RISMEDIA, March 8, 2011—Housing recovery may seem like a mirage in the desert of record foreclosures and steep unemployment, but history indicates that a more balanced market is in our future. Real estate has always been and always will be cyclical. Recent numbers—namely gains in existing- and new-home sales, increasing activity among investors, upticks in housing starts and ongoing efforts to streamline short sales—offer a much-needed reminder that this downturn, too, shall pass.

RISMEDIA, March 8, 2011—Brokers, agents and mortgage professionals who met in Austin, Texas last month for the very first Xplode Real Estate Technology Conference, received $35,000 worth of free mobile technology from leading mobile solutions provider, Mobile Real Estate

RISMEDIA, April 22, 2011—Ever since I began my career in real estate, I was told that creating high touches with my database or my sphere of influence was one of the most valuable things I could do to build a great referral business. I remember really struggling with whether to send out fridge magnets, an annual calendar or some great recipe cards, and even spent a ton of time trying to find a company that created the most professional mailers. These interactions were designed to keep me and my brand at the front of the consumer’s mind so that when they thought about real estate, they thought of me first. I can honestly say it worked.

RISMEDIA, March 7, 2011—When Steve Jobs made a surprise appearance to unveil the iPad 2, he made note of the fact that in only nine months during 2010 Apple sold nearly 15 million iPads, which generated close to $10 billion in revenue for the company. According to Jobs,

RISMEDIA, March 7, 2011—As social media entrenches itself across the real estate landscape, RISMedia's official Facebook page has become a vibrant online community with more than 4,000 fans and a solid base of approximately 3,000 active monthly users. Are you getting the latest RISMedia FB updates?

RISMEDIA, March 7, 2011—Foreclosures and short sales, collectively known as distressed properties, have accounted for anywhere from 35-48% of home sales in the metropolitan Chicago real estate market over the last year, according to RE/MAX. As a result, distressed homes now represent a huge source of potential competition for those who want to sell their home for more traditional reasons.

RISMEDIA, March 5, 2011—This firmly held consumer belief is possibly the greatest challenge we face in this business. We are all the same. How unfair! We are all unique human beings, with unique hopes, dreams, skills and talents. REALTORS® are like snowflakes. No two are exactly alike, right? Not according to the consumer. I’m not making this assertion, but amplifying what the majority of consumers seem to believe. I’m also not blaming the industry.

RISMEDIA, March 5, 2011—As we continue to make our way through today’s volatile market, now’s the time to start focusing on your skills and what you’re doing to find business, win the sale and close the deal. Here, Brian Wildermuth, president & co-founder of SharperAgent discusses

RISMEDIA, March 3, 2011—Real estate professionals know that success is, in part, driven by how well they can create a connection. One way to do that is to integrate video into your marketing campaign. With today’s technology, it is easier than ever to capture great video. What previously

RISMEDIA, March 3, 2011—You have 10 offices; you don’t have an exit strategy; the average age of your managers is 55 and the average age of your agents is 50. You have a lot of reinventing to do over the next few years in order to survive and put yourself in a position to exit the business

RISMEDIA, March 2, 2011—In an industry contingent upon time constraints, fast communication and lead generation, rapidly adopting new technology is important for any successful and progressive brokerage. When it comes to providing revolutionary, cutting-edge tools to its agents,

RISMEDIA, March 1, 2011—You can't get rich quick in real estate, but you definitely can get rich. Protect your investment by anchoring your strategy to the long term hold. Timing is everything. You must maintain control over choosing your timing. ...

RISMEDIA, March 1, 2011—One of my favorite movies is “Miracle,” in which Kurt Russell is playing the coach of the history-making 1980 Olympic hockey team. In the movie, it was his job to assemble a team that would be able to play

RISMEDIA, February 28, 2011—When was the last time you heard the words “energy,” “fresh” and “fun” in conjunction with the real estate market? Or remarked that a brand is consistently over-delivering despite a challenging environment? If you’re like most in this business, it’s probably been a while. Yet, those are exactly the sentiments Better Homes and Gardens® Real Estate brokers use to describe their brand, which explains why the franchise has grown to approximately 7,000 sales associates and 190 offices serving home buyers and sellers in 21 states in the 30 short months since its official relaunch in 2008. In a time that has been punctuated with much negativity, Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate brings a clean slate to real estate, creating what it believes is a brand for the future—a brand whose momentum is building. As President & CEO Sherry Chris says, “Our positive results confirm that we’ve done the right thing.”

RISMEDIA, February 28, 2011—The National Association of REALTORS® is currently accepting applications for the 12th annual REALTOR® Magazine Good Neighbor Awards. The awards recognize REALTORS® for their dedication to volunteer service.