We’re here to supply technical support and planning for the overall RE/MAX All Cities Realty operation, including staff and office supported agent computer terminals. We build and maintain networks for our offices and Escrow. For our agents we supply a weekly on line article on StewysComputerBasics.com and hands on live classes are available. You can call us for technical help if the problem can be fixed remotely using our GOTOASSIST service. If your computer troubles are beyond that then you will have to obtain professional help to resolve your technical issues. We do not specifically drive to and agent’s office to troubleshoot problems on personally owned computers.

In our offices – If your computer, for whatever reason, starts to slow down the DSL speed – be it because of a virus, illegal file sharing programs or Spy ware – That computer will be disconnected from the network until such time as when the computer is repaired or the file sharing is stopped. We will not install software for an agent illegally, please do not ask. All software installed on your computers by RE/MAX Technical Support must be a genuine licensed copy from the software manufacturer.

The DSL and T1 lines in each office are our responsibility. If they stop working, we need to be notified as soon as possible so we can start the trouble shooting process. Report errors of this kind to your front desk staff or office manager and they will contact us. Help for DSL/T1 issues are also available on the weekends - you office manager and Front Desk have Stewart Hoffman's cell and are instructed to call if help with the office internet connection is needed.

We also offer home visit to RE/MAX All Cities Realty agents. The agent rate is a low $50 per hour - please call Stewart Hoffman (x150) to request a technician to your home office.

Information on technical vendors recommended by your fellow RE/MAX agents can be found at www.AllCitiesOffice.com. Click on the vendor directory and run a search on “Computers”. Prices vary but if you calculate the cost of your time with a down computer which is essential to your business, the cost to fix the issue is easily justifiable.

You get pop ups as a result of Spy Ware on your computer. If you are not careful when surfing the web and click on those official looking messages promising to speed up your computer, you will inadvertently install Spy Ware on your computer. You can control this by installing two FREE Spy Ware removers. SpyBot: Search and Destroy and Ad-Aware – Links to these free downloads can be found on Stewyscomputerbasics.com.

The big names are Norton and McAfee. Either one will do. You must remember the subscription you purchase when you get the software, typically runs out after one year. You then purchase another years subscription to keep your Anti-Virus software up to date with the latest definitions.

This is a hard question to answer as you have to know what you need your new computer to do. Basic functions for an agent include being able to surf the web for listings and Email, which can be handled quite easily by the most basic computer. If you want to work with graphics and/or play games – you’ll need more power. Basic specs – 512 Mb RAM or more –80Gb Hard Drive or more – 3 ghz Pentium 4 or Core Duo processor or Amd – Windows XP Home or Vista Home Premium is ok to use – Office 2003 Small Business Edition (Word, Excel, Publisher, Power Point and Outlook)- Office 2007 is now available, but users of older office products will have to install a special patch to view files you create in 2007, unless of course you save your work to appropriate version of office your recipient has. A desktop computer with these specs will start at around $700 – A Laptop, $900. If you are buying a computer with Windows Vista, try to get 1gb of RAM or more.

Inkjet or laser? Inkjet is a lot cheaper to buy, but you have to replace the ink cartridges more often especially if you make heavy use of the printer. I think a good option for agents is an all in one printer/fax/copier/scanner. These can be bought for around $300 for the inkjet variety – A laser “All in Ones” is more expensive. If you do a lot of printing a laser may save you money in the long run as the toner cartridges will print several thousand pages before they need to be replaced. A good place to shop for replacement cartridges and toner is www.outofink.com - I got ink jet is one with separate ink cartridges for each color used, that way, if you run our of say, yellow, that's all you need to buy. Cheaper ink jet printers use one cartridge for color - you run out of one, you have to buy a whole new cartridge.

The most ideal method for access to the many MLS listing sources is to pay to be a member. You can access most MLS’s using reciprocal codes that can be found on the Greater South Bay MLS and CLAW MLS. CLAW is a the South Bay are members of the MLS ALLIANCE and through this you can access listing info for CRISnet, SOCAL, IMRMLS, OCAR and I-Tech MLS using your regular username and password. Reciprocal code access usually limits your searches and only provides basic services and information. The Greater South Bay web site is http://matrix.gsbrmls.net – CLAW MLS can be found at http://www.themls.com.

Yes. Please contact Stewart Hoffman at 310 376 2225 x150 or shoffman@realtyteks.com for this code. This provides for only basic services on the CLAW website.