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Jason Gibb, Real Estate Software User-Friendly CRM+ (RealSpace Real Estate Software)

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Ambassador
1,452,769
Susan Emo
Sotheby's International Realty Canada - Brokerage - Kingston, ON
Kingston and the 1000 Islands Area

I couldn't tell you where my cheque book is.  I know the last time I used it a few years back, I was advised that my bank was no longer at the address on the cheque - who knew? 

Apr 21, 2016 12:49 AM
Rainmaker
7,835,407
Roy Kelley
Retired - Gaithersburg, MD

Many people still use checks as they worry about identiy theft.

Apr 20, 2016 09:47 PM
Rainmaker
1,725,996
Sandy Padula & Norm Padula, JD, GRI
HomeSmart Realty West & Florida Realty Investments - , CA
Presence, Persistence & Perseverance

We like the firm control and security of a check versus having to follow-thru on every wire and lately banks have been making serious wiring errors on escrow deposits.

Apr 21, 2016 10:35 AM
Rainmaker
5,104,931
Nina Hollander, Broker
Coldwell Banker Realty - Charlotte, NC
Your Greater Charlotte Realtor

I pay 90% of my business expenses by credit card. Wires would be difficult because increasingly banks require you do come in person to initiate the wire due to the fraud. I never go to the bank.

Apr 21, 2016 07:08 AM
Rainer
69,794
Shawn and Angela Miller
Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Amabassador Real Estate - Lincoln, NE
Lincoln and Omaha, NE REALTORS®

I must be the odd ball out.  Mainly checks for every bill I receive in the mail.  Anything online or gas station I use a credit card.  Most stores accept checks and run them through instantly.  Otherwise, each week I get cash at the bank (cause I don't want a debit card) and use cash for most everyday transactions like food drinks, and what not.  It's easy come tax time to review checks i wrote and for what.  I do use paypal once in a while though.

Apr 21, 2016 04:48 AM
Rainmaker
5,772,575
Ron and Alexandra Seigel
Napa Consultants - Carpinteria, CA
Luxury Real Estate Branding, Marketing & Strategy

Jason,

There are so many schools of thought on this.  Our website is paid by a credit card on file.  I know many do not like wire transfers, because of the bank charge for this.  

Some like the feel of a written check.  In the market, we use our Apple pay, and we love that.  Diversity rules, and that is OK...not right not wrong, just diversity.  A

Apr 21, 2016 01:28 AM
Rainmaker
2,781,153
Richie Alan Naggar
people first...then business Ran Right Realty - Riverside, CA
agent & author

Business checking account is our preferred tracking method. Why? My wife, the bookeeper wont go online but gets it done.

Apr 20, 2016 11:59 PM
Rainmaker
1,239,801
Sam Shueh
(408) 425-1601 - San Jose, CA
mba, cdpe, reopro, pe

Paper trail- for traceability.

Apr 20, 2016 11:30 PM
Ambassador
3,164,269
Tammy Lankford,
Lane Realty Eatonton, GA Lake Sinclair, Milledgeville, 706-485-9668 - Eatonton, GA
Broker GA Lake Sinclair/Eatonton/Milledgeville

I pay lots of things with checks.  If a company wants to charge me (and some do) to pay on line then they are getting a check.  My mortgage company used to allow free on line pay (so for 14 years I paid on line) last year they wanted 5.00 to pay on line every month.  Check, envelope and stamp combined are 1.25 so off that check goes in the mail.  

 

Apr 20, 2016 11:27 PM
Rainmaker
2,220,323
Anthony Acosta - ALLATLANTAcondos.com
Harry Norman, REALTORS® - Atlanta, GA
Associate Broker

I only use the check book once or twice a year. 

Apr 20, 2016 09:58 PM
Rainmaker
921,504
Annette Lawrence , Palm Harbor, FL 727-420-4041
ReMax Realtec Group - Palm Harbor, FL
Making FLORIDA Real Estate EZ

I will use ANY method that avoids auto-billing which eliminates my ability to control who deserves to be paid.

Apr 20, 2016 09:53 PM
Rainmaker
4,434,127
Gita Bantwal
RE/MAX Centre Realtors - Warwick, PA
REALTOR,ABR,CRS,SRES,GRI - Bucks County & Philadel

Some businesses prefer checks.

Apr 20, 2016 09:44 PM
Rainmaker
1,197,072
Peter Mohylsky, Beach Expert
PMI. Destin - Miramar Beach, FL
Call me at 850-517-7098

I rarely use checks.

Apr 20, 2016 08:41 PM
Rainmaker
564,720
Women of Westchester Working Together
Women of Westchester Working Together - West Harrison, NY
Women helping Women get ahead

The reason most businesses prefer checks is that there are extra charges for using CC's, paypal, etc.

Apr 20, 2016 08:28 PM
Rainmaker
582,106
Eric Kodner
Madeline Island Realty - La Pointe, WI
CRS, Madeline Island Realty, LaPointe, WI 54850 -

We rarely use a check for business. It's so much easier to keep track of business expenses with a card.

Apr 20, 2016 08:26 PM
Rainmaker
5,868,472
Joan Cox
House to Home, Inc. - Denver Real Estate - 720-231-6373 - Denver, CO
Denver Real Estate - Selling One Home at a Time

I write very few checks.  Not sure why people do - with a debit card and bill pay, what more do you need?   I do pay for my web site on my credit card.

Apr 24, 2016 09:05 AM
Rainmaker
4,936,033
Will Hamm
Hamm Homes - Aurora, CO
"Where There's a Will, There's a Way!"

I know of some companies that only still take checks because they do not want to pay the credit card fee.

Apr 23, 2016 11:36 PM
Rainer
98,823
Becca Rasmussen
HomeSmart Cherry Creek - Highlands Ranch, CO

I haven't ordered checks for my business account and have no plan to do so. We write maybe 2 checks a year now for those few things we pay from our personal accounts which require a paper check.

"Better" is in the eyes of the beholder, though.

I imagine some still prefer cancelled checks as a back-up verification of payment. My credit union has even those digitized, but it would still be an extra way to say "see, I paid" if an issue arises. 

Others might not have business credit cards to be able to make online payments.

Others might not trust online/electronic payments. I can certainly understand that; we've had our credit card numbers abused so many times I have a set routine for when it happens. Does it stop me from using the convenience of online purchases/payments? No! but that's just me. 

Wire transfers? Those can get expensive, especially in comparison to simply writing and mailing a check.

Apr 22, 2016 12:16 AM
Ambassador
3,727,873
Patricia Kennedy
RLAH@Properties - Washington, DC
Home in the Capital

Credit  cards give you milage points!  Don't get that with a check.

Apr 21, 2016 02:30 PM
Rainmaker
3,986,258
William Feela
WHISPERING PINES REALTY - North Branch, MN
Realtor, Whispering Pines Realty 651-674-5999 No.

I use a credit card, but checks for some things...

Apr 21, 2016 01:03 PM
Ambassador
6,393,154
Bob Crane
Woodland Management Service / Woodland Real Estate, KW Diversified - Stevens Point, WI
Forestland Experts! 715-204-9671

Checks allow us to have more controll over when and how much the payment is.

Far too many companies get your CC and think of it as their own personal atm card.

 

Apr 21, 2016 11:13 AM
Ambassador
2,684,009
Fred Griffin Florida Real Estate
Fred Griffin Real Estate - Tallahassee, FL
Licensed Florida Real Estate Broker

     I have written exactly one check this year.  Everything online gets paid with credit or debit card; everything like groceries or gasoline is either cash or debit card.

Apr 21, 2016 09:04 AM
Rainmaker
4,800,082
Gabe Sanders
Real Estate of Florida specializing in Martin County Residential Homes, Condos and Land Sales - Stuart, FL
Stuart Florida Real Estate

Credit cards or bill pay from my bank account.

Apr 21, 2016 05:25 AM
Rainmaker
5,583,278
Barbara Todaro
RE/MAX Executive Realty - Happily Retired - Franklin, MA
Previously Affiliated with The Todaro Team

I usually use my American Express....

Apr 21, 2016 05:10 AM
Rainmaker
1,525,616
Sybil Campbell
Fernandina Beach, FL
Referral Agent Amelia Island Florida

Not all companies accept wire trnasfers so I still pay a few bills by check.

Apr 21, 2016 04:56 AM
Rainmaker
900,128
Olga Simoncelli
Veritas Prime, LLC dba Veritas Prime Real Estate - New Fairfield, CT
CONSULTANT, Real Estate Services & Risk Management

Pay Pal

Apr 21, 2016 03:58 AM
Rainmaker
1,502,998
Ryan Huggins - Thousand Oaks, CA
https://HugginsHomes.com - Thousand Oaks, CA
Residential Real Estate and Investment Properties

Credit cards.  I only do checks for my cleaners and when dealing with tenants.  As far as wire transfers, there is a $35 fee for those, so I'd only do them when time is of the essence and I have to use a wire (initial deposits on purchases, etc.).

Apr 21, 2016 03:52 AM
Ambassador
3,345,091
Kathleen Daniels, Probate & Trust Specialist
KD Realty - 408.972.1822 - San Jose, CA
Probate Real Estate Services

People have their own reasons for doing what they do.  Most of my payments are online.  I write about 3 checks per month.  I will write a check when online payment is not an option.  

Apr 21, 2016 01:47 AM
Rainmaker
3,071,489
Tony and Suzanne Marriott, Associate Brokers
Serving the Greater Phoenix and Scottsdale Metropolitan Area - Scottsdale, AZ
Haven Express @ Keller Williams Arizona Realty

Good question - checks used very rarely these days...

Apr 20, 2016 11:54 PM
Rainmaker
3,416,038
Scott Godzyk
Godzyk Real Estate Services - Manchester, NH
One of the Manchester NH's area Leading Agents

Mostly safety, one time payments or to a company i dont know. I only write a couple a month if any

Apr 20, 2016 10:45 PM
Rainmaker
4,882,355
Richard Weeks
Dallas, TX
REALTOR®, Broker

I hardly ever use checks.  When I do I have to spend time finding where I put the check book.

Apr 20, 2016 10:34 PM
Rainmaker
1,157,785
FN LN
Toronto, ON

Wire transfers are extremely expensive compared to checks and require that you have complete banking information of the recipient.  Many people are not willing to provide others with that information.

Apr 20, 2016 10:21 PM
Rainmaker
1,844,271
Lyn Sims
Schaumburg, IL
Real Estate Broker Retired

Wire transfers are too much $ for bill pay. Do you make it easy to pay? Most companies that I know of don't other than credit card.

The only place that still forces us to use checks is the Post Office. I've signed up to do ACH & it's such a hassle.

Apr 20, 2016 10:02 PM
Rainmaker
1,513,143
Raymond E. Camp
Ontario, NY

 As it is still an accepted method of paymeny yes.

With all the hoopla about wire transfer's probably would not get the average person to do it.

Not everyone is accepting bitcoin yet!

 

Apr 20, 2016 09:29 PM