RealtyServer is a leader in the. Estate Boards and Associations with. customers from coast to coast in. Canada, and now in the United States.

Transcription

1 RealtyServer is a leader in the provision of MLS Software for Real Estate Boards and Associations with customers from coast to coast in Canada, and now in the United States.

2 INTERFACE CMA COMPARATIVE MARKET ANALYSIS (CMA) 1 Introduction About the Instructor About INTERFACE About INTERFACExpress About Private Client Services (PCS) About PocketINTERFACE Objective 3 3 Comparative Market Analysis (CMA) Creating the Search for the CMA CMA Module Subject Property Agent Information Comparable Properties Saving the CMA Search Results CMA Viewer Orientation to the screen for the CMA Viewer Preparing the CMA Saving Your CMA as a Word document Printing or ing your CMA View as a PDF (save the PDF file) Attaching the CMA in a web based Retrieving Saved CMA's Retrieving Saved CMA Results Retrieving a Saved PDF of a Prepared CMA Retrieving a Saved Word version of a Prepared CMA Customizing Templates Non-permanent changes for a particular CMA Changing a Template Backing up custom templates 18

3 INTERFACE CMA INTRODUCTION 1.1 About the Instructor Mike Fowles was a top selling REALTOR from 1981 to 2003 in Victoria, British Columbia, Canada. Mike has held Board of Director positions, chaired MLS committees and sat on numerous Technology committees. He is one of three managing partners of RealtyServer. 1.2 About INTERFACE INTERFACE was developed in 1996 as an ancillary CMA module designed to compliment a legacy MLS system in use in Victoria, B.C. INTERFACE evolved over subsequent years into a full MLS system. INTERFACE today is a Windows based MLS system that is feature rich, very fast and easy to use. INTERFACE is a fully distributed (off-line) database making it internet connection independent and fully portable. 1.3 About INTERFACExpress INTERFACExpress was developed in This on-line Browser based tool was designed to compliment the main INTERFACE MLS system. Your MLS data can be accessed through any computer in the world equipped with an Internet connection. Full database searching, printing, ing, Private Client Services (prospecting), expiring and other listing notifications, photo uploading tool and more are available. 1.4 About Private Client Services (PCS) Private Client Services (PCS) - Our flagship product PCS is a feature of INTERFACExpress that allows REALTORS to automatically generate a private web site that displays all properties matching the search criteria for that particular client. As new listings become available (or change) that match the search criteria, notifications are sent to the client to advise them accordingly. In three simple steps, and in less than one minute, you can be sending listings automatically to your clients PCS account. They ll like what they see and they will thank you for it! 1.5 About PocketINTERFACE Wireless access to your MLS data through any PDA that can be connected to the Internet through the device s web browser. 2 OBJECTIVE The goal of this workshop is to empower the end-users of the INTERFACE and INTERFACExpress programs with the fundamental knowledge required to create a professional CMA for a prospective client. An understanding of how to search for listings in a variety of different ways, organize the results of the search and then produce the CMA document will be achieved. Note: The information contained in this document is complimentary to the information found in the INTERFACE Help Tutorials. To access the Help Tutorials open INTERFACE Click on Help Click on Tutorials select your topic.

4 INTERFACE CMA COMPARATIVE MARKET ANALYSIS (CMA) The CMA module in INTERFACE creates a professional looking package that can be printed or ed and also allows for customization 3.1 Creating the Search for the CMA 1. To begin the CMA you must first search out the properties that will make up the Comparative Market Analysis (CMA). 2. In most cases a CMA will include active & conditional listings; sold & unconditional listings; and expired listings. This means selecting the correct status types in the Listing Status box, it also means (in most cases) including the unconditional date range and expired listing date range in the search criteria. Date ranges can be entered from the More Criteria tab. 3. Keep in mind when entering the dates on the More Details tab that Date Listed (the listing date on the contract) will affect all statuses searched as will Date Entered (the date the listing was entered at the Board). This means that if a date is entered for either of these selections, unconditional, sold or expired listings that do not have a list or entered date that match, will not be found in the search.

5 INTERFACE CMA The two dates that end-users would most often enter for a CMA are the Date Uncon (Date Unconditional) and the Date Expired. By doing this, all active listings that meet the other criteria will be part of the search, and all listings sold or expired since the date specified will be included. 5. Once the search is complete, any listings that, for one reason or another, you do not feel should be part of the CMA can be deleted (click on the listing and click on the DEL button or right click on the listing and left click on Delete). This can also be done later. 6. Click on the CMA button to open the CMA Module.

6 INTERFACE CMA CMA Module 1. After clicking on the CMA button, a screen will open with links to the various help files available for the CMA. If you do not want to view at this time, just click on OK. TIP: If you do not want to see this screen again, click on the Do now show this screen again then on OK. 2. There are 3 tabs of information in this module. The first tab is the Subject Property. You can either enter this information manually, or if the property was listed previously, you can enter the MLS number and the information will be auto-filled. If the listing that is the subject property is part of the search, you can go to the Comparable Properties tab and drag it to the top of the list into "subject property".

7 INTERFACE CMA Subject Property This is information about the subject property. If you have other photos of the property available (on your computer or disk), you may click on the Select Photo button and load them. Subject property information can be entered in various ways: 1. If the property has never been listed - type in the applicable data. 2. If the property was listed and you know the MLS number - type it in the MLS number field and press enter. All of the data will automatically insert. 3. If the property is part of the search - go to the Comparable Properties tab and click and drag it into the line for "subject property". 4. If the property is not part of the search, and you don't know the MLS number, you can minimize the CMA windows and search for the property. Once you have located the property you can either enter the MLS number in the correct field, or click and drag the property into the subject property line on the Comparables Property tab. #2 - TIP: Minimize/Maximize "Minimizing" or "Maximizing" a window is a typical Windows convention. It means to shrink the window out of sight (but not close it) or to bring it back into sight. Minimize button Maximize button

8 INTERFACE CMA Agent Information This has the information of the member who has logged into INTERFACE (i.e. the member who would be doing the presentation) - the Name, office name and office address can all be edited. You can also select a 2 nd Agent.

9 INTERFACE CMA Comparable Properties This is the list of properties that was found by your search. You can add or remove listings from the search. 1. To delete a listing, right click on it and then left click on delete. To add listings enter the MLS number in the Quick Search box on this tab. Or minimize the CMA window, do a search in the background and "click and drag" the listings into the Comparables Tab. #3 - TIP: Selecting Listings Two of the most common Windows conventions for selecting listings are using the CTRL or SHIFT key in conjunction with the mouse. To randomly select more than one listing, click on the first listing, hold the CTRL key down and click on the other listings desired. To select a range of listings, click on the first listing, hold down the SHIFT key and click on the last listing in the desired range.

10 INTERFACE CMA Saving the CMA Search Results If you wish to save the results of the CMA Search information (not the CMA package or the search criteria), but the results, click on the Save button, give the CMA a name and click on the Save button. They will be saved in the C:\Interface Saved Items\Saved CMAs folder.

11 INTERFACE CMA CMA Viewer To proceed select the templates you wish to use, click on Nex to go to the CMA viewer. This next step opens the CMA viewer and may take a few moments, depending on the size of the search and the speed of your computer, please be patient.

12 INTERFACE CMA Orientation to the screen for the CMA Viewer 1 - This is the template format you select. 2 - Once the template format is selected click on Prepare CMA to integrate all the data. 3 - To print, click on Print, to click on as PDF (will automatically attach to a new message window - the PDF format ensures that all page breaks will occur where they should) or to view the PDF or save it before ing, click on Save/View as PDF. 4 - By default all pages are selected to print, to exclude a page from printing, click on the check mark to remove it. 5 - To view a particular page, click on the actual page number. 6 - To scroll backwards or forwards through the various pages, click on the appropriate button. 7 - Another way to exclude a page from printing, as you are scrolling through (6) the various pages, if there is one you don't want to print, click on Don't Print (you will also notice the checkmark beside the listed pages disappear). 8 - If you wish to select all pages to print click on Select All. To have all pages set NOT to print, click on Clear All (you can then go through and select only those ones you want to print). 9 - To zoom in on the page click on Zoom Page (you can then click on the button again to zoom out to full page size).

13 INTERFACE CMA Preparing the CMA You are now at the point you can choose which template you would like to use for your CMA and prepare it for printing or ing. 1. You have a choice of a number of standard templates, and a number of templates that can be customized. The difference between the two sets is that the Standard Templates can be used without any modification whereas the Custom Templates have pages that can be customized (using a word processor that can save in Word format *.doc) to add individual and company information. See a later section for more information on customizing). 2. Select the Standard Template you want by clicking on it. The Standard Templates are all similar to each other but do have a couple of differences: o 3 up Land Only: designed for use with lot/acreage property types only formatted three per page horizontally. o 3 up Slate: has listings formatted three per page horizontally. o Blue: has listings formatted two per page horizontally. o Burgundy: has listings formatted two per page stacked vertically. o Tan: has listings formatted two per page stacked vertically and a different look to the header and footer than the Blue, Burgundy or Teal. o Teal: has listings formatted two per page horizontally and a different look to the header and footer than the Blue, Burgundy or Tan. 3. Click on Prepare CMA and this will integrate the listings with the CMA. Please be patient as it may take a few moments to generate. 4. From this point, you can view the various pages and choose which to include/exclude from printing or ing. By default, all are set to be included. 5. To view the pages there are two main options - click on the forward/back buttons at the bottom of the screen (#6 on the screen orientation) or click on the actual page number (#5 on the screen orientation). 6. Any page that has a check mark beside it in the list will be included in the printing/ ing. To remove a page from those that will be printed, click on the check mark to remove it from the box, OR, find the page you don t want to print (forward/back buttons or page number) and then click on Don't Print Saving Your CMA as a Word document. One the CMA is prepared, if you wish to save it as a Microsoft Word document, click on File Save As, choose where to save the CMA and what name to give it.. This can actually be done either before or after printing/ ing the CMA. To open this document you must then use a Word processor such as Word to open it. This file can be saved wherever a member chooses to. If you do not have a word processor, save it as a PDF. Customizing Tip: That it is possible to edit any of the text you see on screen, however, the change will not be there the next time you use the Standard Template. To make changes to a template that will be available each time you use the template, you must edit in a Word processor such as Microsoft Word.

14 INTERFACE CMA Printing or ing your CMA Once your have prepared your CMA by choosing the template and which of the pages are to be printed/ ed, you are ready to print or the CMA. To Print: click on Print, which will bring up the Windows print dialogue box, select any options you wish and click on print or OK (depending on your printer) To click on as PDF which will open a new message window from your software and attach a PDF file of the CMA. The PDF format is used in order to ensure that when a client prints the information, all page breaks occur in the correct places. Note that beside the attachment it gives the size (in the screen capture to the right it shows 2 MB) of the attachment. It is worth keeping an eye on this as some clients may not be able to accept over a 5 MB attachment (more and more Internet Service Providers are allowing for larger attachments but it is worth noting).

15 INTERFACE CMA View as a PDF (save the PDF file) This option allows for viewing and saving the PDF of the CMA. If a member is using a web based software (such as hotmail, AOL, yahoomail, shaw webmail) they need to use this option. Web based means you open your Browser, go to a website and login as opposed to an (client-side) software package such as Outlook or Outlook Express which is installed directly on your PC. This does require that the Adobe Reader or Adobe Acrobat be installed. 1. Prepare your CMA as per the previous steps. Rather than clicking on Print or as PDF, click on View as PDF. 2. The CMA will open up in whichever Adobe product you have (in most cases it will be the free reader). 3. Click on the small disk icon in the Adobe tool bar to save the PDF or click on File Save A Copy. 4. In the Save In (1) drop down menu select where you want to save the PDF of the CMA to. This is very important as when you go to your web based , you will need to know where the CMA is located in order to attach it to the In the File name field (2), give the CMA a file name that is appropriate (one that lets you identify it). 6. Click on the Save (3) button. 7. The CMA is now ready to be attached to an message.

16 INTERFACE CMA Attaching the CMA in a web based There are many different web based software programs. For purposes of these instructions, Hotmail is being used as an example. Please keep in mind that some web based such as Hotmail may restrict the size of attachment you can send (Hotmail restricts to 1 MB and Yahoomail to 10 MB). 1. Go to your web based and login (in this case 2. Click on New. 3. Enter the address, subject line and any message you need to (just as you typically would do). 4. Click on Attach. 5. Click on File. 6. Click on Browse. 7. Find the folder you saved the CMA to (in this case My Documents). If by default, the Look in does not show the folder you saved the PDF of CMA to, click on the down arrow and locate the correct folder. 8. Click on the file (in this case CMA Mr Jones.pdf) 9. Click on OK. 10. It may take some time for the file to attach. 11. Send your as per normal.

17 INTERFACE CMA RETRIEVING SAVED CMA'S There are three different parts of, or ways, the CMA that can be saved: 1. The CMA Results. 2. The prepared CMA as a PDF. 3. The prepared CMA as a Word document. The way you retrieve what you want, will depend on what and how you saved it. 4.1 Retrieving Saved CMA Results To retrieve the results of a saved CMA: 1. In INTERFACE, click on File Open Saved CMAs. Select the saved CMA and click on open (not that it will be an xml file). 4.2 Retrieving a Saved PDF of a Prepared CMA To retrieve the results of a prepared CMA in PDF format: 1. Open your Adobe product (in most cases it will be Adobe Reader). 2. Click on File Open, locate the folder you saved the PDF in, find the file, click on it, and click on Open. 4.3 Retrieving a Saved Word version of a Prepared CMA To retrieve the results of a prepared CMA in Word format (as described in section 5.10): 1. Open your word processing program (it must be able to open a Word document). 2. Click on File Open, locate the folder you saved the CMA in, find the file, click on it, and click on Open.

18 INTERFACE CMA CUSTOMIZING TEMPLATES This is a brief description of what can be done Non-permanent changes for a particular CMA Once the CMA is prepared, it is possible to edit any of the information on the screen and print or save it for that particular CMA - this is not changing the template for future use. To make the changes simply click down with the mouse and delete anything to be removed or type what is to be added. 5.2 Changing a Template In order to change the templates themselves, you must have a word processor that can save in the Microsoft Word or RTF formats (note that in RTF - headers and footers will be lost). 1. Open your word processor. 2. Click on File Open, locate the C:\Interface Saved Items\CMA2 Templates folder. 3. There you will see the various templates listed. 4. The "Custom" templates have specific areas for adding personal and office information. 5. The "Standard" ones would only be edited if you wanted to change some of the basic content. 6. Make the changes you want to make. Be careful of any information contained between the curly brackets - { } as these are for information merged into the CMA from the listings and other screens. 7. Once your changes are made, click on File Save As, and give the template a new name (preferably one that indicates to you, what variations you have done). One of the main reasons for giving it is a new name is so that if an upgrade is done, the original custom template does not overwrite the changes you have made. In an office situation, use the name of the REALTOR the CMA is customized for as part of the name. 8. The next time you do a CMA, your new template will be available to choose. 6 BACKING UP CUSTOM TEMPLATES Anything you customize should be backed up, otherwise, if something happens and your hard drive fails, you get a virus and have to reformat or simply forget and reinstall having removed your saved items - they are lost. How you backup will depend on the backup method you use. However, if you backup the C:\Interface Saved Items folder and all its subfolders, you will ensure you have a copy of all your custom CMA templates, custom column arrangements, saved searches, update searches etc. Note that if you have saved a Word of PDF copy of a CMA it will only be backed up if you have saved it to a folder that is included in your backup.