Trick #1: Find Out If They Read Your E-mail

Anyone ever tell you they didn't get your e-mail? Ever have a time when it was really important for you to know that your email got through and was read? If so, then here's a great trick for you.

Now you can secretively find out when your e-mail was read and where they were when they read it by simply typing a few letters after the recipient's e-address when you send your message. Moments after the addressee opens your message you will receive a conformation showing the exact date and time that the message was opened with other confirmation information plus a map showing where the recipient was when opening your message. And the recipient will never know.

Scary stuff -- but if you are so inclined you can track up to 10 messages a month on the house. Premium services are available for a modest monthly fee.

Trick #2: E-mail Your Huge Files With Ease

It happens to the best of us. We need to get a file to a friend or associate in a hurry, but it's too big to e-mail because our internet service provider blocks big files. Where to turn?

There are a lot of options and this one may be the easiest to use. Just type in your message and upload any file up to 100MB. Your recipient will receive an e-mail just about instantly with a link to the file -- ready to download.

No registration required -- and you can use their free service to send files up to 100MB in size without any cost. This will usually satisfy the casual user but these nice folks have other services for power users that will accommodate files of up to 2 GB with all sorts of bells and whistles -- all for a modest monthly fee.

Great Place #1: What Did Your Neighbors Donate?

With politics all around us this is an interesting site you can use to snoop on our neighbors to see who they are supporting -- and with how much gelt.

This great place is easy to search by name, address or zip to see which candidates your friends, family, co-workers, or neighbors are contributing to. An interesting feature allows you to search celebrities by name and zero in on a map showing their registered address.

Now you can find out if the vociferous neighborhood political bigshot is putting his money where his mouth is.

Great Place #2: Get the Walk Score For Your Neighborhood

Some like to walk -- some like to sit -- and some like to ride. For those who like to walk, this great place will rate your neighborhood for "walkability."

They calculate the walkability for your address by locating nearby stores, restaurants, schools, parks, etc. and presenting them on a map around your house. Then they score the walkability of your house's location on a scale of 0-100 with 90-100 being a "Walkers' Paradise" where errands and entertainment can be accomplished on foot and you could get by without owning a car. 0-25 is a "Driving Only" location where virtually no neighborhood destinations are within walking range.

Perhaps if you really like to walk very loooong distances you could go for a "0" -- or you could get your exercise walking to your car.

Copies of all previous "Real Estate CyberTips" columns complete with all direct links are available here.

Published: June 24, 2008

Use of this article without permission is a violation of federal copyright laws.

John M. "Jack" Peckham is the Executive Director of REcyber.com (the Real Estate CyberSpace Society). In that capacity he oversees the development and delivery of the latest up to the minute Real Estate Cyberspace tools, strategies, networking structures and services that the Society provides its members to leverage their effectiveness, visibility, professionalism and earnings. As host of Real Estate CyberSpace Radio, he provides over 40 hours of programming to help listeners integrate the power of the Internet into their daily business lives. He is the author of several real estate books published by Prentice Hall and Harcourt Brace Jovanovich including his latest Master Guide to Income Property Brokerage from Wiley Publishing. A columnist for the Boston Herald for nine years, his syndicated columns have appeared in over 100 papers nationwide. Jack loves to sell real estate has been involved directly in the sale of over one billion dollars in Real Estate. Today he sells in his jeans and fuzzy slippers as a one-man shop and has closed over $40,000,000 in sales on the Internet recently in 20% of his working time. The balance he spends directing the affairs of the 10,000 member Real Estate CyberSpace Society. The Society awards the RECS (Real Estate CyberSpace Specialist) Designation to members based on the current criteria. He served as Chairman of the Strategic Planning Committee for the National Association of Realtors (NAR), is a Past President of the Massachusetts Association of Realtors and has been honored as the Massachusetts State Realtor of the Year. You can reach Jack at or by calling 617-523-4441.