Citing weak economic activity in China and other global markets, the Federal Reserve announced at its September Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) meeting that it would not be raising interest rates, a decision that surprised many economists and analysts.

According to a recent Trulia survey examining consumer concerns, 42 percent of Americans think mortgage interest rates will increase over the next six months, but Matthew Koch, senior vice president and Chicago region head of mortgage at Fifth Third

In an effort to regain the share of loans that the FHA has lost the last couple years, the agency has put a new policy into effect that would allow for aspiring homebuyers with lower credit ratings to get

The pace of new technology coming onto the market is dizzying and almost impossible to keep up with, especially when it comes to real estate.  Many agents are constantly wondering if there is some new app or site they

Here is a list of fresh apps in 2015, all of which benefit agents’ business in intriguing ways. MileIQ: Car and truck expenses are the most claimed tax deduction for small businesses, and few professionals spend more time behind

With technology ever evolving, best utilizing both new and old technology to keep in contact with clients and to market to prospective clients is a key to success. We talked to five tech-centric agents around Chicagoland to figure out

In 2013, Tom Bretz and Adam Freeman, operators of Century 21 Affiliated’s Chicago office, began receiving opportunities to invest in disruptive technology targeted for the real estate industry. They used those offers as the impetus to create the first

In 15 years with Baird & Warner, VP of Technology Mark Steward recalls only a handful of agents whose email accounts were hacked. He is quick to point out, however, that the number of attempts is high, with wiring

On March 4, 2014, Kickstarter, the now-popular crowdfunding website, surpassed $1 billion in pledges just shy of its five-year anniversary. Adoption of that model into more specific industries became all but inevitable in its successful wake. It’s already happening

In the online age, when homes are essentially available 24 hours a day for anyone to take a digital tour, you would think that open houses as a selling strategy would no longer be a priority. But most top

One of the key factors to a successful career in real estate is hosting successful open houses. They provide an opportunity to expose buyers to homes, grow your client database and expand your business. However, many agents make crucial

As an agent, it is important to act as though a seller is watching you during an open house, but what if they are actually watching you? Today, as nanny cams become less expensive and easier to use, more

Some people steal things from open houses. As the name implies, they’re an easy target. To help mitigate the risk that something will be taken from your client’s home, make sure to hide these commonly stolen items: Cash Don’t

Open houses are an opportunity for potential buyers to get a feel for the property. Here is a checklist of some of the elements all open houses need in order to appeal to both emotional and practical buyers. We’ve

Residential construction spending is up in Chicago. That does not, however, mean that the city’s new home market is in full post-recession recovery. Actually, you could argue that the opposite is the case. “Building is down,” said 2015 Homebuilders

Courtesy of research from Tracy Cross & Associates and MetroStudy, we’ve assembled a number of charts and graphs on the Chicagoland new construction marketplace. Click on the links below for each piece of data: •Chicagoland’s Top Homebuilders in 2015,