One of my No. 1 hot topics in trainings right now is Facebook ads. It can seem like an elusive concept at first – how can you capitalize on the target marketing platform available through Facebook?
However, once you start to dig into social media and learn about how it can help your business, it’s pretty exciting to watch the doors of a potential market open wide.

If you are working with out of town buyers or buyers that are not familiar with Chicago, these two new tools are here to help. We all know how difficult it can be to work with clients that do not know where they would like to live. They rely heavily on us to be the expert on Chicago, but we can’t know everything about every neighborhood, right?
Here are two new ways to add value to your out of town clients: Walk Score and Relocate.org.

Think about the last car commercial you saw. At the end, did the voiceover or text on the screen show the dealer’s invoice price? What about MSRP?
No. It featured the monthly payment. So why is almost every real estate listing focused on price and not payment? Unless the buyer is paying cash, they should be more concerned with their monthly payment then the final sales price. How can agents use this to their advantage?

I have been writing blog posts for some time and often the topic of participation is discussed. I for one don’t think that word can be over-reinforced, even as a gentle reminder. To participate is to belong; it is to show commitment; it is to support others; and it demonstrates you are involved. Not everyone in the Real Estate industry holds themselves to this high level of accountability. I am not sure the reason why participation seems to not take priority to some but I believe the benefits are plenty. …

In today’s ever-changing real estate and mortgage market, one always needs to make sure that they are looking out for their client’s best purchasing options. Whether a buyer is financing, or paying cash, is always a factor in what type of properties one is going to look at and, ultimately, purchase.

Although everybody’s situation is unique, there are some instances where homebuyers are able to keep their current primary residence and purchase another home to live in.
There are a variety of reasons as to why homeowners would do this. Perhaps they are outgrowing their current house or have been forced to relocate due to a job transfer. Or because of the market conditions that they are faced with, they may make the decision to hold off on selling at the present time.

I know that the northwest suburbs of Chicago are a great place to live, work and play, but do your clients? One of the challenges that real estate agents can have is to showcase the great area that we serve. Sure, the area looks great, but agents need to be champions of their patch and actively market the area they work in.
In addition to this, we need to show that the dream of homeownership, the American Dream, if you like, is a possibility for everyone, and as Realtors we can help …

In our market, remodeling a home has become part of our housing conversation, whether it is to make a necessary repair in order to sell or a total gut rehab. Hiring a reputable contractor is the beginning, though – making sure your client gets all the necessary paperwork at completion could be the difference between a clear title and a possible foreclosure nightmare.

Gone are the days when buyers drive around a neighborhood to search out real estate or page through the Sunday paper for local listings. Today’s buyers begin their search on the Internet. Most of my buyers have looked at numerous listings on the web months before I even get them into my car to see the properties.

How do you sell a home in 30 days or less in today’s market?  The answer is simple and all agents know it – price it right!
I know what you are saying – that it is not that easy nowadays, because of all the value losses that homeowners have experienced in the past few years. Though this is true with most homes, it is our job as real estate agents to inform our clients of the current market conditions and also make them aware of what they can reasonably expect …