I thought this was really interesting that the San Diego Bay western salt ponds after 50 years, are being opened up to the Bay and tidal fluctuations.  This is the part of the final phase of the restoration project pictured to the left.  Here is what the U. S. Fish and Wildlife had to say regarding the project:

As you travel along the southwestern most corner of the San Diego Bay National Wildlife Refuge, along the Bayshore Bikeway, you will see all the activity happening on the Western Salt Pond Restoration Project! Since construction began in December 2010, the dramatic change from commercial salt ponds to restored wetlands is taking place within the three western-most ponds (Ponds 10a, 10, and 11). What is going on under the water surface will soon be visible as we begin creating rare salt marsh wetland habitat.

The restoration of critical wetland habitat in San Diego Bay is essential to fish and wildlife and to the long-term health of the bay.

The western salt ponds will be transformed into open water, intertidal habitats such as mudflats, low-marsh, and mid-marsh (above). The construction will consist of earth moving by dredge, from Pond 10 into Pond 11 to create a sinuous network of channels that will serve as the main sloughs of over 200 acres of estuary in south San Diego Bay.

Once the channels are cut, and the proper elevations are achieved, the existing levees separating these ponds from the tidal waters of the bay will be breached in two places! These ponds have not received tidal bay influence since 1960 or earlier. By the end of Summer 2011, tidal ifluence from the San Diego Bay will flow and fluctuate within these ponds, which will allow natural plant propogation to take hold. Just wait to see what wildlife will come!

It is a challenging, yet exciting and rewarding project. It is the hope of all the project partners and local residents of San Diego that when completed, this project will restore native ecosystem functions of lower tidal marsh habitat…and to the rest of the South Bay. It is also the hope that in the future, this habitat will attract a keystone endangered species to thrive here: the Light-footed clapper rail.

Read more ….

Google Docs & Google Sites powers RealtyV2

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uKueHy485n0

When starting RealtyV2 I was committed to a paperless real estate brokerage.  I looked at all the major transaction management programs including Transaction Point, Relay, and Dotloop.  The problem with each of these programs was a very steep learning curve for both the user and the customer.  Secondly, there were written to be all things to all people, including the unfortunate ability to deal with dual agency.

Over several years RealtyV2 has experimented with various on-line transaction management systems.  We started with using Adobe Connect which didn’t really work out for our needs, then went to Box.net.  Box was a wonderful enterprise product but a huge overkill for a small company like us.

During the time we were using Box.net we noticed that Google Docs for business was getting better and better at providing the system we were looking for.  The collaborative features of Google Docs combined with Google Sites allowed us to customize and simplify a custom website for our Associates and Clients.  Secure, available 24 hours per day 7 days per week, and easy to use we are fully committed to Google Docs for all functions of RealtyV2.  Being a small brokerage, Google allows us to access enterprise level systems at a fraction of trying to do something on our own.

Compared to large legacy brokerages, many who require Associates to use Transaction Coordinators, our philosophy is the management of the transaction is critical in representing the Client correctly.  While RealtyV2 only hires Associates that are experienced and  ethical, my job as the Designated Broker is to be another set of eyes.  When I was in corporate real estate file review was all about volume and relying on staff to try and maintain a standard of care.  RealtyV2 is a company committed to each transaction and we take the time to carefully review each unique sale and make sure our Client gets the proper representation and appropriate disclosures.  Because there are so many moving parts, it is impossible for a program to have an advantage over an experienced agent and Broker.

We do not completely rely on Google Docs as unlikely as they would be to disappear tomorrow.  All of our transactions are stored in Adobe PDF format and are also backed up on a local hard drive and a third archive on Docu-Sign.  Finally, each of our transactions is backed up to a custom Adobe PDF Portfolio that is given to the Client at closing.

No one knows what the future holds in the transaction management field but we feel as custom solution is the best for our goals.  Having all the data in an industry standard format allows us to change in the future if someone invents a better wheel.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WbJQHTqwW-Q

Every year Operation Clean Sweep uses volunteers to clean up the San Diego Bay and tidelands. This year the focus will be in South Bay Bayside Park and South Bay Power plant in Chula Vista.  It is one of the largest environmental cleanup efforts on the west coast.  Volunteers are needed in all locations and you can sign up at this website.

More information can be found on the United Port of San Diego website including a list of locations and start times.  Click the image below to download a list of locations and times.

 In the annual clean-up, civilian and military divers locate debris on the bay’s surface. Volunteer boaters and equipment operators assist with hauling the trash out of the water and back to shore to be disposed of in dumpsters. While this is going on, civilian volunteers pick up trash from along San Diego Bay’s shoreline. The combined efforts result in a big reduction of trash and debris.

“Each year, dozens of divers and hundreds of civilian volunteers work together to improve the health of San Diego Bay,” said Scott Peters, Chairman of the Board of Port Commissioners. “The Port of San Diego, along with the San Diego Port Tenants Association, is extremely grateful to these volunteers for taking the time out of their weekends to join in this effort. This is truly a great example of community spirit.”

Although this year’s event spans the north and south areas of San Diego Bay, the focus is on the Chula Vista area. The main clean up sites are at Bayside Park and the South Bay Power Plant, both in Chula Vista.

Each volunteer will receive gloves, trash bags, and an operaton clean sweep t-shirt.  Following the cleanup at 11 a.m. there will be a after party at Bayside Park.  Entertainment will be provided by the Navy Band and prizes will be given out for the most unusual trash.  Last year it was the Navy with a 20 foot sail boat on the bottom of the bay.

As I went off to the Downtown Broker Caravan today it once again occurred how much paper we are using in our industry.  All the agents were picking up Caravan sheets, property fliers, and other printed material – hundreds of sheets of papers to be tossed into the trash.

How about using a website that could be read on a smart phone or iPad for the properties on tour?  Flyers could include a QR code for quick information regarding a property.

Earlier that morning I had downloaded the Caravan sheet onto my iPad which I do each week to save on paper and to have a permanent record of the properties that I toured.

So many companies talk about being green, and yet so few in reality are green or paperless.  So when you  start working with a real estate company and agent ask them if they are trying to make a difference or if they are just part of the problem?

Paper has a place and is sometimes necessary, but at RealtyV2 we are 98% paperless.

Here are some facts regarding paper use in the United States from Green America Come Together.

• 42% of the global wood harvest goes to paper production.
• Industrial nations with 20% of the world’s population use 87% of worlds printing & writing papers.
• Global production of the pulp, paper, and publishing is expected to increase 77% from 1995 to 2020.
• Tree plantations host about 90% fewer species than the forests that proceed them.

Yesterday we showed you how to log into your complementary Box.net account.  This next video will show you some of the basics of our transaction management system and some features of Box.net.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v0gDNldY7co

Paperless transaction management you’ve been looking for.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MHEYvPmej0k

Just finished up a video on RealtyV2′s paperless transaction management for Clients.  Using Box.net and customized transaction checklists we can share with our Clients documents anywhere in the World.  Box.net offers free software for mobile use including Android, iPhone, iPad, and more.

Our transactions are divided into 7 folders for paperless transaction management.

• 100 Transaction Information.
• 200 Agency Disclosures.
• 300 Contracts & Addendums.
• 400 Title & Escrow Documents.
• 500 Disclosures.
• 600 Reports.
• 700 Miscellaneous.

While we tried real estate specific software for transactions including Transaction Pointe and Relay, the combination of Box.net and customized checklists provides the best possible paperless experience for our Clients.  Box.net also offers on-line collaboration discussions, ability to view and print individual documents, download all files to local desktop, and fax directly from folders.  It also offers the ability to securely share documents with other collaborators and to easily handle large files which are difficult to e-mail.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WJdk2avSUWQ

The paperless real estate transaction has long been a dream or goal for many real estate brokerages.  Few have been able to go paperless with the security of an enterprise cloud based system such as Box.net.  Visit most real estate offices and find mounds of paper and copiers.

For those that are not familiar with the real estate process there are hundreds of forms and disclosures that may come into play.  Here are a few typical documents that would be used in a real estate transaction.

• Agency Disclosure.
• Disc. & Consent Representation of More than 1 Buyer/Seller.
• Seller Non-Agency Agreement.
• Buyer Non Agency Agreement.
• Residential Purchase Agreement.
• Counter Offer (s).
• Wood Destroying Pest Inspection & Allocation.
• Purchase Agreement Addendum,
• Addendum.
• Escrow instructions.
• Preliminary Title Report.
• Receipt from escrow for deposit.
• Confirmation of FIRPTA.
• HOA and covenants, conditions, and restrictions (CC&R’s).
• Real Estate Transfer Disclosure Statement.
• Seller Property Questionnaire.
• Local Area Disclosure.
• Agent Visual Inspection Disclosure.
• Statewide Buyer and Seller Advisory.
• Natural Hazard Disclosure Statement.
• Environmental Hazard and Earthquake Booklet.
• Federal Lead Base Paint Disclosure.
• Water Heater & Smoke Detector Statement of Compliance.
• Supplemental Statutory & Contractual Disclosures.
• Property, pool, or roof reports.
• Termite report.
• Termite clearance.

These are some of the standard documents required to sell a residential home in California.  Depending on the age, type of transaction, and title there are many more that come into play.

One of the ways that we have been successful in paperless transaction management is electronic signatures.  RealtyV2 uses DocuSign which is an industry leader in electronic signatures – you can try out a free demo here.

If you would like to know more about Box.net or RealtyV2 please visit there websites.  While most real estate brokerages talk big, there are few that are paperless.

It is no secret that the real estate industry kills trees needlessly to sell homes.

The traditional real estate brokerage is a modern day paper factory with reams of paper and complicated copy machines.  Each transaction has a broker file, transaction coordinator file, agent file for listing and selling agent, and copies of the files for the buyer and seller.  Hundreds of boxes are collected each year destined for some storage facility.

Each real estate company keeps its own copies of the transaction so you can see things get out of hand pretty fast.

Technology has solved the problem,but the old ways of doing things grinds on…

You can make a difference, talk to your real estate agent and company about green practices including cloud storage, electronic signatures, electronic faxes, and green printers.  Over 85% of adults want to bag paper and go paperless.

Consider having your entire transaction file available via Box.net accessible from your computer, iPhone, iPad, or Android device.  At the end of your transaction you get a USB thumb drive that looks like a key.  Your entire transaction including pictures, conversation logs, video, and HUD-1 are in an easy to use PDF Portfolio.

Imagine you are filing your taxes at the last minute and your accountant needs the HUD-1 Settlement Statement to finish.  Rather than go though reams of paper files, you log into you Box.net account, find the document, and share it with the accountant, all from your smart phone.  Certainly that makes more sense and is better for our environment.

Courtesy Steve R. on Flickr

Paperless real estate is no longer a dream.

While most real estate brokerages continue to be paper factories, RealtyV2 has embraced an almost paperless real estate transaction.  According to a survey done earlier this year about 85 percent of adults want to bag paper and go green.  What is your real estate agent and company doing?

The poll was conducted by Harris Interactive® for DocuSign, Inc.

With the advent of web-based applications, e-readers, and mobile computing devices that make it possible for consumers to do more on-line and stay connected, it is not surprise that the paperless is the way to go.

The survey found that 72 percent of adults were frustrated with completing paper-based forms, documents or business agreements for the following reasons:

• 72% said the form files were often too small to write in.
• 38% said it’s too inconvenient to return signed paper documents by fax or mail.
• 34% said their handwriting was too messy for others to read.
• 23% made too many mistakes.

By generating real estate contracts and disclosures on-line with ZipForms Professional we have eliminated the waste of the old NCR forms which needed to be thrown away at each form revision.  Contracts and disclosures can be drafted and reviewed on-line with Clients.  Once the final documents are prepared they can be send digitally to DocuSign for electronic signature.

The client is able to review, initial, and sign the document on their computer, iPad, or mobile device.  Once completed the documents are returned for Broker review and file archival.  All of these steps without once having to print out the documents.  However, for those that are more comfortable reading paper they have the option of printing them.

Finally at the end of the transaction I provide a full backup on a USB thumb drive which the client can keep in a safe place.

Want to more check out our Tech or Green categories.  Read or view full report.

Mobile Office View

Over the last several years I have left the traditional real estate brokerage model and embraced the “virtual real estate model.” I prefer to call it the mobile model since I have a beautiful office full of the latest technology.  My store front however, is San Diego Lifestyle, rather than some brick and mortar building.

Many real estate agents and brokerages continue to believe in the idea of an office with flyers in the window.  While this may be important in certain luxury markets or vacation areas, the traffic that I have on my blog far exceeds the amount of people that would walk past a brick and mortar office.

Having to sit in an office cubicle all day makes no sense.  As agents, we should be out on broker caravans, meeting with Clients, home inspectors, appraisers, and networking.  None of those things happen in a traditional office environment full of politics.

E-mails, phone calls, and documents can be easily exchanged in the field.  Having a virtual office allows you to work from the nearest coffee house, restaurant, client home, or listing.  Mobile internet, portable printers and scanners, iPads, and smart phones have make the copy machine useless.

The other day between appointments in Ocean Beach and Downtown I had a few minutes to space.  I pulled the Rover to the side of the road at Sunset Cliffs and returned some phone calls and e-mails, uploaded some files, and made a few appointments.  The picture is the view from my mobile office window.

My blog serves as a virtual library, resource of information, provides the latest market statistics, and a glimpse into the communities that I serve.  It is open 24 hours per day, 7 days per week, and the information is free to all – no registration or pressure ever.

Anyone that is familiar with our business knows it is not an 8 to 5 job.  Deals get done at 10:00 p.m., work goes on 7 days per week, and things need attention daily.  Having a fully equipped office in my home with high speed internet, printers, faxes, scanners, and computers allows me to work at any time.  Why run to an office at 10:00 p.m. to use a fax machine or wait for a transaction coordinator to come in the following day at 9:00 a.m.  Fuze web conferences can be done with Clients any time of the day or night.

More REALTORS® are starting to realize the fundamental changes in our, and many other industries.

Having that fancy expensive office does not make much sense in 2010.

This post was inspired by JimRaffel.com.