The real estate industry is constantly changing, and technology is constantly changing. What do you need to stay competitive? 

The you've-got-to-have-this tech products 

Computer. If you have only one piece of technology equipment, this is the one. You'll probably want a PC rather than a Macintosh. While the Macintosh continues to receive rave reviews from technology journalists that cite its reliability and ease of use, you need to work on a machine that's compatible with your colleagues, and one that runs real-estate software programs. Since most real estate software operates on PC-compatible computers, you need a PC-compatible computer. The Tech Helpline newsletter's recent survey of users found that about 40 percent of respondents used a Dell computer and 21 percent rely on HP/Compaq; the remaining 35 percent rely on IBM or another brand. 

And you may want to consider a notebook computer. Real estate is an out-of-the-office occupation, and a notebook computer allows you to take your office on the road. Many locations such as Starbucks and some downtown city locations now even give you wireless access to the Internet. 

Before you buy: Make a list of the software you hope to use and the tasks you expect your computer to perform. Many manufacturers, for example, include software with a new purchase, which can save you money and make a moderately-priced computer more economical overall. Also analyze what hardware you need. Not all computers allow you to burn information onto a CD, for example, and adding a CD burner later could prove more expensive than buying a computer with that ability included. For more info, see the Dec. 2004 issue of the Tech Helpline Newsletter. (/Vol-2/newsletter-8.html) 

Digital camera. A digital camera makes it easy to post pictures of a listing on a Web site. It not only delivers top-notch images, it also delivers them in a format that a computer understands. It simplifies the process of e-mailing photos to prospective homebuyers, sending photos to printers or uploading images for posting on a Web site. In some cases, a company can create virtual tours based on still pictures you've taken with your camera. 

Before you buy: The most important digital camera detail remains its megapixel rating. The more megapixels, the clearer the image, especially if you intend to enlarge it. Note, however, that megapixels equal storage, so the more megapixels you get, the fewer images you'll be able to store on a single memory card. It's easy to opt for a less expensive, lower megapixel model for just posting listings on Internet sites or handouts, but think about your other uses for the camera -- including possibly your daughter's wedding -- before making a selection. If you plan to use the camera for creating virtual tours, research virtual tour companies' specifications before buying a camera. 

Printer. In today's real estate market, time is of the essence, and when a new listing hits the market, a buyer needs a copy of the listing ASAP. Your brokerage should have a good printer and you should have a printer at home. But you may also want to consider a portable printer, especially if you work off a notebook computer on the road. The ability to print information on the fly -- a listing that you and your homebuyer just drove past, the county tax records of a property that has sparked some interest or a copy of the local school's grade report -- could clinch a sale. In general, color printing impresses clients more than traditional black-and-white. 

Before you buy: You have two basic choices: an ink jet printer or a laser printer. An ink jet printer, favored by most home users, takes longer to print and the ink cartridges do not last as long as the toner used in laser printers -- but it produces decent copies and costs less than laser printers. If considering a laser printer, a model that creates copies in black only prints faster and many times produces cleaner copies than an ink jet printer. Color laser printers, generally found in offices, produce the sharpest copies but with the tradeoff that the printer itself can cost $2,000 or higher; also, laser toner cartridges cost more than ink cartridges. 

Cell phone. For now, you can survive with a basic model that does little more than make phone calls. But this technology has a lot of crossover with other products already mentioned. Today, the line has blurred between personal digital assistants (PDAs), cell phones, computers, cameras and even camcorders. Phones now take pictures and cell phones download Internet pages. On a very basic level of performance, you can function as a Realtor without the advanced equipment, but you must have a cell phone that, at a minimum, keeps you in touch with your clients round the clock. 

Before you buy: Cell phone prices vary tremendously since many come as part of a service commitment. Before buying, decide how much you want a phone to do, and how much you'll defer some common benefits to other tech products such as digital cameras, PDAs or notebooks. Once you've identified your needs, it becomes easier to identify the phone that delivers the proper service. 

Good-to-have (but you-can-get-by-without-it) tech products 

PDA (personal digital assistant). If you've equipped yourself with everything you need from the got-to-have-this section, a PDA will duplicate other functions, such as those performed by your laptop. But a PDA has one major benefit: It's easy to transport. Like cell phones, today's PDAs offer a wide variety of services, from cell phone capabilities to Internet access, and it can make business easy to conduct for those real estate associates willing to take a few minutes to master the equipment. Today, the PDA may arguably be filed under this section, but it should soon move up to the must-have list for successful real estate associates. 

Before you buy: Study PDAs before buying one -- are the programs you want to use compatible with the operating system? If you plan to use a PDA with MLS information, contact your MLS for specifications. 

Scanner. A scanner empowers you to turn paper documents into electronic ones. That opens up a whole new and compact way to store information, and equipped with a notebook computer, it allows you to literally carry all your office information with you wherever you go. Other documents -- selling disclosures, homeowners' association rules, etc. -- may also be scanned, added to the permanent file, and even attached to e-mail, which gives the recipient a clearer copy to read than one sent by the almost-antiquated method of faxing. It also gives you a full library of documents anywhere you go if you're also equipped with a portable printer. There's no need to carry six different forms of a contract if you can print out the proper one on demand. 

Before you buy: The quality of a scanned document is determined by resolution. The higher a scanner's resolution, the sharper the image. This factor may be less important in scanning and printing contracts, but more important if scanning pictures or documents to be enlarged. Also note a scanner's ability to scan legal-sized documents if your forms don't always follow a traditional 8 ½ x 11 format. 

Digital camcorders. While virtual tours have become common, most residential clients don't demand a movie presentation of a prospective home -- but it may be advantageous if you work with international buyers who cannot easily visit a property, or with luxury buyers who demand upscale marketing presentations. A digital camcorder may also be required for commercial property sales presentations. 

Before you buy: Before purchasing a camcorder, make sure you have the software necessary to edit your films, and an understanding of how you'll take those movies and turn them into marketing tools that you can easily distribute, probably by burning them onto a CD. 

DVD burner. If creating a digital marketing campaign for any of the buyers listed above -- international, commercial or luxury -- a marketing presentation presented on a disc leaves a positive impression both of the property and the person selling it. It could be a home showing you host or just a PowerPoint slide show presentation -- but this type of marketing program requires some time and a bit of expertise. 

Before you buy: Determine how you will use a DVD burner before making a purchase. For more information, see the October 2004 Tech Helpline newsletter (/Vol-2/newsletter-6-cd-dvd.html)