Got Disclosures? Try Dropbox for Drop Dead Simple File Sharing

November 9, 2009
By: Michael LaPeter
Author's Website: http://mysinglepropertywebsites.com

There’s no shortage of file sharing applications out there these days. So how has Dropbox, which just started last year, already gotten 2 million users? The answer: a drop dead simple file sharing system. If you’ve ever had to send large files to other agents or clients, you’ve probably wished for an easier way. That easier way is here.

It honestly couldn’t be simpler: after a very quick install, you’ll have a dropbox folder on your computer. Just drag your files into the folder, and they’re automatically backed up and available on any other computer or mobile device.

Want to share files? Just drag them into your folder, then invite people to them. You can also send them a link to a specific file in your Dropbox folder. Want to share disclosures with another agent? Just email them the link. Want to share files with your assistant or team members? Once they have access to your folder, all you need to do is drop files in there and you’re done.

Need a backup solution? All the files in your dropbox folder are automatically backed up to their secure servers. Perfect for everything from transaction documents, to your music and video collections.

As they say on their website, Dropbox replaces:

Emailing file attachments to yourself and other people
Using USB drives
Renaming files to keep a history of previous versions
Complicated backup software

The best part? It’s free for up to 2 gigabytes of file sharing. So if you use it just for real estate documents, you should be able to fit quite a few transactions before paying a penny. The 50 gigabyte plan is $9.99, and the 100 gigabyte plan is $19.99 per month.

If you’re wondering why I sound like such a cheerleader about Dropbox, I have to admit I have an ulterior motive: I’m emailing this post to my brother, who’s also in real estate. I’ve been trying to convince him to use it for weeks instead of uploading things to a server we share, but so far no luck

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Norm Fisher on November 10, 2009 5:22 am

We use Dropbox to share files amongst a team of three. All three of us have instant access to every document in every file we've worked on over the past couple of years. Definitely one of my favorite tools, and as you said, it's pretty simple to set up and use.

2 gigabytes gets used up pretty quickly if you become a serious user. I'd like to see the cost come down as it would make an awesome online back-up solution as well.
Matthew Cohen on November 10, 2009 5:54 am

For another way to share files, check out http://drop.io

It's not quite as 'drag and drop' simple as Dropbox, but I like the idea of setting up specific drops for specific uses.
zenzino on November 10, 2009 7:53 am

I recently discovered Nomadesk. Many of the same features but more. It work just like a VPN, allows access even if you are offline and has unlimited storage space. It's so easy to use and so far has been very fast and reliable.
Michael LaPeter on November 10, 2009 8:52 am

That's a good point, Norm. I haven't made them my primary backup solution because they don't really offer a large enough plan, and if they did I imagine it would be pretty expensive since 100 gigs is $19.99. It's good for file sharing, but not quite ready as a full backup option… hopefully they'll notice that too.
Top 10 real estate posts of the day for 11/10/2009 : Hassle Free Phoenix Area Home Search on November 10, 2009 8:36 am

[...] Got disclosures? Try Dropbox for drop dead simple file sharing – If you are in real estate you should be using some form of file sharing to save yourself hours [...]
Jeff Manson on November 10, 2009 3:00 pm

Thanks for sharing Michael. I just recently heard about Dropbox. It is suppose to be great!
Make sharing disclosures and other real estate docs easier | Consistent Clients - Real Estate Marketing on November 17, 2009 8:11 am

[...] by WP Greet BoxToday’s Web 2.0 Wrap-up comes from the Geek Estate Blog, and their post Got Disclosures? Try DropBox for Drop Dead Simple File Sharing. This is yet another great example of the ways that technology really can make our life and our [...]
china green tea on December 23, 2009 10:35 pm

Hi,
Thanks for sharing.Before your post I had no any idea about Dropbox.I will surely go for it.