We often associate luxury home buyers with top real estate markets like New York City, Chicago, Miami and L.A., but the new generation of luxury buyers are not known for following the footsteps of their parents. These educated buyers grew up in the digital world and are accumulating more wealth at a younger age. Luxury buyers and sellers can be …
Fall Home Sales and Prices Spring Up in Chicago in September
Despite the recent slow down in several housing markets across the country, fall home sales and prices sprung up in Chicago and in other cities around the state in September. The robust economy combined with an improving job market continues to energize the local real estate market. The Chicago-Naperville-Elgin Metro was ranked as the number one metropolitan area for corporate …
How to Avoid Agent to Agent Referral Nightmares
Referrals between real estate agents can be a lucrative form of additional revenue for both the sender and the receiver that can give their real estate career a lift. The agent receiving the referral gets a new customer and the referring agent gets a referral fee. But not all agents give referrals the attention it deserves which can create a …
Illinois Real Estate Broker Continuing Education Guide
Confused about what continuing education requirements are coming up? This infographic below should give you the resources you need to check your continuing education credits already completed and what you need to do to keep your broker license in good order.
How Creative Real Estate Agents are Reaching Millennial Home Buyers
It doesn’t matter what you are marketing, if you want to reach your target audience, you have to be where they hang out. Real estate marketing for Realtors® is constantly evolving. While the majority of the population hangs out on social media, not all sites appeal to all demographics. And Instagram has created a loyal following with a mostly younger …
Best Way to Get Started in Real Estate
So you’re thinking about getting a real estate license and wondering the best way to get started. You’re in good company. With baby boomers retirement in full swing now is a great time to start your real estate career, especially if you’re an energetic self-starter who likes to socialize and enjoys working with people. Also, having strong negotiating, sales and …
Home Buyers Relying More on Realtor Expertise, Technology
More home buyers are increasingly utilizing the expertise and knowledge of Realtors® even though they often begin their home search online, according to the Real Estate in a Digital Age report by the National Association of Realtors®. While buyers and sellers have more technological tools available to them than ever before, most understand the great value that Realtors® provide at …
Chicago Real Estate Agents Post Home Sales Gain, Median Prices Up Again in August
Although price gains for the Chicago housing market may be moderating, existing-home sales and median prices have continued to surpass their year-ago comparisons. According to the Illinois Association of REALTORS®, Chicago real estate agents closed out the summer housing market with moderate gains in both the median prices and home sales in August, despite the inventory remaining lower than a …
The 3 Most Important Things Realtors can do to Maintain Sufficient Inventory at All Times
Maintaining a sufficient level of inventory at all times is one of the most challenging aspects of a Realtor’s job. In markets like Chicago where inventory seems to sell as quickly as it is listed, it can be challenging to keep up with growing demand. Not a bad problem to have, right? But without sufficient inventory growing a real estate …
Mortgage Rates Get Reprieve as Fed Decides Not to Raise Rate Yet
Mortgage rates got a reprieve yesterday when the Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) declined to raise rates for the 6th time this year. The target federal funds rate range has been between zero and 0.25 percent since 2008. The current effective rate is 0.14 percent. The U.S. economy has improved with increases in household spending and an improved housing market. …