Cover Story

Demographics

Here are the main demographics of Chicagoland’s diverse real estate community. CLICK THE IMAGE TO

Training

What training courses did Chicagoland agents take to improve their business? And how many designations do they have? CLICK THE IMAGE TO

Trends

What trends defined Chicagoland real estate in 2014? CLICK IMAGE TO

Marketing

What was the average agent marketing budget in 2014? And what resources did agents use the most? CLICK THE IMAGE TO

Splits & Office Satisfaction

What was the average commission split last year? And how did that, in turn, influence office satisfaction? CLICK THE IMAGE TO

Technology

What kinds of technology do Chicagoland agents use? And how does that use influence their business? CLICK THE IMAGE TO

Earning Top Ranks: The Making of a Top Producer

In Chicago’s competitive real estate market, it’s hard to get closer to the stars than selling some of the city’s most exclusive penthouses. Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage agent Chezi Rafaeli has made his mark on the city by handling

The 2015 Mortgage Outlook

Christopher Norris, the Chicago market manager for mortgage retail lending at BMO Harris Bank, sees an improving atmosphere in which credit is readily available for qualified buyers. By many measures, the national housing market is showing strong signs of

What to Know About FHA’s Recent Changes

President Obama and the FHA recently announced that it would reduce its mortgage insurance premium from 1.35 to 0.85, which makes FHA loans even more affordable. The FHA, which is overseen by HUD and insures mortgages with down payments

Chicagoland Market Update

Geoffrey Hewings, the director of the University of Illinois’ Regional Economics Applications laboratory, went looking for a condo last summer. He was told during his search that he would have to provide his latest pay stubs as proof of

Local Experts’ Predictions for 2015

Anxious to find out what’s next for real estate in 2015? The market had been incrementally improving each year, and though 2014’s market saw slightly less sales activity and price growth than 2013, it doesn’t feel like much has

The Scoop on REOs and Short Sales in 2015

Short sales and REOs are statistically at an all-time low, but in Illinois, does that mean we will start to see less and less of them? Not exactly. Bert Gor, short sale specialist with RE/MAX Professionals Select, has “a

What Your Clients Really Think of You

Several years ago, Coldwell Banker agent Carol Best was approached by an acquaintance from the Chicagoland Chamber of Commerce about helping him buy a home. He let her know that it might take up to two years of working

How to Overcome a Negative Review

As hard as we may try, we can’t please everyone. If a client happens to leave you a negative review online, handle your reputation by following these three steps: 1. Keep your cool. The phrase “the customer is always

6 Review Platforms Best for Agents

It’s no secret that real estate is a highly competitive industry, which is why consumers are turning to review sites more and more prior to choosing just any one agent to work with. Here are quick snapshots of a

Recruitment & Retention: Finding the Best Agents

Recruiting can be a tricky business. There needs to be something about another office and managing broker that is different – and better – to be able to recruit top agents. Nina Fotopoulos, the managing broker of Coldwell Banker

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