The Business of Real Estate

When my parents bought the home I grew up in I'm sure that they bought it to raise the family - not to flip or expect some kind of crazy ROI.Then, many years later, it all turned upside down.  Buyers started buying for profit (potential).  The "home" was thrown out the window and a "show me the m...

I just read an article in Inman News and it got me thinking about what our Company is doing wrong when it comes to marketing our product to Realtors.We've overcomplicated what could possibly be the most simple tool for growing new business - the sign rider.Ya, a sign rider.  No offense, but like ...

We keep hearing about the virtues of renting.  Owning, we're told, appears to be out of fashion with the economic or business case in question (unless, of course, we can pick the price bottom, have cash or can get a loan). The mantra now appears to be "rent, rent, rent".  Most all of the industr...

As brokers ourselves, we know there is nothing better than getting a chance to list those prime pieces of property - the ones that create the multiple offers.  You know the type, the easiest of all sales; no inspection, as-is, no hassle, no marketing expense or time sitting an open house.......th...

Anyone's palms sweating a little bit?  Mine are.  Another year has ended and a new one is about to begin.  Sure we've done an inventory of last year's successes and failures - but did we learn enough to keep an edge?  Is our strategy secure?Do we fill the tank and start driving the bus down the s...

 Prices will bounce around with upper-end markets continuing to fair best  Foreclosures become ho-hum  The rental market goes from hot to warm at best  New construction does better in established markets (infill) than in new outlying areas  Supply of the good stuff stays tight  Seller’s expectat...

Delivering real estate information (what’s for sale, property history, tax info etc.) continues on the path towards commoditization – however, winners get bigger (if they can stay out of court), and losers….well, they continue to lose share 2.       Alternative marketing solutions and purchasing...

The commentary from one of today’s Linkedin’s Thought Leaders got me thinking of a story my Dad told me when I was first getting into the business world.  I think it really gets to the heart of commission compensation. Here it goes: A boss enters his (commission) salesman’s office and says “come...

It seems fair to say that new construction is at the top of the high-end residential real estate pyramid. If that's true, then at the "point" is infill new construction.It's really pretty easy to verify.  Just pick a market from one of the "super zips" and drive around.  As you can see (certainly...

As a broker, we know what we need to do business….and it’s not that much. To execute and manage our brokerage business we need: A license A means to contact us and communicate with others Access to current and historical property information A marketing strategy that gives us a good ROI Sure some...