Real Estate Best Practices

Coaches, books, classes and seminars aim to capture real estate agents dollars with promises to teach them any number of ways to improve their business. From sales skills to how to close more deals to how to win with expireds (expired listings) and more, everyone has something to teach you.


There's nothing wrong with continuing education, whether it's keeping on top of new laws and regulations or learning how to be more productive. But before you spend an arm and a leg on any of those things, pull up a chair, put on your glasses and peruse the pages in this section of ActiveRain.


It is only here that you can tap into the world's largest online real estate community and actively engage with your peers. Find out what works and what doesn't from those that actually put into practice what others merely teach. Read how-to articles, advice on designations, certifications and continuing education classes. You never know where you will find the inspiration to take your business to the next level. So, pull up a chair and dig in!

Recent blogs on Real Estate Best Practices
By Bill Salvatore - East Valley, Realtor - 602-999-0952 / em: golfArizona@cox.net
(Arizona Elite Properties )
To stay competitive and successful in the fast-paced world of real estate, you need to be adaptable. The industry and market is always changing, and agents who can adapt will have a competitive advantage.  Here are 3 key areas that require being adaptable in real estate: Embracing New Technologies One of the most significant changes in real estate over the past decade has been the introduction of new technologies. From online listings to virtual tours, technology has transformed the way agents do business. Today's homebuyers expect to be able to view properties online, use digital signatures, and communicate with agents via email, text, and social media. To stay ahead of the curve, real estate agents must embrace new technologies and use them to their advantage. This could mean buying ...
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By Charles Ross - (785)-819-6944, Love To Help People
(eXp Realty LLC Salina Group)
1. I am a successful real estate agent, attracting clients ready to buy or sell their homes.2. I have the knowledge, skills, and experience to provide the best service to my clients.3. I am confident in my abilities to negotiate deals and close sales.4. I am constantly learning and improving my skills to serve my clients better.5. "My goals are supported by an amazing team that surrounds me and provides encouragement every step of the way."6. I am passionate about real estate, and my enthusiasm is contagious to my clients.7. I am worthy of success, and I attract abundance into my life.8. I am grateful for the opportunity to help people find their dream homes.9. I am focused, driven, and motivated to succeed in my real estate career.10. I believe in myself and my abilities and can achiev...
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By Endre Barath, Jr., Realtor - Los Angeles Home Sales 310.486.1002
(Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices California Properties)
This post was inspired by Patricia Feager, MBA, CRS, GRI,MRP  & Kathleen Daniels, Probate & Trust Specialist  hosting and Active Rain Challenge.While fences encroaching on neighbor's property can pose a need for concern, just how prevalent of a concern (or a problem) is this? In my experience, a small number of home sellers actually face this problem, and thus relatively few buyers need to deal with it. Over the past 27 years, I've encountered a total of 3 or 4 encroachment issues. They've generally entailed that a fence was not fully installed over the homeowner’s land, but rather it was partially placed on the neighboring land.  When neighbors get along and are reasonable, this is a non-issue and can be resolved amicably when and if the need arises.  Customarily, that need arises (and...
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By Stephen Fells, Marketing, Technology, Fun and News!
(AgencyLogic)
Everyday AgencyLogic shares real estate podcasts from industry leaders and visionaries.  Here are this weeks podcasts: Real Estate Podcast: Top Techniques for Better Presentations Real Estate Podcast: Low-Cost Ways to Create Your Own Inventory Real Estate Podcast: The 2023 Spring Real Estate Market Real Estate Podcast: $900k in Real Estate at Age 17 By Doing What 99% of Teenagers Won't Real Estate Podcast: Top Agents Show You How to Get More Listings
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By Joseph Domino 480-390-6011, Real Estate Made Easy
(HomeSmart)
There is no question real estate can be a complicated profession. As an Agent you have to be a perceptive consultant, a cautious critic, you must be a good listener, and exhibit a lot of patience. When you are representing the seller, you have to excel at helping them present their property in the best possible way.  If you are representing the buyer, you have to help them locate the best homes and negotiate a fair deal. Each of these roles requires a set of skills that do not necessarily come naturally. Sometimes the clients act in ways that are different from how I might act. But what happens when the buyer – or in this case buyers – are not in agreement with what they want? If the agent tries to please one partner, the other is unhappy. It puts the agent in no win situation.I know th...
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By Will Hamm, "Where There's a Will, There's a Way!"
(Hamm Homes)
Can never go wrong with some of Lou Ludwig blogs that he shared with us. Your Character Will Become Your Calling Card “Character is doing the right thing when nobody’s looking. There are too many people who think that the only thing that’s right is to get by, and the only thing that’s wrong is to get caught.” J. C. Watts   As I see it. . . . . . . . Your character will become your calling card   Let other judge you by the quality of your character . . . . and let your character be above approach.   The quality of your character will either open the doors of opportunity for you . . . . Or you will find them locked for you and the opportunities lose.   Your character is earned . . . . as a results of your words and deeds and can be lost quickly through your words and actions.   When your ...
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By Denise Lones, CSP, MIRM, CDEI - Real Estate Coaching & Branding
(The Lones Group, Inc.)
Really Knowing Your Real Estate Market Today's Zebra Report is on a very important topic - really knowing your stats and your numbers. Our market may appear to be sending mixed signals, but if you have been tracking and paying attention to your local market then you will not only have a better idea of what's actually happening, but you will be in a position to explain it to both prospects and clients. Here's just one great example. As our market has changed over the last three to six months, I have seen a lot of headlines that look something like. These headlines are very misleading. You need to be able to dive into the stats because when a client comes to you and say, "I just heard that median sales prices in this are have taken a dive!" Well, let's put that into perspective. Let's sa...
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By Melissa Thompson, I'm a real estate agent helping buyers and sellers
(Thompson Real Estate)
Real estate has always been a favorite investment option for many due to its many benefits, including tax advantages, diversification, excellent returns, and predictable cash flow. Unlike bonds and stock investments, investing in real estate allows you to use leverage to purchase a property by making a down payment and then paying off the balance and interest over an extended period.Like any other investment, however, investing in real estate has its own risks that can easily turn your dream of building wealth into a nightmare. That’s why you need to read the best real estate investing books to learn how to become successful in real estate investing. You must also take several factors into consideration before investing in real estate to successfully build a steady stream of wealth. Her...
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By Realtyna Inc, WordPress Real Estate - IDX, RESO Web API, CRM
(Realtyna)
Lavender is a theme for building fast real estate websites via a headless framework.The API-based theme allows developers to create high-performing real estate websites using MLS data.Content is rendered instantly from the WordPress and MLS Router APIs, resulting in near-perfect page scores.Lavender additionally allows you to build your presentation with virtually any front-end framework, which offers a great deal of flexibility and customization options.Sites using Lavender are content and feature-rich while achieving seamless delivery.A beautiful, fast-loading real estate site with Lavender improves user experiences and keeps clients happy.How Does Lavender Work?Lavender works by adopting a headless CMS framework.The WordPress API provides pages, posts, and other data, and MLS Router ...
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By Mike Young, FHA 203k Consultant 916-758-1809
(203kOnLine.com, covering the USA)
203k is alive and well in San FranciscoYour first thought is the home prices in the "city" are way to high for FHA loans. Let's look at that. The maximum loan limit for a SFR is $1,089,300. So You are correct for the most part however. if you consider the 3.5% down the purchase price with ONLY 3.5% down would be covered up to $1,128,808. I had a client who was capible of paying $1,500,000 all in cash but wanted to keep his cash flow available for his franchises. With a loan of $1,128,808 a purchase of $1,500,000 would require only a $371,192 down payment. Be creative with your thinking, think out of the box, tell me what you can do on your next purchase or sale. 
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By Bob "RealMan" Timm, Owner of Ward Co Notary Services retired RE Broker
(Ward County Notary Services)
Frankly I've already said enough about pet odors but what about if you small CRAP outdoors? For some reason Timmothy's cartoon reminded me of the home my parents purchased 51 years ago. It was new construction and it was a beautiful home.I was eager to show all my friends even though mom and dad had not moved in yet. One of my friends, Jeff, who's father did heavy construction, pointed out a little building over the backyard fence and said "that is going to stink".Neither my folks nor I had a clue that the little building was a sewage lift station. I doubt the Realtor knew but if he/she did they were not about to mention it.Jeff was correct BUT honestly in the several years Mom & Dad lived in their new home I think I maybe experienced the foul odor less than a handful of times.Where I l...
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By Scott Seaton Jr. SLS Home Insp, The Home Inspector With a Heart!
(SLS Home Inspections-Kankakee Will Iroquois Grundy Counties)
Not a Bozo Bucket For Sure     About 6-7 years ago, I had an inspection scheulded for a client that was buying his very first flip house. He owned a carpet cleaning business and this property was only $30,000. I remember thinking how many carpets he must have cleaned to save up $30K. Nothing was really out of the ordinary on the roof and exterior. The interior was a different story however. As I was in the basement looking at a section of about five  2x8 floor joists, I saw there were termite tunnels and what looked like squishy wood. There were entire sections I could actually squeeze and compress with my hands. There were also a short couple of pieces of 2x6 boards that the seller had attempted to nail in to the termite infested joists to help support the floor above. By attempted I m...
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By Scott Seaton Jr. SLS Home Insp, The Home Inspector With a Heart!
(SLS Home Inspections-Kankakee Will Iroquois Grundy Counties)
Now Just Hold on a Second There.     There are many times when a seller is present at the home inspection. Most of the time they just hang around the house, in the kitchen or family room watching TV or reading, etc. They may say to check with them if we have any questions we need answered. Very helpful and totally fine with me and my buyer. We always remind the buyer that we are in the seller's home and we should wear boot covers, which I bring with for them just in case to respect the home. I also remind the buyers not to discuss anything within earshot of the sellers just to avoid an awkward situation.      Many years ago, one seller decided to change things and make up a new set of home inspection standards. The buyer agent had not yet arrived. As I was removing my ladder and startin...
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By Stephen Fells, Marketing, Technology, Fun and News!
(AgencyLogic)
Slack's constant notifications can be annoying but help is at hand! In this quick video from the Fast Company YouTube channel, JR Raphael teaches you how to ease the pain.
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By Dr. Paula McDonald, Granbury, TX 936-203-0279
(Beam & Branch Realty)
I met with my team of agents today for our monthly meeting. Our main focus was on marketing in order to reap a future harvest. As we know from nature, those who plant seeds, nurture the seeds, and do the work, will reap the harvest at the end of the season. We can certainly learn a lot when we pay attention to the natural world.In real estate, many agents are still slumbering from their winter sleep. Suddenly they find it is Spring and they recognize they are not seeing any new leads. How did this happen and what can they do to make some needed changes right now?As a real estate professional, here is what you need to plant today in order to reap a future harvest:🌿 Plan your garden! Any gardener knows one of the first things you do before the growing season begins, is to plan their garde...
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By Will Hamm, "Where There's a Will, There's a Way!"
(Hamm Homes)
Brian Sharkey has some great information that he shared with us in his blog. The referral lead generating is a 7 step system to help agents convert conversations to leads. Step 1: Identify the Prospect- Identify potential buyers or sellers with whom you can have a meaningful conversation. Step 2: Gather Contact Information- Collect the prospect’s contact information, such as their name, email address, and phone number. Step 3: Establish Rapport- Build rapport with the prospect by engaging them in a friendly conversation. Step 4: Qualify the Prospect- Ask questions to determine if the prospect is a good fit for your services. Step 5: Present Your Services- Explain to the prospect how you can help them and how it will benefit them. Step 6: Ask for Referrals- Ask the prospect for referrals...
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By Lorrie Semler, REALTOR® in the Dallas area. Call/text 972-416-3417, Real Service. Real Results. Real Estate
(Texas Pride Realty Group Brokered by HomeSmart Stars)
Effective immediately, I have joined fellow ActiveRain member Bob McCranie's team, Texas Pride Realty Group, brokered by HomeSmart Stars.   I have know Bob a long time and respect him and the team that he's built. I look forward to working with him and the agents he has assembled and trained. Brenda Thompson, the HomeSmart Stars broker, was my broker at a previous company and I'm thrilled to be back with her.I did "find my freedom" ... I embraced it and it led me here. This has been a long time coming and I am thankful for the opportunity to thrive with friends. 
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By Lise Howe, Assoc. Broker in DC, MD, VA and attorney in DC
(Keller Williams Capital Properties)
I have been a Realtor longer than my daughter has been alive so I sort of assumed she had absorbed a certain level of knowledge in utero.  Boy... I was wrong. She is in the process of trying to buy a condo in Boston.  In her search to find that dream condo, she is working with a duo of young women whom she chose.   We had a conversation yestereday about how she prefers to see properties some times just with her fiance and not with her buyer agent.  This sounded very reasonable to me.  Frequently my clients will go to open houses without me.  I even joke that they should go to check out neighborhoods and a few open houses without me because it is fun to explore new areas and they don't need me breathing down their necks  while they explore. Then she said in all innocence that she has got...
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By Bob "RealMan" Timm, Owner of Ward Co Notary Services retired RE Broker
(Ward County Notary Services)
This was the first year in many that I did not grow a beard for the winter. I do/did miss the warmth. I say do because North Dakota did not get the message that Spring is here. We have been having one of the very coldest March's in history with temps more than 20 degrees lower each day than the "normal" high. Today the high is 23 and it's the warmest it has been in a week or more.What I don't miss is the hair in my mouth and the extra grooming that goes along with a beard. I am NOT a vain man but I do care about my appearance as of course all sales professionals should be.This post is not a "preaching" post as I've never met a stinky or unkempt Realtor in all my history as a Real Estate professional. I have seen agents, male and female, in appropriate attire but not un-groomed.One quick...
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By Endre Barath, Jr., Realtor - Los Angeles Home Sales 310.486.1002
(Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices California Properties)
I love John Wooden and his lifetime of observations. I keep the little book next to me and when I have a moment to come up for air. I read a line or two from his book.So, with that said let me share some of his wisdom here: " ... a father and mother must be there to set an example for their children, strong and positive models of what to be and how to behave when the youngsters grow up....""...being a role model is the most powerful form of educating. Youngsters need good models more than they need critics. It is one of a parent's greatest responsibilities and opportunities..." Now with that said I was lucky to have parents who were great role models, and my father did not neglect me because hew so busy working, he always made time for me.      Wishing you a safe and healthy life and I ...
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