Christine Chase is a Broker Associate at Ryan Hill Realty in Naperville, Illinois, as well as the President of Mainstreet Organization of REALTORS®. She has been a licensed real estate agent since 1988. Her professional affiliations include Graduate Realtor Institute (GRI), Certified Residential Specialist (CRS), Accredited Buyer’s Representative (ABR), and Certified  Negotiation Consultant (CNC).

Chris’s feedback on Cartavi and input into its development, particularly the My Docs component, have been invaluable since she became involved in our private beta program last summer. We asked her to answer ten questions about her career, the evolution of the real estate industry, and her experiences using Cartavi.

What made you decide to get involved in real estate?

My first career was in education, teaching literature and reading at levels 1–12. I have always loved education and learning, but I also come from a long line of entrepreneurs who ran their own businesses. I had an opportunity over a summer break to take Real Estate licensing classes, and became intrigued with the idea of becoming a real estate professional, which is the ultimate small business model!

How has technology changed the way you work since you joined the real estate industry?

Twenty years ago, the location of an agent’s office was critical. We were truly tied to a brick-and-mortar facility for our file cabinets, listing books, fax machines, and phone messages, which were left on those pink “While You Were Out” slips. Today, the opposite is true. The most successful working agents are mobile 24/7 and available in many ways. Meetings take place with clients away from our offices now, and much of our interaction is via the Internet and cell phones. “Hotspot” restaurants and public places have become our conference rooms. Technology has also shortened response times. With everyone either online or on their smartphone, you had better move quickly!

How did you hear about Cartavi?

Glenn Shimkus [Cartavi’s CEO and co-founder] introduced me to Cartavi. He developed the program to meet the needs of his wife’s real estate career. Shantel Shimkus works in my Naperville office, and I was interested in seeing how she used Cartavi.

What made you decide to become an early adopter of Cartavi?

My management responsibilities and personal sales business keep me on the road and away from my office very regularly. I also have to be able to review and manage a multitude of files, which is difficult to do when I’m not in the office. As Director of Relocation Services for Ryan Hill Realty, I need to be able to supervise the referral sales from our relocation suppliers. Any agent familiar with Corporate Relocation knows that the paperwork, formal reports, and proprietary forms are the most important parts of these deals. When I first tried Cartavi, I quickly saw the value of having access to every document from wherever I was. And, most importantly, being able to share those documents with critical team members with just a mouse click.

Was it difficult getting started?

I had no difficulty getting started. Signing up was quick, and the interface is very easy to use. I was off and running on both my laptop and iPhone in no time.

How were you managing documents before? What were some of the challenges?

I had experience with another application that required syncing my phone to a desktop program in order to access files and documents. That system was less than satisfactory to me because it was difficult to update files. I really had no good way to share information with people most important to the transaction. The preferences of my clients and partners for sharing docs are never the same. Some prefer email, others want them shipped through an overnight service. Plenty of people still prefer to use fax, which has its own challenges with illegibility when docs are faxed back and forth.

How has Cartavi helped you be a more productive agent?

Invariably, calls come in “after hours” or when I am away from my desk, but by accessing Cartavi, I have my desk and files with me wherever I am. I can fax, email, or grant web access to others who may need documents. I recently received a call from a Relocation Counselor from out-of-state who needed copies of critical information in order to offer good counsel to her seller client. The call was at 8:00 pm on a Saturday night, so we were both away from our offices. However, using Cartavi, I was able to, in just a few minutes, invite her into the Transaction Room I had set up for the property and give her access to all the documents that she needed. The crisis was averted, and good decisions were made based on timely information.

What is your favorite feature?

I love being able to give my buyers and sellers their own Transaction Rooms, so they can access their docs at their convenience. It’s a much easier way to share the files that I need to maintain for a transaction. But, best of all, the system tells me when my clients have accessed documents, which gives me a heads-up on questions or issues that I may need to address, allowing me to be more responsive. It’s also very professional and impressive to my clients and transaction partners. With every deal, I receive compliments on how convenient the program is.

Do you use Cartavi more on the web or your mobile device?

I use both methods extensively, so I’d say it’s probably 50/50. But, because I’m on the road so much, and I have my iPhone with me everywhere, the mobile version of Cartavi makes it very convenient to access and share docs when I’m out and about.

Is Cartavi something you would recommend to other agents?

Absolutely. I feel so strongly about it that I recommended to Ryan Hill Realty that we provide Cartavi to all our agents! Going “green” by saving paper and trips to the office, having secure online storage for all of our documents and contracts, and keeping agents productive and mobile to better serve our clients are all top priorities for us.

Thank you, Chris, for sharing your answers. Do you have your own Cartavi story to share? Please email it to hello@cartavi.com or share it in the comments below.