The best thing about our Truth About Agents issue is when we take a look at the latest survey results and compare them to previous years; it’s always interesting to see where the industry and market are going. Usually,

The top 20 agents in Chicagoland in terms of sales volume comprised 7 percent of Chicagoland’s total sales volume for 2014. Think about that stat for a minute: almost 10 percent of the sales in all six counties of

When the recession began, interest rates plummeted, and though they have been creeping up steadily since, they remain historically low. The opposite is true, however, for guidelines for loan products– they tightened considerably during the recession, and have not

It’s a new year! It’s a time to start fresh – or keep with your momentum from last year and keep on going. In terms of the market, I’m sure you’re also hoping it gains a bit more momentum

When it comes to predicting the future, it can be hit or miss. Sometimes, if trends are looking one way, it’s unlikely they’ll revert and start going the complete opposite way (although you never know). Back when the housing

In life, in general, it’s a good thing to not care about what others think of you. This way, you can live your life how you want to and to your own standards, and no one else’s. What others

Recruiting quality team members is vital for any business. After all, a successful business needs to keep moving on with the right people in place, people who can keep improving and drive the business ahead. This is why it’s

There are many generations at play in America today: Baby Boomers, Gen Xers, Millennials, and in case you haven’t heard, a new generation dubbed Generation Z for the time being (very creative). With multiple generations and multiple motivations behind

This year for our ninth annual Agents’ Choice Awards, more than 50,000 votes were cast, as real estate professionals throughout Chicagoland voted for who they thought deserved to win our industry awards, a new voting record. The finalists were

The lending landscape is a tricky one to navigate. Even though these months toward the end of the year are typically slow for agents, they should still stay on top of changing guidelines and restrictions in the lending industry.

Challenges – and overcoming them – are a part of life. Whether personal or professional, everyone goes through them. Even the best agents confront struggles every now and then – that’s how they learned and eventually became top producers

A big part of technology is staying up to date with what can help you in your business and make your life easier, as well as knowing what the latest tech tools are that you should download and invest in.

The homebuilding sector exceeded expectations in July, with housing starts soaring to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 1.093 million, according to the latest numbers from the U.S. Census Bureau. It also reported that building permits, which refer to

As agents, most of your business is dependent on your efforts. You’re the one who has to market your skills and listings. You’re the one who has to get out there and make sure everyone sees your face and

Demonstrating your value is one of the most important things you can do as an agent. There’s serious competition out there in the real estate industry – what makes you different? Better? More experienced? Worth more? Demonstrating value goes

One-stop shopping is incredibly convenient. More and more stores are adding services – for example, you can often get your groceries, dry cleaning and lunch within the same shopping complex. And now, in most grocery stores, there are coffee