By Craig Witt “Everyone has a plan – until they get punched in the face.” What a great quote from the controversial boxer Mike Tyson. Although maybe not the most eloquent speaker, this simple phrase is spot

By James James Customer Relationship Management is an integral part of of the business of being a Realtor, and the holiday season – which, amazingly, Target has already kicked off – is THE time to remind your clients who you are

By Stephen Hnatow Entering the industry in 2007, I thought a declining market and number of sales would give everyone the opportunity to become a better resource and broker for their clientele, that it would push stronger agents to

A customer relationship management (CRM) system is vital to building a successful real estate business that’s based on referrals and repeat transactions. Not only will a top-notch real estate CRM help you stay organized and in-control, but it will

By Laura Stukel Whether you represent the homebuyer or a seller, we all know to save the celebrating for after the home inspection. Inspections can be especially tricky in today’s market because most sellers are getting less out of

Starting a career in real estate can be one of the most challenging endeavors you ever undertake. Many agents just starting out work for months on a single deal, waiting for the day they can reap the benefits of

By Bob Brown What do Bill Gates, Jack Welch and many other successful business people have in common? They understand the power of strategic alliances. For realty firms and brokerages, strategic alliances with lenders can mean giving you more

You visit a homeowner who wants to sell, but the house is drafty. Maybe it has an older furnace, poor insulation or both. Or, your client is about to purchase an older home. You suggest upgrades to make the

By Alan Bryan Managing a company’s online reputation isn’t the easiest thing in the world to do. It involves a savvy mix of online relationship building, core online business tools and consistent attention to what’s being said about your

By Barbara Kleban It seems as though the hot topic among Realtors of late is e-marketing. To text or not to text? To email a newsletter or skip it and go to the Bears game (sigh)? Today’s marketing has

By Bob Corcoran This article is about turning yourself into an alarm clock. “Okay Bob,” you might be thinking, “you’ve finally lost your last marble. What are you talking about? Alarm clocks?

By Stephanie Sims A managing broker or team leader is only as good as his or her team of agents. How can you make sure you’re hiring the cream of the crop? How can you assemble a team of

Welcome to the final installment of the How to Become a Neighborhood Expert series. In my first article, Part 1 of How to Become a Chicago Neighborhood Expert, we talked about setting up a blog as your online “hub,”

With summer ending and the fall weather upon us, now is the time to speak to your sellers about getting a jump on preparing their upcoming listing for the fall/winter market. As many of you know, the way a

One of the most neglected, and yet, most important part of a successful short sale is getting both buyer and seller on the same page. This may stem from the traditional way of thinking on a traditional “retail” sale:

By Brian Brunhofer If you’re working with a client who is considering a new construction home, but they – or you – have some reservations, allow me to clear up several common misconceptions about new construction homes and