Welcome to Broker Brain! This powerful web based system will help you manage all of your REO properties and give you instant access to all of your property related information. In order to make the most of your system, you will want to customize it to meet your company's needs. The "Getting Started Tips" below will provide some best practice ideas from REO brokers for setting up your system. Also included below are links to detailed instructions that will help you set up your system and use it in your daily activities.

 
Getting Started Tips 

Before entering Properties, it is important to customize your Admin tab by adding information to the following pages in this order:
 

1. Maintenance
PLEASE NOTE: You can change your pricing plan as many times as necessary. Your bill is prorated according to the number of days you use each selected plan.

2.Site Settings 
During rollout “Globally Disable Auto Tasks” so that you do not generate unnecessary tasks.

If you are using one Market as recommended below, select the check box next to “No Market Selector On Public Search Page”. The Market Selector box will be removed from your public web page eliminating confusion for agents and buyers when they are using your public web site.

Read all SITE SETTINGS instructions and complete this tab prior to going on to the next step.

3.Markets
Select a generic name that incorporates all the cities you service.

NOTE: We suggest you use only one market UNLESS you have branch offices that utilize separate staff to serve each office. If your market area includes several cities in close proximity we still recommend using ONE market in your system to streamline efficiency. 

4. Vendors
Contact information for each vendor must be entered prior to entering information into the PRESERVATION TAB when you input your properties. Remember to fill out as much information as possible for each Vendor because this information will populate  the PRESERVATION TAB.

5.Utilities
Contact information for each Utility Company must be completed prior to entering information into the UTILITY TAB when you input your properties. Remember to fill out as much information as possible for each Utility Company because this information will pop up when you pass your cursor over the company’s name in the UTILITY TAB.

6.Clients
Add all of your CLIENTS (bank names of ALL banks you work with) first. Once all client names have been added to the system, go back to each one and add the contact information for the reps.

PLEASE NOTE: ResNet and REOTRANS are not client names but web tracking systems used by many banks. Once you enter clients into the system they CANNOT be deleted but you can change the client's name. 

7.Users 
Once your groups are finalized, you can enter your users. Please read the directions regarding adding users. Pay close attention to privileges and the section marked IMPORTANT. 

8.Groups
Prior to customizing your groups, you will need to determine the flow of information and your assignment of responsibilities in handling that information. Once you have done this,  please read the directions regarding group set up.

10.Auto Tasks
The system comes with a group of preset Auto Tasks. Prior to customizing your Auto Tasks, you will need to determine the flow of information and your assignment of responsibilities in handling that information. Once you have done this, please carefully read the directions regarding Auto Task set up,

We strongly recommend entering all active files at one time during a “rollout weekend” rather than entering them individually as new properties are assigned. This method will help your staff become Broker Brain proficient much faster and more efficiently and will eliminate the reliance on using your company’s old tracking systems.

The absolute first step is to assign staff members to enter all properties including the following information only: address including validation, , and set property status to INITIAL. This must be done the day before your rollout to ensure properties do not get missed.

NOTE: Depending on the format you currently use to store your data, the Broker Brain staff may be able to import your addresses. The cost of import will depend on the programming required to import your data from your current tracking system. Please go to www.brokerbrain.net/support to submit any questions regarding your system.

Prior to starting the rollout process, you must decide between two different input methods. You can either assign employees to enter files in stages (moving each file between assigned teams) or assign employees to enter each file cradle to grave with only one employee touching a given file.

Entering Files in Stages -- This method is most effective if your company is structured into teams with specific job assignments. We suggest each team enter the relevant information for their job duties. This will require the client and office manager to evaluate the different tabs in Broker Brain prior to rollout. During this evaluation, the goal is to develop a data entry system for your company based on your company’s structure. You will assign each team’s duties, during rollout, based on the responsibilities they will have for entering information into Broker Brain on a daily basis.

Entering Files Cradle to Grave -- This method is most effective for small companies where each employee has a wide range of assigned duties. This method still requires the client to evaluate the different tabs in Broker Brain prior to rollout so the employees can be given a checklist of all items that must be entered for each file. This checklist will be unique to every company depending on how the company utilizes Broker Brain and decisions made regarding information to be entered during rollout. For example you may choose to only upload the photos you will display on your public web page rather than uploading all photos.

At the end of your Rollout Day you MUST check the following to ensure all files have been handled correctly:

 

Your Broker Brain system comes with a public website that allows agents and buyers to search your listed inventory. The URL is http://yourcompanyname.brokerbrain.net/public. This site is available for use as soon as you enter properties into Broker Brain. Be sure to follow the directions for uploading photos in the Property Photos section of this Help site under the Properties Tab, so that the properties show on your public website with viewable photos. We suggest you display a link to this page on your current marketing website and publicize this link in your MLS listings.