RISMEDIA, December 15, 2010—(MCT)—The number of homeowners in the U.S. who owe more on their properties than what those homes are worth has declined steadily for most of 2010, according to Santa Ana, Calif. research firm CoreLogic. But the drop in properties with negative equity has more to do with troubled borrowers losing their homes to foreclosure than an increase in prices. About 10.8 million, or 22.5% of residential properties with mortgages were in negative equity positions at the end of the third quarter. That is down from 11 million, or 23%, in the second quarter.

RISMEDIA, December 15, 2010—This week’s headlines from the NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS® include: a no-cost field guide to working with single home buyers from NAR’s Right Tools, Right Now initiative; REALTOR Benefits® partner zipLogix introduces zipForm®

RISMEDIA, December 15, 2010—Virtual tour providers and virtual tours are all exactly the same, or are they? Does it matter if you use one that offers free virtual tours or one that charges a monthly subscription? Does it matter if the virtual tour company is brand new or may claim to have

RISMEDIA, December 15, 2010—Real estate consumers these days are no longer satisfied with the ability to search for a three-bedroom, two bath condo. They now want more levels of search that qualify as the up and coming concept known as ‘Lifestyle Search.’ Consumers are choosing their

RISMEDIA, December 15, 2010—While everyone is preparing for the holiday season, are you singing to a different tune as you stress about your upcoming move? Moving can be demanding on its own, plus combined with the stresses of preparing for the holidays, can be as challenging as

RISMEDIA, December 14, 2010—As we continue to make our way closer to the end of 2010, everyone seems to be talking about the “new normal.” In this month’s Power Broker Roundtable, real estate professionals Steve Brown and Charlie Oppler discuss what the new normal is and what it means for the real estate industry as we make our way into 2011.

RISMEDIA, December 14, 2010—When was the last time you did business with someone you didn’t like? Now granted, sometimes we don’t have a choice—like at the license branch, or maybe the checkout clerk we happen to get stuck with. But the truth is, when we have a choice, we deal ...

RISMEDIA, December 14, 2010—The number of price-reduced homes on the market this November increased dramatically compared to the same time last year, rising 24.1% according to ZipRealty's Price Reduction Index, a monthly review of MLS-listed properties in 26 markets surveyed by the real estate brokerage. ...

RISMEDIA, December 14, 2010—If you think roof leaks are only a problem if you live in a climate with frequent rain, think again. While roofing problems are obviously most often caused or exacerbated by rain, there are other just as insidious, but lesser-known, sources that contribute to roof leak issues. Whether you’ve got a new home or an older one, most roof shingles, on average, can go 15 years without needing repair—but that doesn't mean you should set the alarm for a decade and a half and forget about it.

RISMEDIA, December 13, 2010—Dale Stinton, the no-nonsense CEO of The National Association of REALTORS® (NAR), brings a perfect blend of realism and optimism to NAR’s members. The future holds promise if you’re willing to confront the facts and offer consumers complete transparency, he believes. In this interview, Stinton offers his assessment of 2010 and his perspective on the future. The basis of success no matter which way the market turns? Education.

RISMEDIA, December 13, 2010—This week I had the opportunity to attend a sales conference for one of our partner companies. I was truly impressed by all of the various tools and training this company is incorporating to add value not only to their sales team, but for their clients.

RISMEDIA, December 13, 2010—Running a profitable business is about having the right agents in your brokerage, but it’s also about having the right number of agents. To be truly successful, you need to be using your resources efficiently. That means having your desks filled with talented

RISMEDIA, December 13, 2010—(MCT)—President Barack Obama's nominee to lead Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac recently pledged to Congress to offer not just management, but leadership, if he becomes the new chief of the troubled housing agencies.

RISMEDIA, December 13, 2010—Serving as leading indicators for the sector, two composite multifamily indices produced from NAHB's survey of multifamily builders and property managers showed improvement in the third quarter of 2010. The NAHB Multifamily Production Index (MPI) increased to a value of 35.6, up from the 26.6 level reported for the second quarter. This is the highest the MPI has been since 2007.

RISMEDIA, December 11, 2010—An ancient Chinese proverb reminds us; "To listen well, is as powerful a means of influence as to talk well." While everyone can benefit from this sage advice, these words of wisdom are particularly appropriate for real estate professionals. Would you consider yourself a good listener? Perhaps a more important question might be, how would your clients, business associates, friends and family members rate your listening ability? Their feedback might just surprise you, because most people believe they're much better listeners than they truly are.