Why don’t we just do what everyone else is doing?

Saturday week we were at the Australian Open in Melbourne and after seeing on the Rod Laver Arena screen a prompt to do so - I downloaded the iPhone App called ‘Aus Open’. Sylvia and I have attended the Open every year for as long as I can remember but for me this year was different.

So what was different? A little button on my iPhone called the AUS OPEN ‘App’. This iPhone ‘App’ lifted my personal experience of my attendance at the Open to an entirely new level.

This year I knew EXACTLY what was happening, who was playing whom, how all the players were tracking in the draws, all the time! Whatever we wanted to know, whenever we wanted to know it. At my fingertips I had details of everything, on all courts, within one minute of it happening... scores, schedules, Draws, player profiles, maps and a whole lot more including commentary... all at my fingertips in crystal clear format, even without my glasses!!

Then Dr. PC, who was sitting next to me (David Raffen, or Doc), needed some cash after borrowing $20 for a drink from Sylvia (as I had no money either). So there he is, between games, sitting on his iPhone with his drink and getting a map of his Bank’s nearest EFTPOS machines... naturally his own Bank (to save the transaction fee). Effortlessly, instantly, he had a map to the closest machines, with directions on how to get to them and detail on how long it would take!!

So not to be upstaged, and I couldn’t resist, I took Doc’s iPhone, (and Karen’s)... I logged onto www.iphone.toop.com.au and pressed the + to load T&T button to their Home Screen. There is so much more on the way - this new journey has only just begun for real estate. Ultimately property sellers, renters and buyers will enjoy the entire experience of real estate at a level no one thought possible a few years ago.

If you don’t believe these small portable devices will change your life forever than you have some catching up to do.

Last week the announcement of the iPad was just what Toop&Toop needed. This is not just a new toy for gadget people, it may prove a turning point for businesses including ours. T&T need fast advancement in this hardware space which we will now get.

Our work in the mobile online space is well known and highly regarded, we lead the way.

I was asked the question this week... why don’t we just do what everyone else is doing?

If you too were at the Australian Open effortlessly knowing, and enjoying, everything that was going on, you would never ask such a question!

Giving clients what they want, when they want it and without effort, while operating on a global platform is something no real estate agent EVER contemplated 25 years ago when we started Toop&Toop.


Anthony Toop, Managing Director.


www.toop.com.au


© Toop Real Estate Group

Interest Rates on Hold

Some great news for property owners, or should I say, Mortgage owners!!

The Reserve Bank has left the cash rate unchanged, be sure to tune into ToopTV tomorrow (wed) at 1pm (SA time) and we will be following the market in South Australia and bringing you up to date. We look into how first home owners are faring, and see inside some new properties hitting the market.

Anthony Toop, Managing Director.


www.toop.com.au


© Toop Real Estate Group

2010 is a new decade, a new era and Toop&Toop's 25th anniversary year

Recently, there have been a number of exciting changes at Toop&Toop covered by the media. Here is our InsideStory as to what is happening.

Over 25 years we have learned that sustainable success is about employing the best of the best people, backing them with resources and training, then enjoying the time you have with them. Our CEO Ian Darbyshire’s appointment as CEO of the SA Tourism Commission last week, was an endorsement of the calibre of Toops’ team! Ian needs to be acknowledged for his remarkable impact on Toop&Toop. A more strategic thinker you will not find and he leaves us in late February having given us a clear in-site into International best practice systems and business structure. His job is done at Toop’s, his legacy profound.

In every business, changes in staff can refresh and accelerate new thinking. Ian is heading off to the government and, in December, two of our selling teams set off to fulfil their dreams of owning a business. We wish them all well in their endeavours.

2010 is a new decade, a new era and Toop&Toop’s 25th anniversary year.

Behind the scenes Toop&Toop have 14 months of hard work, and investment into the future, coming to fruition in March and June this year. Newly developed software, Poseidon and Triton will go live in the field, creating time saving efficiencies never contemplated for our Property Management team, and we are extremely excited about it. This may on the surface appear boring news, but for landlords and tenants it will be a paradigm shift in customer service as they receive information in real time, as well as ensuring our management fees can remain competitive while we offer an entirely new level of service.

We also have remarkable new selling systems, with innovations never seen before being launched in Toop’s 25th year. Our second generation online property E-magazine is nearly ready to go and will further compliment our all new full colour “Toop Weekly”, now in it’s 5th edition. Toop Weekly is the highest quality property magazine you will find that is produced weekly, with extended distribution to optimise the positive impact for our clients. Be sure to secure your copy every week.

Launched in spring 09 ToopTV, www.toop.tv, has been a huge hit. Within the next 2 - 3 weeks we will be launching the Property Advice Centre which incorporates the Property Fun House. Toop&Toop are linking all the traditional mediums with the latest technology, integrating press, radio, online TV, internet, online social networks and print in what we believe is a world first. It will be fun, exciting and simple. Toop clients will leverage their marketing spend and buyers will have more fun ways to search for property. While we are talking of having fun, iPhone users searching for sales or rental properties be sure to launch Safari and log onto www.iPhone.toop.com.au then add this to your Home Screen. Check out all the new features we have incorporated for your property search. You will love the web application …yes we are working on the Apple App and can hardly contain ourselves with the opportunities Apple’s new product, launched just this week, will bring.

So it is an action packed time at Toops. We have never been so busy or had so many new initiatives to share with our clients. This is a time of opportunity, and with energy and passion we will be driving real estate to an entirely new level to celebrate our 25th year in business. The future Industry Superstars are now emerging at Toop&Toop and while we are considering the appointment of a new CEO, we have the luxury of great depth to our team, giving us time to look for exactly the right person for the role.

So if you dream of being the Best of the Best in real estate and want to be part of a Nationally Acclaimed #1 team, call us for a chat - our training agenda is awesome for 2010.
One undisputable fact about T&T - it is an exciting and passionate place to be.


Anthony Toop, Managing Director.


www.toop.com.au


© Toop Real Estate Group