Flock Real Estate Group: Real Creativity
Driven by Data
Photos and first impressions tempt potential homebuyers, but numbers and raw data drive the real estate business. The Flock team accesses (MLS) data using Citrix for Mac. That listing data — prices, home features and more — is pulled into a custom FileMaker Pro database. The Flocks use the application to juggle the data and even generate brochures, postcards, and fliers. “We can customize the data in ways that are meaningful to our clients,” says Kurt. “I’m able to sort the data anyway I want. I can find and analyze things by neighborhood, by date, by price, by square footage. Give me the raw data in FileMaker and I can make it dance.” The Flocks generate clear, concise reports for their customers that, in Kurt’s words, “allow them to make good, informed decisions about buying and selling a home.”
The Flocks also track marketing data with FileMaker Pro. The team works with several condo developers. When working on larger projects, they have visitors fill out brief surveys about their home buying preferences and how they heard about the development. Flock Realty employees enter the survey data into a FileMaker Pro database, which is published online for clients. “Our developer clients can log on and see daily sales and traffic reports, it,” says Kurt. “They get a lot of information, more than they expect. They know how many people are coming to an open house based on radio ads, TV ads or newspaper ads. It helps them evaluate how their marketing dollars are being spent.”
FileMaker Pro also helps hopeful homebuyers figure out what they can afford. The Flocks have built a mortgage and financing calculator that can generate a full financial report in seconds. “Give me a few pieces of information — your income, what sort of monthly payment you prefer — and I can whip a up a report that will tell you how much you can spend on a home.” That report can be e-mailed instantly to clients. “I don’t know of any other brokers who can do it as quickly. And I didn’t have to go out and buy it and I don’t need any tech support to keep it current.”
Instant Networking
Efficient communication is key when it comes to selling homes and managing real estate. That’s why the Flocks have set up a Virtual Private Network (VPN) among their offices using Mac OS X Server. The network fuses the offices together via broadband Internet connections, allowing super-fast data transfers and seamless communication without the hassle of FTP transfers or huge e-mail attachments.
Remote users can connect to the main server (a 17-inch iMac at the Flock main office) as if they were hard-wired into the main office. The connection streamlines FileMaker Pro database upkeep and management. “Our employees and associates can access and enter FileMaker information via the web, as all of our databases are web published,” says Kurt. “They can also do it through DSL or cable connections from their home offices with VPN routers linked to our internal server.” The VPN provides an almost instantaneous interface with the remote FileMaker Pro database.
The VPN also allows Kurt to remotely manage all the Macs on his network using Apple Remote Desktop. “Whenever someone has a problem, I can just log on to their computer from my laptop and take over for a bit,” says Kurt. “I can fix the problem without being anywhere near the office.”
Building the Future
The Flocks have seen deteriorated and forgotten neighborhood areas grow into a thriving metropolitan paradise. “Urban development and historical preservation have been our passions for years,” says Kurt. “People are really thinking differently about what’s going on in the inner city. They’re coming back from the suburbs to experience the energy and excitement that downtown living offers. We feel proud to be part of that movement.”
In the future, the Flocks plan to keep working with developers to further rejuvenate downtown Indianapolis. At the same time, they’ll continue to purchase and restore historic homes in the area. “We’re really big on educating people about the history and diversity of these neighborhoods,” says Kate. “We’ve been involved with urban development and historic presercation for over 20 years, and we really want to ensure the future of these beautiful old homes and unique neighborhoods.”
“We feel very blessed to be where we are,” says Kurt. “We’re still excited every day and we’re standing before a significant growth curve in our business. One day we’ll retire to the Caribbean, but for now there’s still a lot to do here.”
