In the real estate justice system, the people are represented by two separate yet equally important groups: the Grievance Committee, which investigates crime; and the Professional Standards Committee, which prosecutes the offenders. These are their stories (gavel sound effect).

This is our eighth annual Agents’ Choice Awards issue, and even though we’ve been doing this for almost a decade, it’s always refreshing to hear how excited our nominees get when I tell them they’ve been nominated for a

The multiple listing service (MLS) certainly has evolved. It used to be a huge printed book – now it is in website form, with useful tech features, like search functionalities and the ability to update listings every 15 minutes,

The lending industry is a bit of an unpredictable industry – it can be very difficult to predict how interest rates will fluctuate, and by how much; what changes will happen to existing loan products; or what new products

Talking is the basis of communication, but with technology, there are multiple ways to communicate – text, email, old-fashioned phone calls and even messaging through social media platforms, like Facebook and Twitter. With even more ways to communicate today,

There have been numerous debates about which syndication site is the best investment for agents. While there are several smaller or up-and-coming syndication websites, the competition remains stiff among the “big three”: Zillow, Trulia and realtor.com. And yes, by

In case you missed the photos a few issues back, Chicago Agent held its “Who’s Who in Chicagoland Real Estate” issue party at The Grant this year, one of Related Midwest’s new South Loop Luxury buildings. Admittedly, I had

My mother is always pleasantly surprised by how crowded the Loop is on any day of the week. Since a majority of the Chicagoland population works in the Loop during the week and the weekends draw tourists and Chicagoland

The best part about technology is also the most frustrating part: one minute an app, software or website could be deemed “the best,” and the next minute, a competing company has come out with something that does what “the

Whether business or personal, for every relationship to last, they each take work. Sometimes relationships end, and sometimes that’s not a bad thing if the relationship is toxic or not benefiting both parties. But even relationships that start out

As the market has started to recover, several “old” challenges that agents haven’t seen in a while have come up. Issues like multiple offers and making sure your buyer can win the bidding war; helping potential buyers obtain a

It’s becoming more apparent that “tried and true” strategies may become obsolete the more technology changes. What used to work regularly for agents might not be as effective anymore, especially when it comes to lead generation, technology and communicating with

When people think of words to describe successful managers, words like “leader,” “knowledgeable,” “problem-solver,” “planner” and “inspiring” come to mind. But how do those managers obtain “great manager” status? It takes a mixture of natural management abilities with training

When I sent out an e-blast early this year asking for our readers’ opinions on how they would “fix” appraisal issues or how they’ve been affected by differing appraisals, the many responses I received were very passionate. Though I

Luxury consumers are a different breed. They’re not your average homebuyer – they expect a different standard. They demand the best when it comes to every aspect of buying and selling a home. Some agents might not realize that

When the price is right, properties move. It used to be no big thing to price a property – an agent would (and still does) take a look at the comps in the neighborhood, create a CMA and present