Chicago Agent sent out its fourth annual Truth About Agents survey, a comprehensive survey to find the truth about agents, and what changes took place from 2011 to 2012. We received hundreds of responses (special thanks to our readers

In an industry full of titles and designations, perhaps no phrase is more desired than that of the “top producer.” Indeed, all one has to do is view the numbers to see why. In Chicago Agent’s Real Data 2012,

1. Give yourself a time audit. Spend the next week documenting every single thing you do in your job. Then, prioritize. If you have an assistant, identify the tasks you can delegate to them. For example, finding leads or

Let’s start with the obvious – the U.S. mortgage market is one complex entity. Indeed, according to the latest numbers from the Federal Reserve, the mortgage market for one- to four-family residences was more than $9.9 trillion in the

The results are in! With all the news and changes in the mortgage market, we wanted to know what mortgage professionals thought about the market and recent changes, and what their predictions are for this year. We sent this

After months of speculation, on Jan. 10, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) finally announced its qualified mortgage standards, which are the new, defining lending guidelines for the nation’s banks. Designed to avoid any of the exotic, risky mortgages that

There have been recent reports that certain products have changing guidelines, and that some loans are becoming harder for homebuyers to qualify for. But you should be careful what you read, according to Jon Goldman and Matt Kennedy, senior

It was in 1994 when the National Association of Realtors instituted the “broker’s choice” model for local Realtor associations, a move that radically changed how real estate agents in and around Chicago interacted with their associations. No longer were

As stated in our cover story, one of the main benefits of joining a Realtor association is to access the multiple listing service (MLS). Though syndication sites such as Trulia and Zillow, and online brokerages such as Redfin, offer

With the “broker’s choice” model in place, Chicagoland’s real estate agents are free to join whichever Realtor association suits their fancy, regardless of what region it represents. Why should agents, though, choose one association over another? And how do

As the Senior Director of Communications and Media Relations for the Chicago Association of Realtors (CAR), Barbara Matthopoulos is one of the most widely recognized individuals at the association, and for good reason – her position encompasses nothing less

2012 was quite a year for Chicago real estate. From new licensing requirements to emerging business models, from luxury real estate to the best strategies for online marketing and syndication, if there was a significant trend affecting housing and

You’ve been following the market all year (at least, we hope so – it’s your job!), so you know that big news included home prices bottoming earlier in the year and slowly – very slowly – increasing ever since.

Many in the industry predicted the housing market would fully recover by 2014. Do you think the market will recover this soon? Why or why not? I agree with that statement, but I think the market will recover quicker

Managing brokers have a list of several important qualities they want their agents to have. Teresa Ryan of Ryan Hill Realty, who graces our cover, is a true believer in making sure every agent recruited is not only an

In addition to all of the professional responsibilities of the position, which involve nothing short of direct supervision over the brokerage’s business and the agents it employs, managing brokers are also responsible for setting the tone of the office,