optimize your site for various search engines: http://help.alamode.com/appraiser/xsites/default.htm?turl=searchenginetools1.htm
8 - Take this time to expand your skill set. Get those certifications you've been putting off then update your resume.
9 - Get out of the office - network, knock on doors and tell people your story
10 - Get very familiar with this link: http://www.alamode.com/support/Appraiser/default.aspx.
Search for the word "marketing". It will return 5 pages of results all targeting appraisers!

Those are 10 that came to me in about 5 minutes. There are a lot more but you get the point. I'm not an a la mode employee. I don't care what you buy or what you renew. My goal is simply to help build your business and survive this market. No one can make you do it and no one is going to tell you that you have to. The market will be the ultimate motivator and unfortunately for some it's literally sink or swim.

Computer and Network Security - Summary of Recommendation

2007-09-20T14:49:00.000-07:00

Hi Gang,

I just finished hosting an a la mode Webinar entitled Computer and Network Security for the Modern Appraisal Practice. We focused on best-practices for keeping your computers and network safe from hackers, crackers and other outside invaders. I wanted to post my Summary of Recommendations for appraisal offices both large and small. Here they are...

Small Office / Home Office Users (less than 3 about workstations)

Install and maintain reliable, up-to-date A/V software on each workstation set to scan in real- time and weekly full system scans

Install a router or Firewall to shield your network from the Internet

Use passwords or otherwise secure your workstations from unauthorized use

Run TWO pop-up stoppers on each workstation

Ensure all workstation operating systems are up-to-date and fully patched with the Windows Firewall turned ON

Run a reliable, up-to-date Anti-Spy/Malware application on each workstation and set to scan weekly/bi-weekly

Maintain a solid understanding of how to handle email attachments, conduct file downloads, safely surf the Internet and protect yourself while online

Develop, implement and consistently check your BULLETPROOF backup solution

Commercial Office Networks (more than 4-5 workstations)

Install and maintain reliable, up-to-date Enterprise level A/V software on each workstation set to scan in real-time and weekly full system scans

Install a fully configurable Internet hardware Firewall to shield your network from the Internet

Use strong passwords to secure your workstations from unauthorized use

Run TWO pop-up stoppers on each workstation

Ensure all workstation operating systems are up-to-date and fully patched with the Windows Firewall turned ON

Ensure all server operating systems are fully patched

Consider a domain based network with applicable security policies applied

Run a reliable, up-to-date Anti-Spy/Malware application on each workstation and set to scan weekly/bi-weekly

ALL associates should possess a solid understanding of how to handle email attachments, conduct file downloads, safely surf the Internet and protect themselves while online

Larger organizations should consider use of an in-house mail server to provide complete control over incoming and outgoing email

Retain a competent Network Administrator on-call for maintenance and emergencies
Develop and implement written, signed and enforceable office policy outlining permitted/prohibited use of the Internet, email and all office equipment

Develop, implement and consistently check TWO(2) BULLETPROOF backup solutions

Jeff Jones
TechSource Consultants
a la mode Labs

Lil' Help?? Surviving in today's lean market.

2007-09-15T05:52:00.001-07:00

It's no secret the residential real estate market pretty much stinks. To what degree really depends on where you are. I've spoken with appraisers in coastal, large metro and vacation markets that tell me their business is off as much as 70% from two years ago however other shops in the same areas say volume is only off slightly or even not at all. No matter where you practice, things are tough and it looks like, at least in the short term, it's only going to get tougher.

I've heard all of the sob stories. The "woe-is-me" tales of the fax machine that has all but stopped ringing. The one consistency to those stories is, when asked what they are doing to stem the tide, these same storytellers have no answer...business as usual. "Where is your business plan? Where is your marketing plan?" I ask...no response...just a blank stare.

Obviously that's a problem but it got me thinking...why are some shops struggling while others seem to be doing just fine? What are the specific reasons? Certainly, I have my opinions (which will be the subject of a upcoming Labs paper) but I would like to hear from you. Tell us your story. If you are an appraiser in one of those hard hit markets, how are you managing to hold the bottom line while your competitors are dropping like flies? If you are an appraiser in the heartland maybe your market hasn't suffered to the same degree but you still saw volume slipping. What did you do to make that up?

I know how you guys are. I'm not asking for all of the secrets but rather one recommendation on surviving (or thriving) in this market. If your answer is "marketing"...please elaborate. If it's pre-planning or preparation...tell us more. Maybe it's leveraging some of the features of your a la mode XSite and the XSellerate marketing tools (Quick show of hands...how many people know about XSellerate or even what it is?) Specifically, tell us how have you managed to find the silver lining in the dark cloud?

You responses will help thousands of marketing and planning challenged appraisers from coast to coast go on the lead a normal practice. Don't hesitate to contribute no matter how trivial or obvious (or complex and costly) your solution is. We (I) want to hear from you.

Jeff Jones
TechSource Consultants
a la mode Labs

Market modeling/regression analysis video tutorial

2007-09-14T05:54:00.000-07:00

David Braun's excellent article Market Modeling and the Real Property Appraiser, part I of II, has garnered a lot of interest and feedback. Included with the article is a downloadable Excel utility (please right click and download to your computer to use) and an instruction sheet. David has also produced a video tutorial that can be viewed right here. Each part is around 5-6 minutes long.

Part I:

Part II:

Part III:

Have you used the utility? Do you have an ideas, feedback or comments? Leave them here.

2007-09-06T08:21:00.000-07:00

Comps Data Sharing Article:

Hello all, I hope this finds you well and as busy as you can be. We have been picking up, August was a better month for us then July (surprisingly!!). I have been getting contacted by several REO management firms, and it seems they must be increasing, as they are proactively recruiting.

I have a new article that has been submitted to the mode regarding the comps data sharing concept. I am really hoping that this gets off the ground soon in the development side of things. I guess patience is something young men are not entitled, too. I would love to hear what you guys are thinking about the concept.

That article also includes a call to arms amongst us appraisers. It’s looking more and more like the time is coming for appraisers to FINALLY stand up and let the lending industry know that, while we appreciate all the work, we have a few items of contention that have to be ironed out. The funny thing is, once we get some of these things worked out, it will benefit both industries.

Happy appraisers will equal lenders lending with confidence in the reports they base their loans upon. Collateral problems would be reduced, and we all end up happy. I hope you guys enjoy it once it goes to the web.

Take our marketing survey. Here's a preview of some of the responses.

2007-09-05T09:29:00.001-07:00

So much of what the labs is cranking out empowers you to provide different, better, faster client service. Think about the time savings of a field data collector/sketcher in one that synchs up to WinTOTAL back at the office. Or being able to include Virtual Earth satellite and oblique imagery in your reports. All very cool and also all part of an overall marketing strategy on your part: You don't just compete on price, you compete on turn time, getting it right the first time, and providing extras others don't.

We recently launched a 10-minute online appraiser marketing survey to help us as a company understand what kinds of things are working and not working for you, and how we can develop tools and provide information that'll help. As a reader of this blog and follower of the labs project, you're interested in solving real life problems. If you could take 10 minutes of your time to fill out our marketing survey, you'd be helping us achieve the same goal on behalf of all our appraiser customers.

Access the survey by clicking here. Thanks in advance for your participation!

After a couple hundred of the earliest responses, here are the kinds of thing we're learning:

90 percent of you are spending less than $5,000 this year on marketing/advertising. 57 percent are spending less than $1,000.

More than half of you are making an effort in 2007 to market to new types of clients or get new types of business.

You think the most important areas you can be marketing to to get new business are Foreclosure/REO appraisals, divorce/probate attorneys and relocation appraisals.

Note that final data may change as responses continue to roll in. Won't you please take the survey yourself and get us the best data possible? Thanks!

Appraisalport Conference

2007-08-26T18:14:00.000-07:00

Hey gang!
I am recovering from 3 days of CE and man was it a good bit of info to be exposed to. The main theme of the conference was related directly with fraud in the appraisal industry, mainly with mortgage transactions. I got in one class about Institutional Fraud, put on by NAIFA, and a class about appraisal reporting fraud, put on by the institute in conjunction with FNC.

There was a real gathering of high quality appraisers there. I talked with many and you can tell when someone is serious about ethics. To say the least I was very impressed.

We had several panel discussions: Government lending, Non-Origination Panel, Lender Panel, Key Note address by Chris Low, chief economist for FTN, and a panel of AMC companies.

The best one, labs related of course, was an hour about...(drum roll, please) GIS, and appraiser assisted valuation modeling. The guy putting it on, Mark Linne (who's ancestor was the guy who created genus film organization for biology, kind of a big deal), is an appraiser that is very qualified to value, but specializes in information technology.

He is a firm believer, as am I, that appraisers are bridging the gap between AVMs and traditional appraisal products. I will be writing an more in depth article about this,as it really is one of the most intriguing things I have seen in many years.

The only thing I was disappointed with was the failure of Bill Raeburn,CEO FNC, to address or mention the hundred million dollar lawsuit that was filed against them for data stripping. I happen to be an admirer of one of the plaintiffs, and I feel like it was improper to leave it just to sit out there. Data is such a big deal right now in our business that it should have either been mentioned or explained. Just my take, what's yours?

Friday tech links

2007-08-24T14:59:00.000-07:00

Sites to see for August 24:

An overview of the evolution and possible direction of client-based mobile positioning technology.

How Social Media Influences Change in the Marketplace with respect to real estate.

Protect yourself from bluejacking and bluesnarfing and other threats to your mobile device security.

Recommendations on Tablets and UMPCs.

Want a video rundown of how mortgage fraud works, complete with an appraiser's perspective? Film at 11. Let's all chip in and buy Gary Crabtree a Disto!

While you're waiting for Virtual Earth integration into Aurora and Armstrong, you can play with new sky/space views on Google Earth.

Have a great weekend!

New DaVinci update and upcoming webinar

2007-08-23T12:55:00.000-07:00

Today we released another update to DaVinci from our labs and it contains many nice improvements. To download the update, run the Instant Customer Update under the DaVinci program group in the Windows Start menu. There's no need to uninstall DaVinci. Just run the Instant Customer Update. Here's a brief rundown of the improvements we've added:

We've improved the ability to "cut out" a new area from an existing one. You've always had the ability to easily cut out a garage from an existing first floor area. Now we've added the ability for DaVinci to automatically redraw the original area and recalculate the dimensions and square footage for both areas. To do this, just start drawing the new area by beginning on the wall of an existing area and then ending on a wall of that area.

We've improved the area calculation options. You'll notice this is easier when you close a shape and the calculation options are displayed. Now you can quickly choose whether the area is living space to be calculated as part of the GLA, or non-living space, or if it should be subtracted from the living space (for things like "open to below"). We've preset the calculation options for each area definition. So, for example, "garage" area types are preset to "non-living area."

We've added a new Critical Items feature. This is similar to the Critical Items feature that exists in Pocket Total, only now it's completely customizable. You'll see the Critical Items tab under the Data view. This is a compiled list of every field in DaVinci that has been marked as "critical". This gives you a single view of the items you want to make sure you have covered before returning to the office. Marking or unmarking an item as critical is easy. It's been added to the Customize screen for each Data tab and Room Features screen.

We've made multiple improvements to the sketching code. You can now draw interior walls with digital ink and pen. We've added more gestures for changing the names of area types and room labels. Just write the first few letters of what you want to change in ink (like "kit" for "Kitchen") and DaVinci will change the text. We've also added buttons to the toolbar for centering the sketch and for panning in any direction.

As you can see, we've been busy. But we're not finished yet. Remember, this is still a prototype from our labs. We'll be releasing more updates in the near future, before it goes to beta, so stay tuned. Your feedback is always welcome, so please continue to send it to us. Just send a message to labs@alamode.com.

Also, we'll be conducting another online seminar next week where we'll go over the recent changes to the product and give you some tips on how to use DaVinci more effectively. It's scheduled for Wednesday, August 29th, at 12:00 noon Central Time. To register, click here.

Please plan on attending. It's free and I'm sure you'll find it useful.

Regards,
Chris Low

Regression Analysis

2007-08-21T08:20:00.000-07:00

I have just about finished Part I of the Regression Labs initiative. This includes a discussion of market modeling (which includes AVMs). It will also include a down-loadable regression application that runs in Excel (this application will run until the end of the year). It is designed to download data from your local MLS (Your MLS must download to a spreadsheet). I am looking for appraisers that have been using regression analysis and can give me some input. Be watching for this article on the Lab's site.

If we build it, will you use it??

2007-08-21T06:41:00.001-07:00

What's your opinion of integrating GPS technology directly into future versions of WinTOTAL? It occurred to me that up until this point, no one has asked. It's seems logical and the feedback we received at the a la mode Convention was overwhelmingly positive but what does the appraiser on the street think?

GPS Integration is my pet project. The idea came to me from appraisers just like yourself who have great difficulty obtaining accurate maps for properties that are either new (or newer) or vacant land. For those of you who need a refresher or want to know the full history and the how and why, I encourage you to read my article from the Labs website located at http://www.alamode.com/labs/articles/A013.aspx. Even if you don't consider yourself an especially technical person, wouldn't it be worth making a $100.00 or so investment in a handheld GPS device that, along with it's integration into WinTOTAL, would allow you to map every property accurately every time with almost no possibility of error (user error excluded of course).

The concept is simple but we are finding the execution isn't so easy. We'll get it done mind you but it's taking some time. The many different GPS devices on the market are causing some headaches but we'll get through it. Hopefully, a version of GPS integration will be out in Beta shortly. I've seen the latest testing version and it's coming along nicely.

Please review my labs article and let me know what you think. You're honest opinions are very helpful and this Blog is a perfect forum. I know I'm opening myself up to those "Why don't you fix WinTOTAL before you add another feature?" responses but I can take it. I think this tool will be simple, practical and very useful but I'm not the one who will be using it. Please let me know...if will build it, will you use it??

Jeff Jones
TechSource
Appraiser Technology Consultants

Monday. Monday, Monday

2007-08-20T08:20:00.000-07:00

I hope all of you guys had a great couple of weeks since my last post. I have had a great several days and I am looking forward to more good times and profitable experiences in the near future.

Here are some points that I wanted to update everyone on:

Labs related: I am still looking to get some development help with the comps exchange. We are still letting the idea "germinate", but hopefully we'll get it rolling some enough.
I have been fiddling with David Braun's regression tool he has in excel, and i am very impressed with it. I have actually been using it in the real world a bunch. It has given me back some really good data, and it is pretty close to where it needs to be with established values for a given neighborhood.

Business Related: I will be attending The FNC Appraisal Port Convention in DC the later part of this week. Before anyone starts tossing produce at me, I am not exactly a fan of them, but they are so large that I pay attention to what they do, and what directions they are heading. They are focusing strongly on collateral stuff, and as such I have been gearing my office in that direction as well.

Personally: I got to see David Beckham debut in DC a week and a half ago, and I was excited to see someone of his caliber playing in the MLS. Whether you are a fan or not, he is arguably as big a catalyst as Magic Johnson was for the early says of the NBA. Just as an example, the New York game this past weekend went from and average attendance from around 12,000 to over 66,000 to see "Becks" play. He really is that big a deal.

Hope to hear from you guys soon, and i pray that you all stay busy. If I can be of any assistance please feel free to email me.

New podcast interview with David Braun

2007-08-17T06:12:00.000-07:00

There's a new podcast interview up on this site and the labs site, this one with Research Fellow David Braun. David shares his thoughts on his role in the labs and the labs' importance to appraisal technology.

On this site or on the labs home page, find the "Listen to podcasts" link on the right menu. When you click on it you'll see five interviews available for listening, including the new one. Hit the "play" button to listen right from the page. Then let us know what you think by posting a comment below!

Taking the pain out of a new PC

2007-08-16T15:05:00.000-07:00

In a software company like a la mode where we do everything in-house and mostly at our OKC headquarters, tech support and sales really are the "front lines" where you get thousands of issues thrown at you daily. Our tech department really buzzes, and we actually have it smack dab in the middle of the building so it's kind of like a 24/7 pulse for the rest of the company. So, even though we don't see the customers face-to-face on a regular basis, we're constantly aware of what's really important.

Something else kind of cool is that most of a la mode's management and product teams actually started in some capacity where they worked with customers every day on the phone - and we can't help but take that with us in whatever role we're put in.

So, after a few years of being a la mode's EVP of Customer Service and overseeing the support and documentation teams, I'm returning to my role as a Product Manager, and my customer service mentality is still on overdrive.

In support, it was a given that if an appraiser mentioned they were getting a new PC, we knew we'd be talking to them several times over the next week while they switched everything over. It's not that things really malfunctioned. It was just a tedious process that had a lot of details to get right. (The documentation for moving WinTOTAL to a new PC is on our website at http://help.alamode.com/docs/backup.) We're more than happy to help people over the phones with this type of stuff and have the staff to do it - but the point is that the customer is supposed to be doing appraisals and is typically getting behind while messing with a new computer. Not good.

Now, could you use the Vault to move everything? Sure. But, you'd need to buy a lot of space and have a really fast Internet connection to move your gigabyes and gigabytes of data. The current Vault is unbeatable as an automatic, incremental, off site backup for WinTOTAL. But if you're doing a one-time shot to a new PC, it would make more sense to use one of the readily available and shockingly inexpensive removable USB drives - that's what I'd do.

So, one of my first tasks as a Product Manager was drawing up specs for a simple utility we could add to the Vault that would automate archiving a WinTOTAL installation with data to a removable hard drive and restoring it to a new system. The specs are in - it's a simple 4 step wizard - and the most difficult thing you have to do is plug in your removable drive and know how to browse to it. Sound like something you could use?

Since it's not all that complicated of a utility, we should have it out by autumn - just in time to help out all those folks getting new PC's at the end of the year sales.

Matt Krodel
Product Manager, Appraiser XSites
a la mode, inc/

2007-08-11T08:02:00.000-07:00

Collaboration Concept

With the prices on computers continually dropping lower, gas prices moving higher, and appraisers collaborating from remote locations more, you are more mobile, flexible and technologically savvy than ever. E-mail, being an unreliable and sometimes frustrating tool, simply isn’t the most ideal way to shuttle files from one place to another. I hear from customers all the time that there needs to be a better way to move a file from one PC to another. With Armstrong on the horizon and Aurora pretty well tamed, I’ve been thinking of ways to solve this problem in WinTOTAL.

Today, how do you move a file from one PC to another? E-mail the ZAP from inside WinTOTAL to yourself and then grab it once you get home, upload it to the Vault and then download it from another location, move it to a USB drive and then take it to another computer, or some other way I’ve not thought of (you guys are crafty after all). None of those methods are necessarily a huge problem, but I think we can save you some trouble.

I’d written an article on Live Messenger’s capabilities, one of which being the Sharing Folders feature that lets you share files between people, but there’s also another tool I’ve used for some time that I think is better suited for appraisers and has given me an idea.

FolderShare is a free tool you can get from www.foldershare.com. In short, you make an account, and then install it on all the machines you want to be able to move files to and from. A specific folder on each PC is made, and then whenever a file is moved into that folder, it’s synchronized with all your PCs FolderShare folders. So, you could add your FolderShare folder as an attached directory in your Appraisal Desktop on each machine, and then when you want to work on a file from home, share it with a colleague or move it to a Tablet or Ultra Mobile PC, just drag it into your FolderShare folder and within seconds it’s available on the other machines (provided they’re connected to the Internet).

You can also read a very interesting article on FolderShare written by an appraiser, Brian Davis, on his blog AppraisalScoop.com.

Pretty neat, eh? My intention is to take that a step further. The premise behind FolderShare, technically, is simple. It’s something we could build on our own very easily. But appraisers don’t need to only move files to their own separate PCs, they need to be able to send them to trainees, co-workers and remote appraisers easily. Fortunately, we’ve already got an infrastructure in place that can accommodate that. The XSite.

Here’s what I’m thinking. For each appraiser in your company, if you have an XSite, they already have a profile set up in your XSite’s User Management. And Aurora communicates with your XSite already. So how cool would it be to be able to click the Folder button on the toolbar in your file cabinet, choose Add Shared Folder, choose “Bill” or “John” from a list of your XSite users, and boom, a new folder is added to your Files PowerView. Now, if you need to send a report to your trainee Bill or your remote appraiser John, just drag the file into their folder and it will then show up in their Appraisal Desktop within seconds. Because it would all be tied to the XSite username configured in WinTOTAL you could even make a shared folder with yourself so you could make a file available on a laptop when you’re at home or on the road.

I think this would be an awesome addition. Thoughts?

Adam Calvery
VP, Appraisal Products
a la mode, inc.

The Market

2007-08-01T15:18:00.001-07:00

Well Guys & Gals, the market has finally caught up with us here in VA. We are slower now, and last week, then we've been in 4 years. I have been spending a large amount of time working on continuing ed, my website, a possible business merger, and expanding my territory.

I guess you can tell that slow times mean something different to me then they do to most. We are still working, and getting assignments, but not at the volume we were at for so long. Times like this allow us to actually spend some time mending some fences, improving some things, and working on new avenues of business.

I hope that all my colleagues out there are working in similar form. It is inevitable though, that some folks will give up the profession due to the work load levels. Unfortunately the amount of people that rushed into the industry mandates that some will have to purge themselves out. Hopefully you are not one of them.

Take the time to look through your contacts, and reestablish the lost ties you had. Work on some advertising, and increase your market value with new certs, or a higher license. Whatever you do to improve yourself, make sure you are spending the time to make your clients remember why they started using you in the first place.

Woody Fincham

DaVinci Webinar

2007-08-01T08:48:00.000-07:00

It's been about six weeks since we first announced and demonstrated DaVinci at our Annual Convention in Las Vegas. Since then, we've been overwhelmed with feedback from appraisers all over the country. It's clear that we've hit a sweet spot with DaVinci. Hundreds have been clamoring for more information.

Two weeks ago I taught an online seminar -- a "webinar" -- that went over the details of DaVinci, how it works, some tips and tricks, and what we're currently working on. We had a lot of appraisers attend the webinar, as well as a similar class at the convention in Vegas. We've recorded the webinar for those of you who didn't have a chance to attend in person. Just click here to view it. I'm sure you'll find it useful.

Did you know we offer a number of live and recorded webinars each month dedicated to the kinds of things you need and want to learn right now? From Formfilling Shortcuts to Going Paperless to Driving Traffic To Your XSite, these sessions are available at your convenience and offer the kind of one-on-one training you normally could only get in person. Check out this month's schedule and invest some time in gaining the kind of knowledge you can translate into better productivity and higher earnings.

Chris Low
Executive Vice President, Products
a la mode

Coming Soon: Virtual Earth in WinTOTAL Aurora!

2007-08-01T07:37:00.000-07:00

Well. It’s official. I turned the specs over to our development team on Monday of this week to begin integrating Microsoft’s Virtual Earth platform into WinTOTAL Aurora. I’m really excited about it, and I know you will be to. Virtual Earth (I’ll just call it VE from this point forward) brings so much more to the table when it comes to mapping than our previous system (Microsoft’s MapPoint service) does. The road maps themselves are much crisper and cleaner than previously available, and the new aerial and hybrid maps are just awesome.

When I was in Houston a couple of weeks ago for one of our seminars (and to a wider degree in Vegas at our convention) I was really happy to see how many appraisers are already including this type of imagery in their reports, whether it was from Virtual Earth’s public site or an alternative like Google Earth. This project will make that so much simpler for those of you that already do that by integrating it directly into the map wizard in WinTOTAL. With the click of a mouse button you'll be able to switch views on the fly, and zoom in or out using your mouse wheel. Super easy.

In addition, we're improving workflow by making it simpler and easier to choose what options you need for the map you’re working on by including the options screen as part of the new map process. You’ll have a choice on how you want this to work, similar to how the process worked in Athena, which is widely recognized to have had a smoother map process. For those of you that find yourself changing your options often, this will be timesaving change.

Lasty, we're working to improve how WinTOTAL handles GPS data. In the past, you've been able to manually enter latitude and longitude data into the wizard so that WinTOTAL will place properties exactly, but it wasn't obvious how to do this. We're improving that aspect, as well as building in direct integration with popular handheld GPS devices!

If you haven’t had a chance to check out the project details page on the labs website, I’d encourage you to head over there and do that. Here’s a link to make it easy. It talks in more detail about the features and timeline. Send us your feedback and comments when you get a chance! I’m really excited about this, and can’t wait to get it into our customer’s hands.

Paul E. Stansberry, III
WinTOTAL Product Manager
a la mode, inc.

DaVinci, Armstrong, labs hits at our convention

2007-07-31T11:17:00.000-07:00

Our Annual Convention was in Vegas in June. If you missed it you missed a great deal of excitement about DaVinci, our forthcoming field data and sketching app, and Armstrong, a ground-up rewrite of WinTOTAL in cleaner, more flexible, more powerful C# ("C-sharp") code. A public beta version DaVinci is available for download and testing right now from the link above, while a public beta of Armstrong should be available soon. Learn more about Armstrong by clicking here.

Rick Grant, a veteran mortgage technology reporter, attended the convention and was impressed by the labs project in particular. He rounded up his impressions in an article for us. Excerpt:

I wasn't sure how this was going to work out when Chris Low took over the podium to give attendees a look at the new DaVinci software, codenamed Area 51. When he put the electronic pen to tablet and sketched out a ground–floor plan in less than 30 seconds, complete with dimensions that could be adjusted just by scribbling the new number on the vector, the crowd actually erupted into applause.

Clearly, this is something appraisers feel they could use in the field. In fact, [Dave] Biggers told the audience that "this product is designed so you can enter data the way you inspect a property."

Low went on to show how scribbles on the TabletPC would automatically load data — sketches, but all other inspection data, too, DaVinci being designed as the next generation of Pocket TOTAL — into the formfilling software the appraisers are already using. In effect, the notes the appraiser makes in the field will become the new way they fill the forms.

One of our Research Fellows, Jeff Jones, had this to say:

From the prospective of a Research Fellow, I hoped for but certainly never expected the overwhelming interest in all we had to demonstrate at the show. The booth was high–tech and very well designed. It allowed plenty of room to move around from station to station and its open plan encouraged attendees to step inside and check out the emerging technology. Each person I encountered was genuinely interested. They asked insightful questions, made useful suggestions, gave feedback and challenged me as a labs Research Fellow. It was a learning experience for everyone.

One gift that keeps on giving from the Convention: Podcasts, starring Dave Biggers, Adam Calvery, the Research Fellows and more. Listen to them from the labs home page or here on the blog (either way, choose 'Listen To Podcasts' on the right menu). The first three are interviews with Dave on the labs and what it's working on -- invaluable insight for anyone interested in the appraisal profession.

Welcome to the a la mode labs blog

2007-07-30T10:59:00.000-07:00

The coolest part about our "labs thing" is that it's such a free-form, informal place. Engaging in the labs is a welcome opportunity to think, and talk, about what you'd like to see made possible in a la mode software.

This web log, or blog for short, is a great way for the product managers here at "the mode" to throw ideas out in the public eye, and our Research Fellows too. Remember, the Research Fellows are just like you: Out there in the appraisal field every day earning a living.

So check back often -- or subscribe to the blog's RSS feed -- and let us know when something strikes a chord with you. Thanks for supporting the a la mode labs. And most importantly, dream big and have fun. It’s not all work all the time!

Thanks,
Adam Calvery
VP, Appraisal Products
a la mode, inc.