The maximum number of characters in the body of an email sent to a customer has been increased from 1,000 to 1,500 characters.

When using “Manage Associated Documents,” you are now able to upload the .docx and .xlsx file versions of Microsoft Office 2010.

When you have completed creating the CMA Report , go to the Saved CMA-Pricing page.  Click on the “Email” link at the top of the page.

Is it possible to begin a CMA using a Map Search?

Yes, to do this you’ll start creating your CMA by choosing Map Search under the Search button on the Toolbar.  You can center the map around your subject property, as well as enter criteria to narrow your search.  Once you have entered all the criteria, click on Search to be brought to your results page.  Here you can choose  the properties you want to include in the CMA, go to Select a Report, choose CMA Report and click on Go.  This takes you to the CMA Subject Property page.  As an alternative, you can access the Map Search by choosing CMA from the Toolbar, clicking on CMA with Property Search and clicking on the Additional Criteria drop-down menu and choosing Map Search.

How can I add additional comps to a CMA that I’ve already created?

Go to the CMA tab and choose Saved CMAs.  You’ll be taken to the CMA Subject Property page where you’ll be able to choose previously saved CMAs from the Subject Profile drop-down menu.  Scroll down to the bottom of the page and click on Go to Add/Remove Comps and click on Continue.  Here you’ll be able to choose listings from the saved CMA results and use the Delete Checked button to remove them or click on the Add Comps button to be taken to a search page where you can add additional properties either by MLS # or by completing an additional property search.

Can I demo a CMA for a client using an iPad?  

There are two ways to do this.  If you have a PDF printer on your iPad, you can create the CMA in XL Paragon and save it on your Desktop as a PDF.  You can then attach the PDF to an email and open it from your iBooks library on your iPad (or another book reader if you’re using something different).  The second option is to simply email the CMA to yourself and open it on your iPad from your browser.

If you still have questions or would just like to learn more about creating a CMA, join us for our CMA and Statistics Workshop.  This month this class is being held in our Rutherford office on Monday, February 6th from 9:30-11:30am and in Haworth on Friday, February 10th from 2:00-4:00pm.  You can find our complete training calendar on the XL Paragon Desktop.

Mapping feature built right into our listings with aerial, bird’s eye and street views.  Just click on the street address in the listing to open the map.

Tax data plus assessor, zoning, and flood maps are integrated directly in listings or searchable online for any property in New Jersey using Realist.  The Realist link is found on the XL Paragon Desktop, under “System Links.”

Foreclosure Activity Search module to find properties in various stages of foreclosure.  This can be found by going to choosing Tax Search and clicking on the “Foreclosure Search” link at the top of the page.

Email function allows you to send listings with links to agent-branded  neighborhood reports.  Be certain that your agent information is complete and  up-to-date by going to the XL Paragon Toolkit and choosing User Preferences.   Sections  5, 6, and 7 are the areas you’ll want to focus on.

Listing Maintenance provides automatic data verification tools such as those associated with the block and lot number of a property.  Here, you’ll also find links to upload up to 15 photos, add your virtual tour to your listing, and attach Associated Documents.

Hit Count Report lets you know how many times your listing has been viewed by other members, has been looked at by potential buyers, and has been seen on njmls.com.  You can also create a report to send to your sellers to update them on viewing activity.

Prospect function lets you schedule automatic emailing of listing matches to your customers and allows them to save favorites and send comments back to you.

Watch List alerts allow you to keep track of price and status changes to listings so you can keep your customers up to date on changes to listings that they’re interested in.

Online statistics and graphical reports provide members with insights to local market trends.

The ability to create mailing lists and generate mailing labels from a Tax or Realist Search.

Wireless access to real-time listing content using Agent Mobile.  Agent Mobile also allows you to complete select searches including Quick Search, Address Search, Radius Search, Location Based Search, Realtor Tour Search, and Member Search.  You can also search New or Price Changed properties, view properties on a map and view Days on  Market, Showing Instructions, Listing Agent contact information, Property Details and more.  Go to www.newjerseymls.com to access Agent Mobile from your smart phone.

Just a reminder that you may not share your password with anyone. If you have an assistant or administrator who needs to work in XL Paragon, they must be registered with us. Please contact our Membership Department to complete this process.

 How do I ensure that my Prospect will be automatically emailed?

Go to Add New Prospect and on the second page check the box to “Mail to Prospect.”

What does “Mail All Current Matches” mean?

Use this function when you want to ensure that the first email is sent to your Prospect in a timely manner, regardless of whether there are any new matches in the system. Checking this box means your Prospect will get an email the same day the search is set up. Otherwise, results will be accumulated from the time the Prospect is set up and the first email will not go out until there is a new match.

How can my Prospect see when a listing is marked Under Contract or Sold?

The listing must be marked as a favorite to see these status changes.

How often are Prospect emails sent out?

First, remember you choose the frequency when you initially set up the Prospect’s information. You can send once a day, twice a day, weekly, bi-weekly, or monthly. The emails are usually sent out between 9am and 11:30am and then again in the evening between 6:00pm and 8:30pm.

How do I send a listing that is not part of the search criteria?

If you want to send a single property that is not part of the search criteria, find the listing in XL Paragon, go to the Full report, and select the Add to Prospect Agent Pick link at the top of the page. Select the Prospect you would like to send it to and write a brief note. Your Prospect will receive this in the results of their next scheduled Prospect email.

How can I reactivate an expired Prospect?

Go to Prospect>Run Matches. On the right side of the screen, under Hotlinks, choose the green “R.” This will automatically reset the Prospect for an additional three months.

Historical Listing Data in XL Paragon?

Sold listings can be retrieved back to the year 2000.

Expired and withdrawn listings can be retrieved back to the year 2004.

Statistical information and listing history can be retrieved back to 1985.

The NJMLS plans to make Historical Sold Data, dating back to the 1970s, available within XL Paragon sometime in the new year. Information regarding this enhancement will be forthcoming.

CONTACTS

Add to Contacts: After sending an email, if the address is not in your contacts, a prompt will appear asking if you would like to add it. Enter the first and last name and click “Add to Contacts.”  The next time you email this customer, you will have the advantage of being able to select the address from the drop-down list. You also have the option to add a cell or home phone number.

HOTSHEET RESULTS

•Hotsheets: You are now able to view up to 1200 Hotsheet results at once.

•Previous Hotsheet: A link to view the previous Hotsheet has been added to the Hotsheet results page.

iPAD COMPATIBILITY

•Property Search: You can now search for status by Days, Weeks, or Months Back Date Range using the new drop-down option in Property Search.

•Listing Maintenance Pick Lists are now fully compatible.

•Prospects Functionality: You can save a Prospect Search as well as send an Agent Pick to a customer.

•Saved Searches: You can utilize the Saved Search Results option.

LISTING MAINTENANCE

•Hot Link to Listing Maintenance: There is an “L” hot link button next to your own listings when viewing alerts or search results, as well as in the Full Report. This link will allow quick access to Listing Maintenance when there is a need to modify a listing.  Brokers and Admin have access to use this link for all the listings in their office.

•Temporary Listings: Listings that are added temporarily when using Create Listing Agreement or Add/Modify Listing will now remain in the Temporary Listing folder for 60 days.

•Status Changes: You can now enter either the Agent ID number or Agent’s last name when reporting a listing as Under Contract.

•Stock Photos: If a stock photo is available for a building complex, it will be automatically uploaded when a listing is saved for that building (additional photos can still be uploaded by the listing agent).

PROPERTY SEARCH

Saved Search Results:  After completing a search, you are given the option to save the search results, up to a maximum of 40 properties. You can choose to save all the results you receive, or you may use the check boxes to get a smaller group of properties. After you complete this, click on the Save button, enter the name of the search in the dialogue box, and then click Save. To retrieve the search, go to the XL Paragon Toolbar and choose Saved Search Results.

PROSPECTS

•Prospect Updates Button:  When a customer has marked a property as either a Favorite, a Possible, or Rejected, this alert button on the XL Paragon Desktop turns orange. When you click on it, you are taken to a list of all your Prospects that have marked listings in one of these three ways. Simply select the #F$ Favorite link to view the list.

•Manage Prospect Updates:  When viewing the Prospect Updates link in XL Paragon, #Agent Picks$ now appear in a section at the top of the Manage Prospect Updates screen, separate from the Favorites.

•Prospect Comments: An alert bar has been added to the XL Paragon Desktop called New Prospect Comments. The list of compiled comments will be organized by Prospect Name and MLS number.

•Email Addresses: When manually emailing a Prospect and multiple email addresses are saved for that Propsect, all email addresses will automatically autofill.

ROSTER

Office Search:  The option to look up an office by town name is now available.

REPORTS

•Full Report with History: This report includes the comprehensive listing history for a property. You may retrieve up to 10 properties at a time to view and print using this report type.

•Statistical Reports: The statistics report now displays Days on Market for Sold, Under Contract, Withdrawn, and Expired listings. Go to Toolkit>Statistical Reports>Statistics to run this report.

•Customer Showing Report: You now have the ability to print all information pertinent to showing a property on one report, including photos, a map, listing information, and a place to write notes. This report option is available for printing and emailing.

•Customer with Brief Tax: This new report option is available to email to your customers, as well as for use when presenting comps for a CMA. It includes some tax data at the bottom of each report, including current tax amount and assessment values.

•Auto Emailing of Summary of Hits Report: Brokers now have the option to receive a monthly email summarizing the hits received on the current inventory for the entire office. We track XL Paragon Agent Hits, the XL Paragon Client/Customer Hits, and the njmls.com Consumer Hits. This overview is useful in tracking office listing performance and keeping tabs on office inventory. To opt in to receive these emails, Brokers should go to Toolkit>User Preferences>Section 5, and check the box next to “Turn on auto-email of   Summary of Hits.”

•Fannie Mae 1004MC Report: Search criteria that has been used to compile this is now featured at the top of the report page.

•Market Share Report: “Style” has been added. (Please note this report is only accessible by Brokers.)

•Inventory Search Results: Days on Market (DOM) has been added to the Inventory Search Results.

•Tours/Open Houses: When printing the Map Listings report from a Tour or Open House Search result, the summary of listings shown on the bottom of the report now includes the tour or open house dates and times.

TAX DATA

•Tax Search Enhancement to Flag Currently Listed Properties: When viewing Tax Search results, you will notice the “F”  hot link button, which provides an easy way to get to the Full Report. This has been modified to give you more information at a glance. A gray “F”  means there are no listings for that address. A blue “F”  means there are no active listings.  A gold “F”  means there is a current listing (Active, ARIP, UC, or WT).

•“Year Built” has been added to the Property Description section of the tax records.

•Historical Tax Rates: Historical tax rates going back to 1997 for all counties can be found on the State’s website. You can access this by going to Toolkit>Forms, Documents, & General Information>Tax Rates and Equalization Ratios>Historical Tax Rates.

•Eliminate Currently Listed Properties: The option to eliminate currently listed properties from a tax search was added to simplify the steps to create mailing labels.

TOOLKIT

Sent Email Folder: You may search the Sent Email Folder by partial or full email address, by date range, and by using keywords that might be contained in the email. To find your sent email, go to Toolkit>Sent Email Log. To edit and/or resend the email, click on the red “R” in the far right hand column.

WATCHLIST

Watch by Address: The option to watch a property by address has been added, allowing you to continue to watch a property when it is off-market and then re-listed. An additional option to flag a property that has never been listed on the MLS is also available. This will send an alert when a listing for that address has been entered into XL Paragon.

The integrity of the data is of such importance that our system is designed to automatically flag all changes made to listings that do not fall within the NJMLS Rules and Regulations.  Our goal is not to collect fines, but rather to educate you on how to maintain your listings and avoid being penalized.

Presentations

Keynote:  Prepare presentations and slide shows, then use Keynote Remote to turn your iPhone into a remote control.

Displaying PDF Files

Dropbox:  Save your files (photos, documents, videos, and powerpoint presentations) from the computer to the iPad for viewing in one of several readers– you’ll never have to email large files again.

iBook:  great for organizing pdfs of listing paperwork, disclosures, or other documentation. Can be made available to view offline.

Good Reader:  Review files; also connects to Dropbox and other servers.

Note Taking

Evernote:  This “idea-saving” application allows you to sync up your notes to a remote server and access your work from your iPad, computer, or iPhone.

Penultimate:  A virtual notebook that allows you to enter information without using a keyboard. Jot things down with your finger or combine with a Pogo pen for better control.

Business Tools

Open Home Pro:  Use to create lists of visitors at open houses, record preferences, send thank you notes, and automatically update potential buyers via email.

Things:  Keep your day on track with this task manager. Allows you to create a “to do” list with check boxes.

Bento:  Organize contacts, track projects, and plan events.   Includes templates to help easily organize information.

Keep Updated

Sociable:  Get all your favorite social networks in a single app. Separate your personal and business Twitter and Facebook streams. Flickr, Reddit, and Digg accounts are available.

Pulse News Reader:  Create a visual mosaic of news sources making it easy to scan the headlines.