Many people looking to sell their homes focus on upgrades. However, not all upgrades are profitable; some don’t even pay off (or you won’t get the same investment back as you put in). It is therefore important for sellers to focus on upgrades with a high return on investment. The real estate market is swampedContinue Reading…

Scared by Vassilis under Creative Commons 2.0Prospecting! Cold calls! Knocking on doors! There probably isn’t a real estate agent out there who hasn’t felt some desire to somehow avoid prospecting. Some are flat out so afraid of prospecting – so much so it drives them out of the business. A truth is is you’re goingContinue Reading…

Referrals are the golden grail of sales. If you only remember one thing from this article remember this, “Advertising leads to LEADS, referrals leads to SALES.” This is why referrals are so important, here’s how to get some: #1 – Online Reviews Every day more people than the previous day access the internet for theContinue Reading…

Image by Mike Beauregard under Creative Commons 2.0Prospecting! Finding potential clients! I can’t prove it, but I suspect looking for clients is called prospecting, the because it’s same term that is often used for looking for gold. In truth, those who prospect regularly tend to have higher income than those agents that don’t. The keyContinue Reading…

  NOTE: This post is in celebration of Blog Action Day. This year’s topic is inequality. In 1948, the US Supreme Court ruled that covenants enforcing racial discrimination when it came to housing could not be enforced. Although the law was in place, it was to be years before equal housing opportunities became a fact.Continue Reading…

Leaving a closing with a commission check is one of the best feelings in the world. If you talk to most agents closing a deal is a just cause for a mini celebration, for some it’s a quick trip out-of-town for others its a visit to their favorite restaurant. However, after the euphoric feeling ofContinue Reading…

Let me ask you a question. Since the day that the piece of property was parceled by the county until now what professional service do you think earned the most amount of money in fees? Is it the: Contractor/handyman who built/maintain the house? Agent who sold it over and over again? The inspector/appraiser? no, no,Continue Reading…

Image by John Uhri under Creative Commons 2.0It’s been said that real estate agents live in their cars. While not quite true, between seeing, finding and showing properties, those in the real estate business tend to put lots and lots of time in their vehicles. A mini-office in your car means you can do businessContinue Reading…

Everyone knows the three rules in real estate: Location. Location. Location. So, many agents have concluded that the more valuable a property is the more desirable of a listing it is. Is this horse sense or horse fertilizer? Let’s take a look at the pros and cons of focusing on million dollar listings:   PROSContinue Reading…

When buyers are looking for a property to buy, there are certain amenities they prioritize. Maximizing these amenities at an open house can make your listing stand out from others in the neighborhood. Open houses give you the perfect opportunity to expand your buyer pool inexpensively. According to the National Association of Realtors, 45% ofContinue Reading…

Image by Phil Sexton under Creative Commons 2.0It’s often fun and sometimes scary to see what’s on a real estate agent’s desk. Of course, a lot depends on where the desk in question is. Office desks tend, perhaps to be neater than work spaces at home, and real estate does lend itself to working fromContinue Reading…