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Since its inception in 2002, the Center for REALTOR^® Technology has been a resource for NAR members—showing them easy and practical ways to solve their business challenges through technology. CRT has embraced its mission of providing technology guidance to REALTORS^®  and REALTOR^®  associations by demonstrating how existing and emerging technologies can be applied to the brokerage and association environments. CRT has also taken the lead in developing new programs and tools that provide cost-effective solutions to industry-specific problems such as listing theft.

In addition to the many services it provides to members, CRT also serves as a bridge between the real estate and technologies communities—helping vendors recognize and respond to the unique needs of the real estate industry. For example, CRT has acted as a liaison between various real estate groups and technology providers that are developing applications using the RETS standard. This standard not only provides a mechanism that allows different vendor products to work together, but it also paves the way for a truly paperless transaction in the future.  Perhaps most importantly, CRT is committed to creating and publishing open-source programs that encourage all industry participants to share their knowledge.

Looking back shows an impressive roster of CRT achievements. But looking forward is much more exciting. As REALTORS^® and REALTOR^® associations face the opportunities and challenges of an evolving industry, they will find a valuable partner in CRT.

Mark Lesswing

Vice President

Center for REALTOR^® Technology

mlesswing@realtors.org

Future Innovations

The Challenge: Getting the inside scoop from the movers and shakers amid the 24,000 Conference attendees at the 2004 REALTORS^® Conference & Expo in Orlando.

The CRT Solution:  A blog just for REALTORS^® in Orlando. Zero in on the hottest happenings at the Conference with your very own Annual blog, sponsored by CRT. A blog is a topical Web page that allows multiple people to post their thoughts and observations. CRT believes that blogs are a new way for REALTORS^® to build communities—and leads--using the Internet. The Annual bloggers include such well-respected real estate figures as Richard Mendenhall, Bob Hale, Peter Shuttleworth, and Rob Authier. So log on and learn.

To help you stay connected in Orlando, CRT is again sponsoring wireless hot spots at both the Peabody and Rosen Center hotels. CRT experts will be on hand to assist you in getting connected and to answer all you questions on wireless communications.

Learn More: To read these leaders’ thoughts on real estate and conference activities or to post your responses to blogs, go to http://blog.realtors.org

Current Solutions

The Challenge: Figuring out how to fit the nine idea-packed sessions presented by the Center for REALTOR^® Technology into your busy schedule during the 2004 REALTORS^® Conference & Expo.

The CRT Solution: Four days of top-notch programs for AEs, broker/owners, and real estate practitioners brought to you by CRT. Our staff and expert panelists will give you the inside insights into practical technologies that will help you grow and strengthen your organization.

• Technology Driven Business Models shows you how today’s and tomorrow’s tech breakthroughs—from virtual offices to VOWs—can give you a competitive edge. Speakers include Richard Mendenhall, CCIM, CIPS, CRB; Chip Roach; and Russell Capper. Moderated by CRT’s Mark Lesswing. Fri., Nov. 5, 1:00-2:30 p.m., Room 303A.

• Protecting Listing Content tackles the tough question of who owns the value created by listing information, then offers you technologies to protect this critical asset. Hear lively views on the business, technical, and legal perspectives from Andy Rapattoni, Jim Harrison, Michelle Yam, and Brian Larson. Fri., Nov. 5, 3:30-5:00 p.m., Room 312A.

• Tech Toys for Real Estate highlights items you can use to enhance your business and professional image. Learn what’s hot and how these cutting-edge devices can improve your productivity. Sat., Nov. 6, 11:00 a.m.- 2:30 p.m., Room 204C.

• Technology Security: A Management Perspective gives you the broad-based perspectives you need to understand current threats to your data’s integrity. The session will also provide an overview of the REALTOR^® Secure program, an innovative plan from CRT to help you evaluate and improve your company’s data security. Sun., Nov. 7, 10:00-11:30 a.m., Room 204C.

• Technology Security: An Individual’s Perspective brings you up-to-date on how to protect your customers’ confidential information and arms you with practical, easy-to-implement solutions to combat hackers and viruses. Mon., Nov. 8, 11:00 a.m.-12:30 p.m., Room 207C.

All sessions are held at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando. Check your program for last-minute room changes.

Learn More: For a complete list of sessions, times, and room numbers, go to

http://www.realtor.org/EducSess.nsf/TopicWeb?OpenView&Start=1&Count=1000&Expand=7#7

And remember to stop by the NAR’s Booth 1153 to see how CRT’s experts can help you use technology more effectively.

Future Innovations

The Challenge: Finding an automated, user-friendly way to speed up response times after receiving e-mail queries from buyers about listings on an MLS’s Web site. 

The CRT Solution: Messenger, a joint project of CRT and the Houston Association of REALTORS^®. Messenger uses voice over Internet protocol (VoIP) technology to notify practitioners via telephone as soon as a prospective buyer sends an inquiry about one of their listings on the MLS. Messenger, which will go live with the Houston Association of REALTORS^® in late October, automatically scans each e-mail query, translated it into a voice message, then automatically calls the sales associate and “reads” the message. This innovative technology provides an effortless bridge between Internet home searchers and sales associates who are more comfortable communicating with clients by phone than by e-mail.

The Messenger initiative with HAR typifies CRT’s mission of finding practical ways that technology can solve the real-life challenges real estate practitioners face in their businesses. Messenger was sponsored as part of the CRT Outreach Initiative, which is designed to assist real estate professionals with technology selection and implementation.

Learn More:  To see how a customers actually use the Messenger system, visit http://www.crt.realtors.org/projects/messenger/index.html

To find out how CRT’s Outreach Initiative can help, go to:

http://www.realtor.org/CRTWeb.nsf/pages/CRToutreach?OpenDocument

Current Solutions

The Challenge: To prevent insidious spyware from compromising your company’s confidential data and systems.

The CRT Solution: Practical tips for software users that will stop unwanted spyware from invading your electronic privacy and clogging your computer system.

Spyware. Even the name sounds ominous. And the threat posed by this technology, which installs itself on your computer without your permission and gathers information about your company and your computing activities, is very real. Spyware programs can also modify system settings, redirect your browser, or even allow remote hackers to hijack your computer and use it for malicious purposes. Other types of spyware track your system or personal information—what Internet connection and operating system you use, for example, or what Web sites you visit and whose names are contained in your personal e-mail address books.

What can you do to keep spyware off your computer?

1. Install a free antispyware application such as Spybot and Ad-Aware. Then run these programs periodically to rid your computer of potential spyware applications.

2. Don’t ever click “OK” or “I agree” when prompted by an unexpected pop-up window.

3. Never agree to the terms of software downloaded from the Web without reading them first.

4. Set your security level in Internet Explorer to High. This setting will prevent most harmful spyware from being downloaded. However, the setting can affect how some Web pages are displayed.

5. Install Service Pack 2 if you use Microsoft Windows XP. This option includes more advanced security functions that block pop-ups and alert you when Web sites attempt to install spyware.

Following these steps will reduce the chances of finding spyware on your computer and help ensure that your valuable electronic files are safe.          

Learn More: To learn how to protect yourself from spyware, visit

http://www.microsoft.com/athome/security/spyware/default.mspx.

To obtain a copy of Spybot, go to:

www.safer-networking.org/en/index.html

To obtain a copy of Ad-Aware, go to:

www.lavasoftusa.com/support/download/

Current Solutions

The Challenge: Ferreting out the appropriate technologies to address the unique needs of real estate brokerages, associations, and MLSs.

The CRT Solution: Hearing members’ concerns, then searching out or developing free or low-cost programs and tools that help solve their toughest challenges.

Perhaps no issue today is more threatening to residential real estate profitability than scraping, the unauthorized copying of your listing information and photos onto other Web sites. To combat this widespread practice, CRT launched reCaptcha and NoScrape. reCaptcha uses the simple identification of a distorted image to foil automated listing and e-mail harvesting. With the release of NoScrape, CRT provides members with a tool that makes it virtually impossible to scrape listing information. NoScrape sends only an image of the data, not the original, to an Internet customer so data is protected. To help you implement this and other antiscraping technologies, CRT created the “Fight Listing Theft” management guide.

And to help ensure that real estate companies keep their vital data secure from the next, still unknown, Web threat, CRT recently launched the REALTOR® Secure, a multilevel program that allows companies to analyze the strength of their technology systems and make improvements before problems arise.

CRT also took the initiative in helping brokerages, associations, and MLSs take greater advantage of Internet-based property marketing by developing guides to implementing VOWs and IDX. To make implementation even easier, CRT has just released Retriever. Retriever enables brokerages to display listings on a consumer-oriented Web site without the need to download the listings onto the company’s server. 

Learn More: For the "Fight Listing Theft,” management guide go to:

http://www.realtor.org/CRTweb.nsf/pages/CRTscrape?OpenDocument

A copy of reCaptcha is available as free, open-source software at:

http://www.crt.realtors.org/projects/reCaptcha/index.html

A copy of NoScrape is available as free, open-source software at:

http://www.crt.realtors.org/projects/noScrape/index.html

To read details about REALTOR® Secure, go to:

http://www.realtor.org/crtsecure.nsf/pages/home?OpenDocument.

To get a preview of Retriever, go to:

http://www.crt.realtors.org/projects/rets/retriever/index.html

Help improve technology security in the real estate industry. Take the  REALTOR^® Secure survey.  Go to: http://www.crt.realtors.org/surveys/realtorsecure/oct_feedback.survey

Don’t make your IT professionals work in a vacuum. Now technology professionals working for real estate brokerage companies, MLSs, CIEs, or REALTOR^® associations can receive a free newsletter from the Center for REALTOR^® Technology. If you’d like your IT staff or outside consultant to receive this quarterly update on technology trends and tips, have them subscribe at http://www.crt.REALTORS.org/newsletter-tech

Let CRT help you find the best solution to your toughest tech challenge. If there are technology issues or products you’d like the CRT to investigate or just a question you’d like answered, please e-mail your suggestions to info@crt.realtors.org

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