By Dan Provost Leslie McDonnell still fumes when she talks about the time when two potential buyers found their way into one of her listings without their agent accompanying

Are you acting with the highest standards of professionalism? Read this guide to find out if you are, in fact, the problem other agents are complaining about. Are you responsive to other agents? This is the number one complaint

Want to up the ante on your credentials and show you abide by a code of ethics? Below are some popular designations many agents choose to become certified in and what they mean: GRI – Graduate, Realtor Institute is

By Dan Provost What makes a top-producing agent? Chicago Agent magazine asked specific questions to some of the top producers in the city and suburbs, and here’s what they had to

By Meghan Boyer For many top producers, their rise to the top has not been because of tricks of the trade or gimmicks. There’s no secret sauce or magic bullet they discovered. Rather, hard work, commitment and a focus

By Dan Provost Lisa Trace, an agent with Lake Forest-based Griffith, Grant & Lackie, never gives up on a deal. This tenacity has paid off during her nine-year

With all the latest and greatest updates technology has just about every week, this means listing presentations on laptops could start to look a little dated. The great debate over whether it’s a benefit or detriment to present with

If you’ve been doing what seems like the same listing presentation over and over again, maybe it’s time to see what the experts are doing and tweak yours appropriately. Or maybe you’re a rookie and need help with your

Chicago Agent takes a look at where we’ve been, where we are, and what is next for the mortgage industry as we move into 2011. By Jennifer

By Zipporah Porton While experts predict 2011 will be a better year than 2010, agents will still need to work hard and focus in order to find success. Therefore, going above and beyond is the only way to really

By Brian Buffini Chairman/Founder, Buffini & Company As a kid growing up in Ireland, summers meant working alongside my four brothers in the family painting business. My dad often reminded us that in a small country like Ireland, if

When it comes to crushing the competition in 2011, the formula for success will continue to vary by agent, the community in which he or she operates, how a particular clientele uses the Internet and the ever-fluctuating market, among

1. Do you listen more than you talk during a listing presentation?  OYes ONo 2. Do you ask the homeowners questions about the home’s architectural style and neighborhood? OYes ONo 3. If you get an important call during the

By Randy Roussie Why does a seller hire an agent? Simply put, sellers hire agents because they cannot find a buyer on their own. This is the ‘priority reason’ why a seller hires an agent. This insight gives the

Sean Conlon: Founder/owner, Conlon: A Real Estate Company Name three people/businesses that you are watching in 2011. Nouriel Roubini, author of Black Swan – I’m tired of him making a fortune of being a dooms-dayer. Benjie Burford, CEO of Conlon

Ed Prodehl: President/owner at Coldwell Banker Honig-Bell Name three people/businesses that you are watching in 2011. I am religiously watching the government and keeping an eye on any legislations that could impact the real estate industry. I am also