Destination:
Productivity
by John Cirincione, SRA
Map Software
with GPS
Capability Boosts
Efficiency—and
A
Possibly Your
Bottom Line
ppraisers—field appraisers particularly—are forever driving around to
numerous sites in order to complete their assignments. If “forever”
could be turned into a couple of hours, that increased productivity
would mean more billable hours, and a little more sanity. That’s where
the power of a global positioning system (GPS) comes in. Unlike GPS-based satellite navigation systems in cars, dashboard-mountable devices,
Web sites, or even paper maps, map software installed on a laptop
offers a more efficient and productive user experience.
With free maps on Web sites, and more availability of portable or
built-in GPS-based navigation systems in cars, why buy map software?
If you just need directions to a single address or a list of a few proper-
ties across town, almost any map will work. But if you need to plan a trip beyond points
A to B and effectively manage a bulk list of property data, map software provides much
more capability. Whether I work in my car locally or travel out of town, I rely heavily
on map software. Unlike map Web sites, map software on a laptop does not require an
Internet connection, plus the laptop screen is much larger and more detailed than portable
or built-in GPS units, so entering addresses is easier and working with multiple properties
can prove more practical.
More often than not, appraisers already use some map software products solely for
comparable sale map reporting purposes and fail to make use of the program’s other
valuable features. For the purposes of illustration on some of the untapped power, let’s
focus on DeLorme Street Atlas USA Plus and their more advanced XMap software products, which are tools that I have used on a regular basis. While far from perfect, I found
that they do the best job for my appraisal application, GPS navigation and information
management needs. Read on to discover how I use the software to boost my productivity
while I’m on the road.
Editor’s Note: Throughout 2009, Valuation will feature a series of related articles that
will explore other features of map software.
JOHN CIRINCIONE, SRA, is the director of business development and alliances for JVI Appraisal Division, LLC in Lake Mary, Orlando. He serves as the Appraisal Institute’s Technology and Data Standards
Representative.
