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Many questions have been submitted to us about a variety of topics. Those questions and their answers are included in the below sections where appropriate.
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How do I create an Account?
First, click on the Sign Up link on the top navigation. Enter your person information and follow the steps on creating an account. You will be required to supply a Credit Card.
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How do I get started with my new Property By Phone Account?
Thank you for your recent subscription to Property By Phone. You should receive your sign riders within about 5 days at the shipping address you provided when you signed up. Your property codes have already been assigned and are just waiting for you to upload your property information. Here are the steps you need to complete to begin to capture those all important leads:
Step 1 - Manage Properties:
This is where you will enter your property description and upload your photos. Just follow these steps:
1. Click on Add New Property
2. Enter the property address, MLS number and select the property description
3. Enter the Property Description - 160 characters or less
- This is what will be in the text message that the potential buyer will receive
- 160 Characters includes spaces, (.), (,), everything.
- Keep It Short - abbreviate everything, the 160 character counter will count backwards for you as you type. Put price, sqr ft, #bths, #bdrm etc
- Be Creative - put in your website url, and your name
4. Leave the Detailed Description blank - - this is for future use
5. Enter a Spanish or French Property Description if you like, or leave this blank
6. Scroll down to upload your Photos
- Click the Browse box, choose the file where your photos are located, double click to add the photo
- Click to Add Additional images as many times as you have photos to upload
7. Click Save Your Property Info
Step 2 - Manage Signs:
Now that you have entered a property, you will need to associate it with one of the Sign Property Codes you have purchased which are listed in this section:
1. Click on the Change Property link beside the property code
2. Click on the checkbox that shows the property address info you just uploaded
3. Click Change Property Code Assignment
Repeat Step1 and Step 2 to upload and attach information to all property codes and signs you purchased.
For Customer Service call 1-877-293-8282 and our operators will direct your call.
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What are Sign Riders and what do they look like?
A Sign Rider is one of our Property By Phone signs that you attach to your current Real Estate sign. Our signage has been developed and tested for working real estate companies across the nation. We understand the investment you have made in your signs so we have made it easy for you to attach a Sign Rider to your existing sign.
 
Horizontal Signs
Signs are 6"x24", and have a .040 unlimited life span aluminum. They are double sided, full color, have rounded corners, and should not fade, crack or peel for 3 years.
Drill Hole Options:
Window Horizontal Signs
These signs are 8" x 24", made from Corrugated heavy duty plastic, are full color, and single sided. These can attach to the top or bottom of your window.
Drill Hole Options:
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What is Property By Phone?
Property By Phone is an instant text message application prepared by a real estate professional using our text-messaging platform. When you subscribe with us, you will load property information for each of your listings, onto our site at PropertyByPhone.com. Each property you load onto the system will have a code assigned to it. When a potential buyer sees your listing sign with our sign rider containing the text message code, the buyer can enter that code to immediately access that information and preview the home. Your property information is sent directly to the buyer's mobile phone after they call, while they are at the property's location. The Property By Phone message may include a property description, photos, and streaming video.
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How would Property By Phone generate buyer leads?
Using our Property By Phone services, a potential Buyer can call to use our voice-activated service and enter the 6-digit property code from the sign rider into the phone, or, text it to our platform's short codes. The property information will come back to them instantly, while they are still outside the property. You can set the system to automatically send you a text notification with the potential buyer's mobile phone number, so you can contact the potential buyer immediately to answer questions or show the property. This immediate lead notification can minimize lost leads and calls going to the floor or elsewhere, which causes commissions splits and other unnecessary costs you prefer to avoid.
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How could using Property By Phone save me money?
Our Property By Phone information eliminates old-fashioned paper flyers and empty brochure boxes. You save the time, energy, and money that you are spending on producing and distributing the paper flyers, plus the lost marketing opportunities from empty brochure boxes. You can also add the property code, voice activation phone number or texting instructions to your website or printed marketing materials, to generate more "quality" leads and lower your cost per lead. A potential buyer who has previewed your listed property in our system and then asks for a showing is much more likely to buy.
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What is voice activation?
Voice activation is a convenient feature that allows a consumer to dial our toll free phone number from any mobile phone or land line and enter the Property By Phone property code by punching the numbers on the phone keypad, or, activate it by simply "speaking" the code numbers into the phone as an alternative. Texting is not required. The Property By Phone information is then sent directly to the buyer's mobile phone, and you can receive instant notification of this inquiry.
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Is your service only available to Real Estate Brokers?
Our Property By Phone service is available to Residential or Commercial Real Estate Brokers/Agents, Broker Owners, Estate or Letting Agents, Property Managers, Property Developers and New Home Builders and others.
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Do you have special plans for Broker Owners?
Special plans are available for broker owners. Please contact us at 720-883-7788 for detail or send us an email.
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Can an individual Real Estate Agent join?
Our Property By Phone service is available to individual real estate agents, multi-agent teams, real estate offices, and/or real estate companies and franchises.
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How could a Property Manager or Letting Agent use your service?
Our Property By Phone service is ideal for property managers. Simply add one of our sign riders to your "For Rent" or "To Let" sign and enter the Property By Phone information into our text-messaging platform with a link to any photos (and Streaming Video, when available). By following the same processes outlined above for listed properties for sale, when a potential renter uses our system, you can streamline your appointment process and set appointments with renters ready to sign. They get to preview the property, and are then placed into immediate contact with you through the immediate lead notification, or by being allowed to set an appointment right away. Streamline Your Appointment Process with Property By Phone Online Appointment Scheduling as the potential BUYER is outside the property.
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How could a New Home Builder use your service?
Our Property By Phone service is ideal for New Home Builders. Simply add one of our property codes or sign riders, to your advertising signs or marketing materials, and enter the AccessU2 Info copy into our text messaging platform with a link to any photos, Streamline Your Appointment Process with Property By Phone Online Appointment Scheduling as the potential BUYER is outside the property.
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How will Property By Phone increase my Commissions?
Our Property By Phone service provides an exciting new buyer lead source and a new listing presentation tool. The leads produced by our service are protected and go directly to the listing agent, instantly notifying the agent of the potential buyer's inquiry, thus potentially eliminating some commission splitting situations. Instead of calling your office and being routed to the floor person, your leads automatically go directly to your mobile phone.
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How will Property By Phone reduce my advertising costs?
Our Property By Phone information can reduce print costs for old-fashioned paper flyers and empty brochure boxes. You save the time, energy and money that you are spending on producing and distributing the flyers, plus the lost marketing opportunities. You can also add the property code, voice activation phone number or texting instructions to your website or printed marketing materials.
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How do I become a Member?
Become a member now by clicking on the Sign Up link on our home page or at Sign Up Now.
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What does it cost to become a Member?
We offer several different pricing plans. Please click on the Member Info tab then Pricing to see our product descriptions, or click here: Insert Link now to join.
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Is there a cost per Property Code?
Our pricing plans are monthly subscriptions/memberships with varying fee rates. There is no limit on the number of Property Codes.
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Does your Property By Phone info include pictures?
Pictures may be added to Property By Phone using WAP push or the MMS picture function. Coming soon is Streaming Video, which will be available just about everywhere.
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Can I send pictures to a Buyers Cell phone?
Pictures may be received by any WAP enabled or MMS picture function enabled mobile phone, and soon, Streaming Video, when it is available.
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What do MO and MT mean?
MO is short for Mobile Originated (Inbound phone call to our platform). MT is short for Mobile Terminated (Outbound phone call from our platform).
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What is SMS?
SMS stands for Short Message Service, commonly known as Text Messaging. Keep in mind our patent pending platform uses "Voice over Text" technology that makes the messaging instantaneous, compared to typical text delayed signals that can encounter ongoing delays in transmission.
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What is MMS?
MMS stands for Multimedia Message Service, commonly known as Picture Messaging.
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What is WAP?
WAP stands for Wireless Application Protocol, a secure specification that allows users to access information instantly via handheld wireless devices such as mobile phones, pagers, two-way radios, smart phones and communicators.
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What is a WAP Push?
A WAP Push is an SMS within the text message header that includes a link to a WAP address. On receiving a WAP Push, the compatible mobile phone automatically gives the user the option to access the WAP content on the end-user's mobile phone. The WAP Push directs the end-user to a WAP address where content is stored ready for viewing or downloading onto the cell phone. This WAP address may be a web page (photo) or a WAP site.
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Can all mobile phones receive a text?
Almost all mobile phones can receive a text, but only about 95% are set up to send texts. Our system uses "voice over text" that gives priority to our text signal transmission, eliminates typical text delays, and provides instant information exchange.
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Is it true that only people under thirty use text messaging?
Industry figures show that text messaging is used mainly by consumers under thirty, but with our voice activation function all age groups will be able to use our Property By Phone service. Industry projections indicate that text messaging by consumers of all age groups will explode in the next two years. Our system works with most major Cell Phone Networks. Plus, keep in mind that your potential buyers will be the primary users. You might want to test the system for your properties, so we have simplified every step you will have to take. We offer many tools included in your membership such as the ability to generate reports, receive leads, and generally use the Property By Phone product quickly and effectively.
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Will Property By Phone work in an area that has bad mobile phone coverage?
If your mobile phone area has bad voice coverage text messages are not usually affected. Your service may be affected by the surrounding cell tower locations however, a text message gets through even with a bad or weak signal. Although it might take a little longer to recieve the text and you may not have the best service in your area, your potential buyers can still receive property information. Also, you do not have to worry about long commutes to refill those brochure boxes!
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Can we receive a text in a foreign language?
Our systems are being programmed to reply in English, Spanish, and French. Coming soon are Portuguese, and German.
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Can I change my monthly price plan?
Monthly Subscribers may change between monthly subscription plans on their monthly subscription anniversary date.
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How do I tell you how many property codes I want?
Each Membership or Subscription includes a correlating number of assigned Property Codes. You set up your property codes and the Property By Phone information for that property using your Member Panel.
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Do I have to buy my sign riders from you?
YES. The sign riders contain system toll-free numbering and property code numbers held private by our system, and which are assigned upon purchase.
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Can I get immediate notification when a person "previews" my info?
You have the exciting option of "turning on" the Notification Status function in your Member Panel for immediate notification when a prospective buyer requests your Property By Phone info. Our research shows this activity does not violate the Do Not Call Legislation as it involves a consumer-initiated contact. However, the Member must expressly agree to assume any Do Not Call Legislation compliance responsibilities.
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Are there any Do Not Call issues?
Does Not Call legislation usually includes exceptions for unsolicited calls placed by consumers to obtain information. However, we cannot provide legal advice and the Member must expressly agree to assume any Do Not Call Legislation compliance responsibilities before activating the Notification Status.
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Can I create a database of prospective clients?
You can create an unlimited number of "Prospect Groups" using the Create Prospect Group link on your Member Panel. After the property details have been added to your Property By Phone info platform and the Prospect Groups are added to database, then a bulk Short Message Service (SMS a.k.a. Texting) message could be sent (from your PC or laptop) to all your potential buyers who have opted-in and registered for that type of property. One or more of the buyers may reply to your text, and receive Property By Phone info on the new listing. If this property is of interest to them they can instantly contact you by phone or text to arrange a showing appointment.
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Can my personal assistant enter the Property By Phone copy?
Your personal assistant can enter copy after you have given them access to your Member Panel login information. However, we recommend that whoever is going to be maintaining your Property By Phone text-messaging platform attend one of the online Webinars.
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What activity reports will you provide?
Various reports are available to be run for selected periods on your Member panel for Prospect Groups, Inbound (MO) and Outbound (MT) transactions, Associate Usage, and other Member functions.
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Do you provide a record of all the people who have requested Property By Phone info?
You can obtain a list of all Inbox MO (Inbound) transactions by running the In Box reports on your Member Panel.
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Do you provide a record of all the people I have sent a text message (SMS) to?
We provide a record of all the prospects you have sent a text message to in your Sent Items list on the Member Panel.
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How much customizing is available in the Realtor's data base on the platform?
You can create as many Prospect Groups and Property By Phone info as you like. You can create groups by price, by property location, by property size or whatever parameters suit your client base.
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How many parameters are available for the Realtor to use to send messages?
You can create as many varied Prospect Groups as you have Prospects with unique or similar property wants and needs.
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Are there any limits on neighborhoods, price range, home size, etc.?
You can create as many Prospect Groups as you like. Each Prospect Group can have as many Name and Cell phone numbers as you like. This means you can create groups by price, by property location, by property size or whatever parameters suit your business requirements. In other words there could be a group with people interested in properties in a specific price range e.g. $100,000 to $200,000, or Condos in Suburban neighborhoods, or Homes in Urban areas, etc.
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Which mobile phones are compatible with our system?
Our system is compatible with most major carriers, including: Verizon, T-Mobile, Sprint, Nextel, AT&T, Cingular, Alltel, Boost, and Dobson. Our voice activation feature gives us approximately 94% coverage of the existing cell phones and also works with all traditional land lines. We provide use availability to approximately 200 million of the 218 million cell phones currently in the USA.
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How many characters can the property description be?
Presently there is 160 character limit imposed by some mobile phone carriers; however we are testing piggy-backing messages with more characters. We CAN do more now but the main challenge is that it is sent as split-text and in some cases the second text does not go through.
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If a Buyer calls and uses the voice recognition, is the return call a text?
The return call to the Consumer is always text messaging.
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How do I become an Affiliate?
We are always looking for Businesses to join Property By Phone. If you believe your business would be an asset, or if you could benifit from a relationship with Property By Phone, please contact us today at: affiliates@propertybyphone.com to talk about developing a business relationship.
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Are you looking for Dealers?
We are looking for Independent Business Consultants to join us with experience in Real Estate or Marketing to sell to the Real Estate Industry. Real Estate Broker Owners can become a dealer and offer our services to their Real Estate Agents.
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Are you looking for Marketing Reps?
We are looking for Independent Business Consultants with experience in Real Estate related industries or Network Marketing. Please contact our Sales Department at sales@propertybyphone.com, or call 1-877-293-8282 for more information.
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