Category Archive

A significant change to federally mandated mortgage disclosure documents is on the way and Realtors® will be the key to helping buyers and sellers navigate these new forms that will take effect on mortgage applications submitted on or after August 1, 2015, under the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau’s (CFPB) “Know Before You Owe” initiative. As a result of these sweeping …

Many sales people shutter when they hear the words “cold calling.” That is despite the fact is that cold calling is still one of the fastest ways to grow your real estate business. That alone should be enough to start calling. So, why aren’t more real estate agents doing this? Well, there are essentially three myths that keep many sales …

In a bid to ensure that the American dream of owning a home becomes a reality for as many creditworthy consumers as possible, the House of Representatives recently passed the Mortgage Choice Act of 2015. It was introduced by Rep. Bill Huizinga (R-MI) and received overwhelming bipartisan support in the House with 286-140 votes. This is welcome news for real …

Do you ever wonder what makes some real estate agents consistently more successful than others? While there are several traits, one of the common denominators that top real estate agents and brokers share in common is they develop the best habits, a routine that they diligently follow. In other words, they implement a routine that will set up their real …

Listings are the life-blood of any real estate business and positioning yourself as the local market expert is the key to more effective listing appointments. Many, if not most, potential sellers will use the Internet to educate themselves about the market before contacting an agent or broker. There is a lot of “noise” and conflicting information that can easily cause …

It is not uncommon for many prospective home buyers who are not educated about current local market conditions to have unrealistic expectations. Often they are unaware of how quickly the market is moving. While the housing crash is still fresh on the minds of many consumers, the lower prices and higher inventory levels of the past are no longer prevalent …

Real estate professionals with finely tuned negotiating skills are able to deliver the best offers for their clients in the shortest amount of time. In return, they earn higher real estate commissions for their efforts. Real estate negotiations can often feel like a pressure cooker so it is important to have an effective strategy in order to win. Negotiating for …

The number of individuals seeking a career in real estate is expected to grow rapidly over the next few years resulting in increased competition, especially for those who recently joined the industry. In order to remain competitive, real estate agents must adapt to changing market conditions. As the housing market continues to grow and expand across the country, the number …

On-going training is an important part of any real estate career and having a goal to being the top producing agent in your market can become reality when empowered with the right skills. The key to success will depend to a large extent on the ability to adapt to changing market conditions. While all real estate agents have access to …

The U.S. real estate market has been attracting foreign buyers to major cities across the country. It’s not just the lower home prices that drive foreign demand; it’s the fact that the U.S. is one of the safest places to invest on the planet. Also, potential home buyers relocate here from cities around the world every year. In fact, sales …