The National Association of Realtors announced a list of priorities its Business Issues Policy Committee will focus on next year.

Got ghosts? No problem, says the company, which launched a new exorcism service for those needing to rid themselves of a paranormal houseguest.

Acknowledging the vast opportunities that real estate does offer, a former Los Angeles wedding planner, a Chicago Mercantile Exchange trader and a suburban Chicago millennial all launched their real estate careers just before the onslaught of the worldwide deadly virus.

Everyone starts somewhere. We polled our readers — fellow Chicagoland agents — to find out what advice they would give their rookie agent selves! Have a look at what they said.

The biggest so-called “rookie mistake” she sees in the industry is not asking enough questions.

“In 2020, the appraisal industry saw an immediate need to shift from traditional in-person appraisals to consistently precise and dependable digital valuation tools — a need that continues to grow and has no end in sight.” — Frank Martell, president and CEO of CoreLogic

Most Realtors know a fresh coat of new paint can transform a space, but do they know which colors will attract buyers? A new study has the answer.

A new study reveals the areas of the home buyers are most interested in when looking at a property.

A new report by the Consumer Federation of America reveals that referral fees paid by real estate agents result in higher commission rates and reduced customer service.

Under the new Real Estate License Act, new licensees have a post-license education requirement of 45 hours dedicated to professionalism.

Professionalism is more important than ever these days. See what Chicago-area brokers have to say about professionalism in the industry.

When it comes to professionalism in residential real estate, Frances Simons, designated managing broker at Baird & Warner’s Lake Zurich office, doesn’t pull her punches.

Mario Treto, director Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation Division of Real Estate, shares the highlights of the changes to the Real Estate License Act.

With a new app popping up seemingly daily, how do agents know which tech companies to trust to make their lives easier while also staying true to their own brand? We spoke to some of today’s most revolutionary tech companies to find out how they’re helping agents both build and strengthen their businesses.

We asked Chicagoland brokers everything they know about lead generation technology in this issue’s survey.

“From the perspective of agents, brokerages and venture capitalist firms alike, our cover story discusses which tools agents should use on a day-to-day basis, as well as how tech companies decide to leverage investments.”