iPhone Tips & Tricks That Save Time for REALTORS®

Louisiana REALTORS® • August 9, 2022

One of the most powerful tools you have as a REALTOR® fits in the palm of your hand, and resides in purse, briefcase, or pocket. It’s your smartphone, and for most people, it’s an iPhone. This device allows you to communicate, interact, organize, and literally become your own media company. From social media apps to photography and video, not to mention your email, planner, CRM, and more, you can have your entire business at your fingertips. However, even with this powerful resource at your disposal, it only works as well as you know how to work it. Here are some iPhone tips and tricks that can save you time and make you more productive.

 

Utilize AirDrop

AirDrop is a handy feature that makes sharing information, documents, photos, and more very easy. Instead of texting or emailing a large attachment, you can transfer those items in seconds directly to a client or colleague’s phone. Whatever it is you’d like to share, simply select the share button (it’s a square with an arrow pointing up) at the bottom of the screen, and press the AirDrop icon, then choose which contact you’d like to share the information with.


Drop Pins to Share Property Locations with Your Clients

Apple Maps on your iPhone makes it easier than ever to share a location. This is a great way to highlight a property and its surrounding attractions. You can even attach photos to your pins and share via AirDrop. Simply search for an address in Apple Maps and click on the information icon (an “i” with a circle around it) in the bottom right-hand corner and select “Drop a Pin.” Next, click on the pin to open a “location” page and click the share button; this will let you share the pin via text, email, or AirDrop.


Get Vertical and Horizontal Panoramic Shots

Panoramic photos are a great way to capture a property. However, these 180-degree photographs aren’t limited to a horizontal perspective. Vertical panoramic shots work very well for tall homes and rooms with high ceilings. Open the camera app on your phone and move the slider along the bottom of the screen to “pano.” For vertical panoramic photos, simply hold your phone sideways.


Hold the Screen to Control Focus & Exposure for Photos

Photography plays a huge role in your marketing, prospecting, and your client’s experience. The better photos you take and share, the more engaging you can become as a REALTOR®. While your iPhone takes great pictures, there are a few things you can do to make them even better. To combat poor lighting, shadows, and overexposure, you can hold the screen while in camera mode to control its focus and exposure. To do this you only need to tap the screen where you want the camera to focus and hold your finger there. A yellow box will appear to indicate the target of your photo.


Enable “Swipe” Typing for Texting & Emails

From the days of tapping 7 four times to get to the letter “S” to today where we are all thumbs, swiping can make you and even more adept texter. Your iPhone is capable of recognizing the word you are typing even if your finger never leaves the keyboard. Simply slide, or swipe, your finger from letter to letter and let your phone do the rest. This can be a much more efficient process for both long and short messages.


These are only a few things that your phone can do to help make your job a little easier. Take advantage of them to give your clients the service they deserve.

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Week 10 brought meaningful movement on several Louisiana REALTORS® priorities affecting real estate, property rights and insurance. And Week 11 is shaping up to be one of the most important stretches of the session. The biggest developments last week were the final Senate passage of HB 468 by Rep. Troy Hebert with amendments, movement of HB 1027 by Rep. Hebert to the Governor for executive approval, continued Senate progress on HB 1187 and HB 1166 , and final legislative action on SB 180 . REALTOR® Day at the Capitol also came at an important time, giving members the opportunity to reinforce industry priorities with legislators as several key bills neared final passage or awaited committee, concurrence or floor action. Just as importantly, the Louisiana REALTORS® legislative package has now cleared most of its major hurdles, and barring any late-session surprises, the remaining package’s bills should be headed to the Governor’s desk shortly. On the core real estate package, HB 468 , the wholesale regulation bill, remains the most immediate priority. The Senate passed the bill 34-0 on May 12 with amendments, and it now returns to the House for concurrence. That places it in a fast-moving posture, and members should be prepared for quick House action once concurrence is called. HB 1027 , the appraiser liability bill, has now moved into final executive posture after passing the Senate 35-0 without amendments and being sent to the Governor. Together, those two bills represent major wins for consumer protection, market integrity and greater certainty in the real estate transaction process. Insurance remains one of the busiest and most important policy areas as we head into Week 11. HB 1187 , dealing with Louisiana Citizens for emergency assessments, was reported favorably by the Senate Insurance Committee and is now pending Legislative Bureau for review in the Senate. HB 759 , addressing fortified roof endorsement offers, remains one of the more important insurance and mitigation bills still in play and is positioned for Senate floor action. HB 408 , which would prohibit insurers from non-renewing residential policies when homeowners timely mitigate risks, remains pending in House Insurance, as does HB 1210 , which would create a mandatory pre-suit claim review process for residential property insurance. Additional insurance measures, including HB 850 on Standard Fire Policy cancellation notices, HB 1162 on contractor verification in insurance claims, and SB 241 on adjuster and appraiser license-number disclosure, also remain active. These bills continue to matter because insurance affordability, mitigation, claims handling and policy stability remain central to property ownership and transaction viability across Louisiana. On disclosure and regulatory matters, HB 1166 by Rep. Kim Carver , requiring disclosures for vacant residential property and carrying out the adopted LREC reform amendment, was reported favorably by the Senate Commerce Committee and is now pending with the Legislative Bureau for review in the Senate. That keeps the bill in a strong position for Senate floor movement and makes it one of the key bills to watch in Week 11. SB 180 , allowing a surviving spouse of a deceased disabled veteran to transfer an expanded property tax exemption under certain circumstances, has completed legislative action and is now in final processing. Week 10 and the run into Week 11 also reflected an important defensive win for Louisiana REALTORS®. Our team successfully worked to block and tackle HB 617 and HB 750 to ensure real estate and nonprofit activity were not swept into overly broad consumer protection frameworks. On HB 617 , Louisiana REALTORS® opposed the bill as drafted and worked to posture it so that real estate professionals would not be caught up in a fee-disclosure framework that does not fit the realities of real estate transactions. On HB 750 , we worked to ensure the bill would not be interpreted to reach real estate or nonprofit operations in a way that could create unintended compliance burdens for leases, property management arrangements, association activity, or recurring charges authorized under those structures. That effort helped keep broad subscription-style language from bleeding into housing and nonprofit operations where it plainly does not belong. Civil justice and broader property rights measures also remain active entering Week 11. HB 437 , dealing with expert witness fees, and HB 1089 , creating CARE Accounts for certain damages arising from delictual actions, remain pending in Senate Judiciary A and remain high-priority tort reform measures to watch. HB 472, the rent stabilization bill, remains involuntarily deferred and stays on the watch list for any attempted revival through another vehicle or amendment. Additional redevelopment and tax-related measures, such as HB 214 and HB 217, also remain relevant to the broader conversation on blight, reinvestment and neighborhood stabilization. A few additional housing and valuation bills are also worth noting HB 292 on security deposits, HB 297 on early lease termination in stalking and cyberstalking situations, and HB 300 on appraisal thresholds for bank-owned property have all advanced and remain part of the broader housing policy landscape. The practical takeaway is straightforward: Week 11 will likely move fast, and late-session maneuvering can matter as much as headline floor votes. Louisiana REALTORS® should be prepared for House concurrence on HB 468 , further Senate movement on HB 1166 and HB 1187 , continued action on insurance and tort reform, and the possibility of late amendments or procedural pivots on bills affecting real estate transactions, private property rights, housing affordability, nonprofits, property managers and the broader real estate industry. The package is in strong shape, but this is the point in the session when the finish line comes into view and traffic gets thick. Please view the weekly bill tracking report provided by our lobbying team over at Harris, DeVille and Associates. 
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