Improving Your Business

Stories, articles and advice aimed at improving your business

The 7 characteristics of 2017’s Silent Generation buyers that agents need to know

Understanding buyers is going to be especially important this year – interest rates and prices are rising, inventory shortages remain commonplace throughout the U.S., and our housing market is now operating under a president promising a broad spectrum of

How agents can deal with 4 common client misconceptions

There are many misconceptions our clients have, and it is our job to assist them, using our expertise and knowledge to not only help them understand the market, but to also position them for a successful real estate transaction. We should

How a better night’s sleep can boost an agent’s business

The benefits of a good night’s rest are well known, but a new study finds it can literally translate to more money in your pocket. The research, conducted by Matthew Gibson of Williams College and Jeffrey Shrader of the University

Are these 4 luxury amenities becoming irrelevant to today’s buyers?

If 2016 has taught us anything, it’s that change is in the air, and according to recent findings by BloombergPursuits, a few staples of luxury real estate are caught in that draft. 1. The home theater In 2015, the

4 tech trends that have revolutionized real estate

It’s a cliché that technology has revolutionized real estate, but as with most clichés, the statement comes with an abundance of truth – it’s simply night and day comparing the real estate business of old with the one that flourishes

Sente Mortgage chief executive talks housing under Trump (Part 2)

Tom Rhodes is the CEO of Austin-based lender Sente Mortgage, and a past president of the Texas Mortgage Bankers Association. In the first part of our conversation with the long-time lender, we discussed what housing will look like under a

The smart-home feature that homebuyers want in 2017

Smart home technologies are one of the most pervasive trends in real estate today, and a recent survey from Coldwell Banker and Vivint Smart Home found that among the currently available varieties, voice automation is the most popular. Understanding

Sente Mortgage chief executive talks housing under Trump (Part 1)

Tom Rhodes is the CEO of Austin-based lender Sente Mortgage, and a past president of the Texas Mortgage Bankers Association. In our conversation with the long-time lender, we discussed what housing will look like under President Trump, Housing Secretary

A guide to the 2017 buyer: Young Boomers

As we mentioned in the last entry in our “A Guide to the 2017 Buyer” series (which covered Generation X) the question of “What does this year’s buyer look like?” is particularly pressing in 2017, and for one reason – the

A guide to the 2017 buyer: Generation X

As we mentioned in the first entry in our “A Guide to the 2017 Buyer” series – which covered Millennials – the question “What does this year’s buyer look like?” is particularly pressing this year. It’s pressing because we start

7 easy staging tips for selling homes in the winter

One may think that winter is a more challenging time of year to sell a home, but there are most likely going to be fewer homes on the market. Agents can take advantage of winter’s assets with these seven tips: 1.

The top 4 home design trends for 2017 – and the 3 going out the door

Every year brings with it new design trends that capture the hearts and minds of prospective homebuyers, and thanks to Zillow Digs, we have a good idea of what trends to look for in the 2017 housing market. First,

3 top CRMs for real estate agents

With dozens of CRMs available for real estate agents to choose from, how can you know which will serve as the most effective lead generation tool? What about the other features you need to manage your contacts? We took a

Real estate and social media: 7 things agents must know

It’s no secret that social media is one of the most effective complements to a real estate agent’s business, and indeed, 65 percent of agents use social media for their business, according to NAR’s latest Member Profile. In order

A majority of consumers are terrified of the mortgage process

The overwhelming majority (92 percent) of U.S. consumers recognize buying a home as a better financial decision than renting, a national survey from Sente Mortgage confirmed. The problem is that most (70 percent) do not know how or where

Tesla’s new solar roof could revolutionize single-family homes

The Web has been abuzz in recent months about Elon Musk’s solar roof, coming by way of Solar City. The plan to replace traditional shingles with high-efficiency solar cells has sustainable building advocates applauding, but it’s left homeowners and

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