a la mode’s DaVinci Receives the ‘Certified for Windows Vista’ Logo

RISMEDIA, April 11, 2008-a la mode, inc., one of the real estate industry’s mission-critical technology companies, announced that its DaVinci product is the first real estate appraisal program in the U.S. to receive the Certified for Windows Vista logo, ushering in next-generation reliability to the real estate appraisal process. DaVinci also runs on Windows 2000 and Windows XP.

According to the company, DaVinci allows appraisers to easily create floor plan sketches, either at the office using a desktop computer, or in the field using a Tablet PC or UMPC and a digital pen. When used on site at a field inspection, DaVinci allows appraisers to also gather required information, take freeform notes, and manage photos, in addition to sketching the floorplan.

a la mode’s companion desktop formfilling software, WinTOTAL, is one of the most popular appraisal programs on the market, with more than half of all real estate appraisers nationwide utilizing it, according to the company. All of the data gathered within DaVinci, including the sketch, stays organized in a single file that is saved in a native WinTOTAL format, which makes it seamless and simple to transfer to the final appraisal report.

Until now, appraisers typically used pencil, paper, and a traditional clipboard to sketch the property and gather data, but that process can easily introduce errors. It’s possible using manual methods to overlook measurements, be unaware that a measurement is incorrect, or even fail to note important features of the property being appraised.

DaVinci guides the appraiser through a completely customizable onsite inspection, and provides an interactive checklist of critical data which needs to be gathered before leaving the site. An appraiser in the field can also drive by comparable properties and complete the appropriate sections of the report directly within DaVinci, ensuring the best comparables are used and that the comparable data is as accurate as possible. Data is saved in the appraiser’s Digital Workfile, storing a full audit trail of the work done and ensuring compliance with government regulations and professional standards.

In addition to improving the reliability of the information gathered, DaVinci enables the appraiser to go directly from the field inspection to the final report without retyping data or sorting through the subject and comparable photos, saving the appraiser substantial amounts of time and effort.

“The real estate industry is undergoing massive technological transformation, and appraisers are at the leading edge of it,” said David Biggers, chairman and founder of a la mode. “Microsoft’s rigorous standards and independent laboratory testing allow companies such as ours to provide the innovative tools appraisers now require, while simultaneously assuring them that they’ll have a positive experience with reliable software.”

“Microsoft is pleased that a la mode has earned the Certified for Windows Vista software logo for its DaVinci application,” said Jeff Price, senior director of Windows Client Product Management at Microsoft Corp. “This highlights a la mode’s commitment to providing its customers with higher quality applications that deliver a more secure, reliable and compatible experience with Windows Vista.”

Thousands of real estate professionals have downloaded and evaluated DaVinci prior to its release from the a la mode Labs website (http://www.alamode.com/labs), providing valuable input and feedback as part of the development process. DaVinci is available for download at http://www.alamode.com.

For more information, visit http://www.alamode.com.