Improving Your Business

Stories, articles and advice aimed at improving your business

Major Changes Coming to Consumer Credit Ratings

The manner in which the major credit-rating agencies judge consumer credit will change in a big way. The three major credit-rating agencies will be overhauling their methods for addressing both credit disputes and medical bills, according to a new

5 Must-Know Details About the Latest Jobs Report

There were several aspects of the new jobs report that real estate agents should be aware of. The government released its latest jobs report earlier today, and as with past reports, there was a subtle mixture of highly positive and slightly

When it Comes to Homes, Bigger is Definitely Better in America

Americans love big houses, and that’s true across generational and economic lines. Only 40 percent of Americans are living in their ideal home size, and 43 percent wish they were living in a home that is somewhat or significantly larger.

What Do Single Men, Single Women and Married Couples Value in a Home?

When it comes to a home’s features, does one’s gender/relationship status impact how they prioritize the features? Walk-in closets, new kitchen appliances, nine-foot ceilings, single-level living – all are distinctive features to a home, and research from NAR suggests

Bad News For the Middle Class = Bad News For Housing

Whenever you see a report on America’s evaporating middle class, you should think about the implications for housing. Homeownership is a defining symbol of American middle class life; indeed, the quintessential image of a single-family detached house, complete with

Zillow Officially Acquires Trulia for $2.5B, Gives Birth to ‘Zillow Group’

Zillow yesterday completed its acquisition of Trulia, shelling out $2.5 billion for its former rival and forming the “Zillow Group,” the parent company that will now house not only the Zillow and Trulia brands, but also StreetEasy and HotPads. Though nothing has

Fed Study: Student Debt Clearly Pushing Down Millennial Homeownership

A new study from the Federal Reserve brings more evidence to the table on the damaging economic effects of high student debt burdens We’re written in the past about the effects of student loan debt on the housing market

5 Home Features that Consumers Want in 2015

What features should you be emphasizing when promoting your listings? There are many features in the typical house, but what features are attracting the most attention from homebuyers as the 2015 market takes shape? To find out, we perused

Should Real Estate Agents Prepare For the Drone Revolution? Not So Fast

Sure, the FAA finally ruled on drones, but that doesn’t necessarily mean the drone floodgates are now open. After considerable deliberation and anticipation, the Federal Aviation Administration finally unveiled its regulations for commercial drone usage on Sunday, which, in tandem

FTC Approves Zillow’s Acquisition of Trulia, Closure Expected Soon

After a considerable waiting period, it looks like Zillow will officially acquire Trulia. It was way back in July 2014 when Zillow first announced its $2.9 billion acquisition of syndication rival Trulia, and now, after considerable anticipation, it seems

Should Agent Commission Splits Be Public Record?

Agents never publicly disclose their splits, but should that change? Howard Schultz, the famed CEO of Starbucks, recently proclaimed that “the currency of leadership is transparency,” and his comment snuggled up quite nicely with what is a new trend

6 Common Facebook Mistakes You Need to Avoid

It’s easy to make these mistakes while using Facebook, but that doesn’t mean you should make them! Facebook can be one of the most useful tools in a real estate agent’s marketing apparatus, but there are definite mistakes that

7 Reasons Why Location, Location, Location Remains True

Is “location, location, location” still relevant in today’s housing market? Absolutely! “Location, location, location” is one of those eternal mantras in real estate, but how much significance does it hold in today’s ever-evolving housing market? Unsurprisingly, the answer is:

4 Essential Tips When Working With Your Clients

What tips should you follow, to ensure that you have the very best interactions with your clients? We’ll start out with an obvious statement – any real estate agent’s business is only as good as their clientele, and the

SPECIAL REPORT: Magic City Sees Tremendous 2 Year Decline in Foreclosures

Using data provided by CoreLogic, we look closer at the foreclosure and serious delinquency rates of the last two years. Last week, we reviewed CoreLogic’s latest foreclosure report, which provided a brief snapshot of national and local foreclosure levels

When to Schedule Closings: A Review of 2014

Danielle Hale of NAR tackles existing-homes sales to determine what the most popular closing dates of 2014 were. It’s a whimsical if not slightly tired cliché to say “it’s all in the timing,” but in rare form, it’s one

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