Residential
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2.3K1How to avoid short sale buyer frustrations
Minimizing the frustrations that come with a short sale is often seen as a mythical possibility, but with these simple tips, any...
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4.1K1Short sale: are there situations when agents can’t earn a commission?
Short sale: are there actually situations where an agent would not get paid? There are some complicated situations when it comes to...
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7.9K3What short sales and puppies have in common
It's no secret that short sales come with a plethora of challenges, but like the challenges associated with raising a new puppy,...
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3.4K1Answers to the most common short sale listing appointment questions
There are dozens of quality scripts available for a traditional seller listing appointment, but short sales are a completely different breed with...
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4.3K1Why short sale sellers may now incur costs at closing
Whether in California where laws have just changed, or in any other state, it is best to be fully equipped to know...
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1.7K3Top four short sale deal killers, how to avoid them
When listing and negotiating short sales, it is easy to become negative, but if you avoid these four short sale deal killers,...
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1.7K2Short sales: determine the course of the negotiations
Each short sale is unique. With an understanding of the overall process for your particular short sale, you will have a better...
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3.1K21Life in the sidebar: how many people are missing the point of the web
Running a business like a boss isn't easy, but it may be your only choice - unless you care less about being...
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2.5K1Best practices for short sale escalation
Real estate short sales can be a handful, but knowing the ins and outs of escalation can help any short sale transaction...
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9.3K1Short sale hardship letters should be short and sweet
Seller hardships range from job loss to job transfer, and homeowners nationwide are short selling, but the process is daunting for all...
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1.4K2
Bulletproof way to overcome short sale stressors
Real estate short sales can be entirely stressful, but there is one bulletproof method that real estate practitioners can implement that can...
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1.2K2Short sale documentation: what’s the need?
There are changes on the short sale process horizon, but for now, practitioners must understand the need for the hefty documentation requirements...
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2.5K5Short sales: understanding what goes on behind the scenes
Short sale transactions can go smoothly sometimes, but poorly others, all under the same servicer, but why? Let's talk about the variables...
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1.0K2Real estate short sales: what’s in it for me?
With the volume of defaulted loans, there is a lot of business for short sale practitioners, so what's in it for you?...
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2.4KShort sales: when to negotiate vs. when to take a stand
Agents working short sales can become very frustrated by the process, but during the moments of frustration, know when get productive instead...
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1.8K3Short sale leads are everywhere
As we gear up for 2013, short sales is on most Realtors' minds, and many are surprised to learn that the leads...
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1.4KHow to get on the short sale bandwagon
Becoming a short sale master in 2013 take some preparation, so get started now with these quick tips!
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1.3K23 ways to put your short sale processing skills to the test
In a market where closing is not a guarantee when it comes to short sales, there are skills agents must have to...
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2.3K3Three reasons a short sale may not close on time
Short sales is increasingly common in the real estate practice, and there are common reasons why the deal may not be sealed...
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2.0K3Good questions for short sale listing agents
Short sales are more common today, and knowing what questions to ask can streamline all parties' efforts for a successful transaction.
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968Short sales: a little knowledge goes a long way
The short sale process is likely to be a staple in real estate agents' business for some time, so dealing with bank...
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1.7K2Quick tips for Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac short sales
Knowing what happens during the short sale transaction with Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac can go a long way toward a successful...
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1.2K3How to make your real estate business matter
While food carts may be a fad, all business models have elements of following fads - it's called taking advantage of the...
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842When receiving short sale advice, consider the source
You wouldn't ask your neurologist for real estate opinions, nor your barber about the economic history of Brooklyn, so why not be...
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1.5KHow to prepare your call to the short sale lender
In a short sale transaction, it is critical to be organized and prepared, and there is a lot to overlook, so pay...
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1.3KVacant lad, and other empty MLS promises
There is nothing more gratifying than sifting through thousands of real estate listings and finding borderline offensive errors like these - they...
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1.9K1Does your short sale seller have a legitimate hardship?
There are many recognized hardships that lend to a simple short sale process, but some hardships are seen as less legitimate by...
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1.3K1
Seller motivation is key to short sale success
Seller cooperation is key to the success of any short sale listing, so here are four ways to assess this, which is...
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4.4K5How to write an effective email to the short sale lender
If you want to draw attention to a short sale file, have a legitimate reason to express concern, and remember that what...
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1.7K3Latest changes to the Bank of America short sale process
When processing short sales, it’s important to know about how each of the lending institutions handles loss mitigation and paperwork processing. If...
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2.4K1Quick tips for working with tenants in short sale listings
It is nearly impossible to quickly and efficiently sell a property with an uncooperative tenant. And, since time is of the essence...
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5.4K56Real estate listing syndication debate continues, reasons begin to vary
Three months into pulling listings from syndication, ARG broker, Jim Abbott offers an update and allegations of wrongdoing by one real estate...
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1.3K22How to command the short sale lender’s attention
While it is feasible for Lady Gaga to wear a meat dress to her job to command attention, a short sale takes...
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1.4K29Nationwide Open House Weekend offers over 31,000 listings
Are open houses coming back as an effective marketing tool? Have things come full circle? This weekend's Nationwide Open House Weekend already...
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1.0K27The most important tip for an effective short sale closing
Short sale transactions can be extremely nuanced and detailed for a practitioner, but there is one frequently overlooked tip for an effective...
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2.4K31ListHub gives brokers more control over listing syndication
Real estate listing syndication has long been a contentious issue, but with today's announcement that brokers now have better information about where...
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2.1K1Short sale offers: why the highest may not be the best
A common rookie mistake when evaluating short sale offers is to run with the highest bidder, but there are many more questions...
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1.6K23The problem with a self-policing industry: you have to be a narc
Ethics violations in the real estate industry can make or break a Realtor's career, depending on the severity, so it would stand...
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2.4K271000Watt launches Nudge: marketing app for Realtors
What is worse than getting an email from a Realtor that has 10 point font, a glamour shot from the 80s, a...
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2.2K18How a short sale listing can become like a quicksand trap
When real estate professionals take on a short sale listing without understanding the constantly changing rules and incentives programs, it can feel...
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1.8K28Give consumers what they want, ask for more in real estate commissions
Technology has made this housing crash more bearable, not easier, so why haven’t real estate commissions increased tenfold? They haven’t, yet there...
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2.2K11Brokerage allegedly clones Estately’s multi-million dollar website
Intellectual property is a serious matter, particularly when it comes to product design and website code. One Canadian real estate group allegedly...
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3.0K32New iPhone apps for real estate buyers and renters
From getting details on the interior of a home by pointing your iPhone at it, to simply searching for rentals on the...
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2.4K21When to escalate your short sale transaction
There are times when a complaint during the short sale process will be ignored, and other times when it is appropriate and...
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2.2K33Short sales, junior liens, and cash contributions
There are so many little details that need to be considered when you are processing a short sale. Don't forget to ask...
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2.0K35The trend of optimizing, not downsizing American homes
What can a few hours at an open house tell you about buyer trends in America? Quite a bit, especially when you're...
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2.9K35The wild west of real estate: a startup story
Most in the real estate industry do not know that the boundaries have not yet been pushed as far as they can...
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2.6K50Will real estate agents become extinct over time?
Every year, the concept of real estate agents becoming extinct make national headlines and some believe technology will supplant the practice, but...
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14.8K30Bank of America short sales: navigating Equator
Bank of America's short sale process is unique, especially with the use of a program called Equator, which each bank uses differently....
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1.9K17Not warning clients of a rebounding market may kill a deal
The conversation between a client and a Realtor is dramatically different in a depressed market than a rebounding market, and not adjusting...
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1.5K15How working with a seller in advance curbs short sale mistakes
Manage Seller Expectations There are a handful of mistakes that short sale agents can make when working through the short sale process,...
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1.4K11Trade association urges Congress to protect against changes to FHA insurance program
NAR President on the Hill This week, the National Association of Realtors’ (NAR’s) newest President, Moe Veissi spoke before the House Financial...
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Nest Atlanta Real Estate Group’s website – marketing spotlight
Streamlined design When we first came across Nest Atlanta Real Estate Group’s website, we were drawn to the modern color palette and...
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2.1K11Coldwell Banker’s 2011 Home Buyer’s Guide – marketing spotlight
Why the web is so hot Consumers that use the web are becoming better and better at research and have learned how...
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5.3K54Realtor held liable for incorrect information in the MLS
Residential Realtors must verify What happens when a Realtor believes a property is only zoned as residential as it is in the...
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1.2K26Real estate industry disillusionment – as much as things change they remain the same
Folks like Glenn Kelman of Redfin find themselves in a quandary. They set the bar so high (as any great CEO would) but...
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1.1K61Four practical tips on how to drive consumers wild with real estate video
Video that stands out Frequently tapped by national news media outlets like Fox News, CNN and the like, Brian Lewis, Executive Vice...
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53710Volume of real estate contracts signed up from 2010 but down yet another month
Sales are up and down According to the National Association of Realtors, pending home sales (contracts signed) are up 6.4 percent in...
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6379Home prices improve for fifth month in a row, still down from 2010
Modest improvements in housing Although other housing factors continue to struggle, home prices are seeing modest improvements, according to S&P/Case-Shiller data which...
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1.4K48Easy tip – use a tool you already have to keep sellers happy
Number one complaint of sellers One of the biggest complaints sellers have with their agents is “I never hear from you!” You...
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1.0K35The harsh reality that chases most from the real estate business
Get results or die One of the things pounded into my noggin since I decided to follow in Dad’s real estate brokerage...
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Do men or women Realtors have more real estate listings?
Men vs. women real estate practitioners: Real estate media company, Trulia.com has analyzed how male and female real estate agents perform when...
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72113Taking real estate video to the next level – Liquidus’ Videolink
Web video on the rise With a recent report noting that in America alone, nearly 7 billion web videos were watched just...
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Why home buyers call the listing agent despite having a buyer’s agent
When a buyer strays Today I got a call from one of my agents who showed houses to a buyer who bought...
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2.0K27Super simple real estate search site Diggsy.com trims the fat
Skip all the noise, just show off listings Diggsy.com is a real estate startup that is taking real estate search into a...
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6456Title insurance error nearly causes a foreclosure 18 months after purchase
Failure at escrow causes major trouble Title insurance is a standard part of closing a contract on any home and acts to...
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Not all Baby Boomers’ home buying behaviors are created equal
Why lump 79 million Americans together? According to Pew Research, the Baby Boomer generation in America accounts for 26 percent of the...
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1.5K22
Zillow reports slight uptick in home values, predicts the bottom is not near
Monthly appreciation of home values According to the Zillow Real Estate Market Report just released, in August of 2011, the home value...
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3.3K26Smarter Agent suing more companies over mobile real estate search patent
Smarter Agent filing another round of lawsuits Smarter Agent was named a “Genius 30” game changer last year for their power grab...
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Former mayoral candidate snatching up vacant houses for free – how?
Vacant houses in Florida after an interesting character claimed he was legally "reusing" the homes...
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LeaseRunner – web app makes the leasing process paperless and automated
Real estate web startup – LeaseRunner LeaseRunner.com is a young startup offering a simple web app designed to help landlords, property managers...
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1.0K22Proof of funs – the MLS blooper scooper returns
Laughter is a great way to start October, friends, and I think some of these bloopers will provide some welcome comic relief. Thanks...
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Zillow banks on new Special Offers feature to entice agents to pay up
Two new features on Zillow Today, Zillow added two features, both aimed at real estate professionals rather than consumers. First, agents that...
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Effective online transaction management is more than just e-signatures
Picking up the pace Real estate transactions have traditionally been married to paper, fax machines, pens and toe tapping as all parties...
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Closing 1,037 real estate transactions in one year – top producer Mary Berry
Largest REO company in Oklahoma With 1,037 transactions in one year, broker/owner of Century 21 All Pro Realty in Oklahoma City, Mary...
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1.6KRecycling the concept of home equity insurance in a down market
Revamping an old concept The concept of equity insurance has been around longer than TNT & USA have been showing daylong marathons...
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Video greeting capabilities integrated into Mountain of Agents site – exclusive
New features on Realtor rating site We introduced you to Realtor ratings site, MountainOfAgents.com in February of 2011, noting one of its...
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6.7K26Top 20 master planned communities in America named
What top master planned communities have in common Texas is hot right now for master planned communities, according to MetroStudyReport.com which named...
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81031Pending home sales up over the year, even more so than NAR reports
Signed contracts on homes Pending home sales or signed contracts on homes are down 1.2 percent in August from July but up...
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Crash course for short sale beginners – how to get and stay productive
Short sale productivity Short-sales are just about the only properties to list right now if you don’t have an REO account in...
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The Platinum rule for real estate service – simple yet usually overlooked
The simple platinum rule Know your customer. Care about your customer. Give your customer what he/she wants. This seems so simple, but...
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Florida man goes on a squatting spree, charged with grand theft
In Florida where adverse possession is still part of the legal system, a man has gone on a wild squatting spree, enraging...
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Let’s play Spot the Pot in this San Diego real estate listing
Do you see it? Sometimes there is a reason for a home to have extremely overgrown shrubs in the front and back...
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Existing home sales surge in August, surpassing economists’ projections
Pricing attractive to buyers In August, sales of existing homes rose 7.7 percent from July, according to the National Association of Realtors...
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Luxury real estate market will take a major hit on October 1st
Will there be a miracle for the market? Unless there is an unlikely miracle on Capitol Hill, the luxury real estate market...
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57720Boston landlord fined for refusing to rent to African American tenants
Discrimination case in Boston Long time Boston landlord Alfred Defazio was ordered to pay $15,000 to a Realtor who accused him of...
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9749ClearHouse adds transparency to home inspections, improves process
ClearHouse founded on a simple premise When an economist and an engineer got together out of frustration with the home buying process,...
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Woman tricked elderly blind woman into signing over deed to her house
Texas woman loses historic home Houston homeowner Patricia Pusey was approached in 2008 by a woman who said she was running a...
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Top ten places to retire named – mostly small towns
Top post-work towns When retiring, what does the ideal place look like? Is it a hustling and bustling city or is it...
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Broker aims to help buyers take listing commission out of the picture
Lofty goal: do away with listing commissions Real estate broker, Frank Llosa is known not just for his wacky business card antics...
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Information Overload – What’s Going On in the Short Sale World?
Latest Short Sale News A couple of pretty exciting things happened in the short sale world over the last few days. For...
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Short sales and tax implications – do I need a new job?
An agent recently called me to discuss the tax implications of a short sale. He said that his seller was concerned about...
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“New bd pans inc” – Making a Splash on the MLS
I have two things to say this week: 1. When you drink, you can’t think. 2. When you drink you can’t- … uh,...
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Real estate humor – God bones – heaven help the MLS
Did you hear that? Yep – that was the sound of my rosary beads hitting the floor…with me close behind. The bloopers were...
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First real estate brokerage offering rebates opens in New Jersey
First in Hoboken and New Jersey [AGBeat exclusive] Although rebates are not the core tenant of their real estate brokerage model, CondoDomain...
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Keller Williams grows to second largest brokerage in America
Keller Williams’ growth Keller Williams Realty, Inc. (KW) has announced at their agent count now places them as the second largest real...
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“Scalped ceilings” and other MLS hair-raisers
Wait until you see the characters who showed up this week on the MLS…well, at least tangentially. It was a great week...
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CondoDomain has given back over $1,000,000- AG Exclusive
One millionth dollar Today, the CondoDomain real estate brokerage has announced that they have surpassed their one millionth dollar in commission rebates....
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Big box broker lays off thousands, puts best producers on salary plus commission
Rethinking the impossible People talk about raising the bar all the time and many, including myself, have placed that responsibility mostly on...
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“Friar damage” – out of the frying pan, into the friar with the MLS
From partying monks to Little Miss Muffett, the MLS was crawling with revelers this week. Of course, few were sober enough to spell...
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Brokers can earn more by caring more and not just blogging about it
Brokers perpetually seeking improvement Recently, I wrote about J. Crew CEO Mickey Drexler as an exemplary leader that real estate professionals can...
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What qualities make for a successful real estate CEO compared to the corporate world?
What do American executives think? In a recent study, IBM surveyed 6,000 top American executives asking what they are doing to insure...
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Real estate video – the disappearing real estate agent
One of the biggest complaints we hear about agents is that they disappear into the ether and fail to communicate with clients...
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Becoming a better broker – six lessons from J. Crew CEO Mickey Drexler
Being a better leader often takes learning lessons from other industries and other leaders. This inspirational look at J. Crew's CEO will...
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Why CondoDomain has it right and most brokers have it wrong
Condo Domain has a unique practice that sets itself apart from their competitors, and we're keen on their approach.
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NAR raises dues, will membership numbers really drop?
NAR raises dues… yawn Oh sure. Lots of agents will complain and bemoan having to pay more. But I doubt NAR will...
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“Great for horse livers” – riding high with the MLS
Hey guys – did you miss me while I was gone? I know that all you spelling miscreants certainly didn’t. Nonetheless, I...
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“Woof range” – real estate has gone to the dogs!
There were some “amenities” offered in the real estate ads and the MLS this week that would give PETA angina. Imagine being...
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Short sales – tax and legal liability can be an issue
The other day at a short sale workshop, one of the agents in the audience asked, “How do I know if the...
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“Heated jowel rack” – Taking it on the chin with the MLS
Who ever thought homes had so many amenities to choose from? Check out this past week’s MLS and real estate ads. These offers...
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“Picturass Setting” Sales pitch strike-outs, and MLS fouls
Do you remember the terrible moment in baseball at Shea Stadium in 1986 when the Red Sox World Series win went between Bill...
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“Please Maul Us”…and other offers you can’t refuse
I just returned from an extended trip to discover that some things never change. There were so many funny misspellings and blunders in the...
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Rockin’ and Rollin’ With The MLS
It’s party time at the MLS. We’ve got the Stones, Little Richard and even a rabbit. (No, guys – not a Playboy...
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“Don’t crab appraise” – something’s fishy on the MLS
Ya’ know folks, I think I should get paid for being Captain of the MLS Police Force. I have so much activity that...
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“Toke All Offers” – And Other Colorful MLS Propositions
There’s a party going on, and somehow – thanks to the MLS – we all got invited. Call me mellow yellow, but...
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The FCC did what? Net neutrality explained
Yesterday, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) adopted network neutrality rules, taking an important step in a policy making process that has been...
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Caught With Your Pants Down? (MLS Bloopers)
Well, friends, it was a rough week in real estate advertising and MLS listings. Pants were dropped, illegal substances were aplenty, and...
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The Devil Made Me Do It! (MLS Mayhem)
Ahhh…the Blooper Trooper is ba-a-a-ck! I simply never run out of material thanks to the MLS, the LA Times and other print...
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“Gas not corrected” and other MLS stinkers
This week’s MLS and real estate ads had a distinct odor, friends. From gas to dryrot, it seems homes are becoming offensive....
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“Here Today, Goblin Tomorrow!” MLS Humor
It’s getting closer to Goblin Day, friends, so I thought I’d show you some of the Halloween treats provided by our always...
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A pig and a poke (The MLS “Menu”)
This week I actually got hungry reading the MLS and the LA Times real estate ads. Check out these bloopers so you...
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“WHAT A DUMP!” Bette Davis and the MLS
I must need a rest from the Rubik’s Cube that is the MLS and the real estate ad world. I am beginning...
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Real Estate Rabble – Translators Needed!
I’m calling ITT Tech. It’s time they establish a course for translators for the MLS. Often the listings I see are so...
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Home on De-Range – MLS Mayhem
My dear readers, friends, colleagues and fellow inmates: Please think before you participate in MLS-Speak. If you don’t, you’ll come off like...
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The New Language of Un-Real Estate
Welcome to the New World. Recently a colleague and I were discussing all the changes we have witnessed since entering the wacky...
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Referrals, Facebook and the REALTOR trademark
It seems that there was a bit of a kerfuffle recently about a Facebook page that (gasp!) used the word REALTOR® in...
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Sell It or Smell It – MLS Pandemonium
Ah, yes, folks – it was a great 4th with sunshine, bar-be-ques, brewskies, and enough grammar and spelling pandemonium on the MLS...
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Whatchu talkin’ ’bout, Willis? (MLS laughs)
I’ve been out of town awhile, but the MLS has not let me down in my absence. Like a confused turkey, the...
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The great un-sell – MLS whoppers!
Did you ever wonder how some houses get sold? Scott Friedman just posted a great article, “What Sells a Home and Why...
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Techie’s guide to NAR’s mid-year meetings
Are you coming to NAR’s Mid Year Meetings in Washington DC on May 11-13? If so, here’s a quick and dirty guide...
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Rub-a-dub, a cow in a tub… more MLS disasters
Usually I have to skip a week to gather enough material for my MLS blooper review, but this past week was especially...
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“Smell” this house! – more MLS laughs
This week’s MLS was a whole bag ‘o crazy. Seriously, there should be a movie. I doubt if even Tina Fey could...
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Thank you, NAR! Or would you prefer to be known as a used house salesman?
What NAR is or isn’t doing A lot of blog posts have been written about what the National Association of Realtors is...
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Weird Dwellings & Misspellings – The MLS
MLS Bloopers
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The MLS – With Zest!
Well, it didn’t take long to collect a few more MLS typos that are real hooters…uh, I mean “hoots.” Take heed when typing, friends,...
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Winos & Flying Ovens
UnReal Estate – Why Agentz Shud Proofrede: Hi Everyone – I am traveling, so with your permission, I am re-posting a blog...
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A Brief History of L.A. & “Venchuro” Highway…or Maybe Not
It’s amazing to me how so many agents cannot spell the names of the towns and areas they represent. I, of course,...
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NAR Needs Major Education Reform to Preserve Our Industry
This is a follow-up article to my recent post about the 10 things I Wish They Taught in Real Estate School. The...
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Real Estate ‘n’ Los Angeles – “We Love It!”
For quite some time I have been collecting misspelled names of people and well-known places in our area. Sometimes the misspellings...
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Getting a Call From the President (No, Not THAT President)
Devoted readers of AgentGenius and, perhaps, the occasional web surfer may have noticed something I posted last week as an Open Letter...
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Dear Madame President: An Open Letter to Vicki Cox Golder
Dear Vicki (may I call you, Vicki?), I just finished reading the wonderful profile written about you in REALTOR Magazine. As a...
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NAR, RESPA and the Christmas Holidays
The real challenge with writing about politics and real estate is that everyone takes off during the Christmas holidays. Congress has left...
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The National Association of Realtors’ Floundering Media Efforts
Times are changing In the old days we didn’t question much of anything. This is how much it costs for X homes...
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Strange Brew: Behold The MLS
Fetch Me a Cold one It’s been another week of marvelous MLS bloopers, friends. Sit back, prop up those tired feet, and...
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National Association of REALTORS Convention 2014
It’s Novermber 2014… …and we are all excited about the NAR convention this year. I can’t wait to go through Finance World...
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Christmas Comes Early For Some FHA Borrowers
The Federal Housing Administration repealed the second appraisal requirement for loans exceeding $417,000 in declining markets, and for cash-out refinances. The two...
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Dear Santa NAR: A Christmas Wish List
Now that I’ve been stuffed like the turkey I ate and had a chance to reflect on the many things I need...
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Conferences Should be about Education, not Profit
Associations, I’m talking to you… I hope all event planners for industry conferences read this, as IMHO it’s time for some real...
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MLS Mistakes- Wall Repaired, Butt Cracks on Surface
We have seen a lot of examples of how our MLS is full of misspelled words and oddly chosen adjectives. Now it’s...
