Social media is quickly becoming the preferred marketing method for many, and with good reason. Here are 3 steps to help you boost its effectiveness. #150415588 / gettyimages.com In the past several years, the influence of the Internet has grown

Our upcoming special Lending Issue will feature a Q&A with some of Chicagoland’s top mortgage professionals, and we want them to answer your most pressing questions about the current state of lending. To participate, simply fill out the form

What do first-time homebuyers want from real estate agents? #457207699 / gettyimages.com First-time homebuyers are a unique breed of consumer. With little in the way of experience in real estate, they offer a fresh batch of challenges and opportunities for

Some bad habits seem endemic in real estate, and you’ll want to do your very best to avoid them. #81888249 / gettyimages.com In real estate, there are bad habits and then there are bad habits, the common shortcomings of real

All agents deal with unrealistic expectations at some point in their career; here’s a guide to dealing with them. #148360737 / gettyimages.com Beautiful loft apartments in a chic, central location, marble countertops, gleaming wood floors, free parking. There’s nothing

All agents strive to leave positive impressions, and we’ve got the three principles to keep in mind to do just that. #184314711 / gettyimages.com First impressions are undoubtedly important in real estate, but it’s the lasting impressions – the

Negotiations call for a certain amount of assertiveness to make sure your clients get what they deserve, but how do you when it’s enough? #182793260 / gettyimages.com One of the hallmarks of a quality negotiator, especially in regards to real

Recent analysis by the CFPB has spurred changes to FICO, but how will those changes impact your real estate business, if at all? #114854649 / gettyimages.com FICO, aka the most prevalent credit-rating system in the U.S. and a key

No agent will succeed with unappreciated clients, but showing appreciation is actually much easier than it seems. #456780199 / gettyimages.com Everyone likes appreciation, but it’s a safe statement to make that consumers love appreciation more than any group of

“Curb Appeal” is a term thrown around often by consumers and agents alike, but an interesting new infographic from SensationalColor.com shows just how valuable the concept can be when selling a home. Click on the graphic below for its

Online agent-client collaboration, originating inside the MLS, has mostly been stalled since 1998. In that year, MLS systems started providing an area for clients to view agent-saved searches and suggested listings, and to provide listing ratings back to the

What are some of the perks of pursing a newly built home for your clients? Below, we collect several of the most notable

Data is the big currency in today’s real estate environment, and it’s brought quite a few changes to how the industry functions. #144635400 / gettyimages.com Big data – the grand democratization of statistics and information that the Internet made

Mobile design moved swiftly through real estate websites, and it’s now poised to take over the industry. #184078342 / gettyimages.com Everybody knows that with each passing year, mobile browsing seizes a larger and larger share of the real estate

The data tells the story: Nine out of 10 home buyers are using the Web to search property listings, and 98 percent of them say that photographs are among the most useful features on real estate websites, according to

Media outlets the industry over are reporting on the Commerce Department latest homeownership report, but is the data reliable? The coverage was quite widespread – earlier this week, the Commerce Department reported that the homeownership rate in the U.S. hit