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Take a moment and try something. Fire up your Web browser and bring up Google. I am sure we can all agree that Google is like a window into the universe—if something exists, like pink polka-dotted frogs, it will show up when we search for it there. So what happens when we search for “real estate?” Not surprisingly, our industry shows up in force. A half-dozen national real estate firms: RE/MAX, Coldwell Banker, Keller Williams, Century 21, Prudential, ERA, Zip, BH&G and ERA. Also, a half-dozen national real estate websites: REALTOR.com®, Zillow, Trulia, RealEstate.com, etc. Everyone you would expect, since they have spent enormous energy, brain power and dollars to make sure their SEO is in tip-top shape.

Did you know that every successful professional has one thing in common? They all possess a strong level of emotional resilience. Were they born with it? No. In most cases they learned it as a skill necessary for survival in business. What is emotional resilience? It is the ability to quickly return to a state of poise, confidence and ease no matter what curves are thrown your way. Here are seven steps to gaining emotional resilience: 1. Have a high level of belief in yourself:

According to the 2010 NAR Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers, for the last three years, about 90% of home buyers used the Internet in their home search. And while the survey suggests that buyers may begin their home search independently, many turn to the Internet to find a qualified agent to help them with the process. It makes sense then, that agents that are finding the most success in today’s market are those that are taking a proactive approach to managing their reputation online.

Even the healthiest websites should be refreshed, retooled and refocused from time to time so that they generate the maximum results you desire. Here is a checklist to work from to make sure your website is on track for success: 1. IDX maximized and leveraged. Gone are the days of just one link to search properties and forcing the visitor to do a cumbersome search each time they visit. Have an interactive MLS search on the front page of your site and include quick searches to specific information and ways to register for hot property alerts like www.KristanCole.com. Visitors to your site want to see listings and they want to see them quickly!

Greg Rand (@gsrand) (http://twitter.com/gsrand), CEO of OwnAmerica (http://ownamerica.com) hosts Rand on Real Estate on 770 WABC; this week he discusses the White House's announcement and breaks it down. “It sounds good,” Rand says, “but it's more important to watch what they DO in Washington more than what they say. Stay tuned. This could be the first government housing program that actually works, if they listen to the private sector.”

You hand them out frequently to relatives, clients and others. You receive them, good and bad. What are they? They’re tips, and we get and give them regularly. You can use targeted tips to bridge your communication efforts and quickly help you develop your expert status on a particular real estate topic while optimizing your website. Tips should be handed out one or only a few at a time, as you want to build trust and understanding with your audience. This is of course, unless you are creating a list of tips as guidelines or instructions,

The national mortgage delinquency rate (the rate of borrowers 60 or more days past due) decreased for the sixth consecutive quarter, dropping to 5.82 percent at the end of the second quarter in 2011 according to a quarterly analysis of credit-active U.S. consumers by TransUnion. Although mortgage delinquencies were expected to continue to drop, the Q2 2011 TransUnion data released recently shows mortgage delinquency rates improved on a quarterly basis by 5.98 percent, more than any time since the recession officially ended two years ago.

RISMedia is excited to announce the release of its new and improved daily e-news layout for RISMedia and Top 5 in Real Estate Network® subscribers. With a modern, cleaner design, our readers will enjoy the same timely and relevant news and video articles but with a fresh look, updated fonts and larger photos. With familiar links to our social media sites, products, publications and partners, our top video and news content are now more prominently designed for your convenience and ease of access to the day’s important news and information.

RISMEDIA, August 11, 2011—As you read these statements—all of which came from actual clients—do any of them sound familiar? If you grew up in this society then you undoubtedly were conditioned to have conflicting beliefs about success. • “I want to be successful, but I'm afraid that I wouldn't than have any time for myself, my friends, or my family.” • “I want to be successful, but I fear that I could not endure the amount of stress that comes with success.” • “I can't be successful because I really don't have what it takes.”

RISMEDIA, August 10, 2011—I had no intention of making my original article, “MLSs Taking Control of your Destiny,”  a “series,” but after receiving tremendous feedback on it and hearing all of the discussion around it at a recent conference, I was compelled to dive in further. With the hopes of inspiring future action, this article will be about reflection; holding up the proverbial mirror and acknowledging that that our habits, practices, realities and beliefs are the starting point and will ultimately dictate our outcomes.

RISMEDIA, August 9, 2011—Greg Rand (@gsrand), CEO of OwnAmerica, hosts “Rand on Real Estate” on 770 WABC. This week, Rand speaks with a caller from Long Island, N.Y. who is interested in the Jacksonville, FL market. This discussion focuses on vacation vs. investment homes.

RISMEDIA, August 8, 2011—As many consumers would likely agree, a good or bad customer experience can change everything. This is a reality that Illinois-based Home Warranty of America (HWA) not only takes to heart, but actively implements into its everyday business practices. With a consumer-oriented mindset at the forefront, the company prides itself on being the home warranty company that serves up the greatest customer experience possible—all day, every day. By staying in tune with the needs of those it serves, HWA maintains a firm grasp on the fact that a positive, service-driven customer experience can make a difference in the lives of all involved.

RISMEDIA, August 6, 2011—As real estate professionals, one of our most valuable assets is our database—and one of most important things we do as agents and brokers is to build and maintain that database. It is critical, therefore, to utilize a high-quality contact manager or customer relationship management (CRM) application to assist with that task.

RISMEDIA, August 5, 2011—Are you a perfectionist? Do you know someone who is? Have you ever wondered if perfectionism is a help or hindrance on the road to success? In my 15+ years of coaching real estate agents to be at the top of their game, I have seen that perfectionism does more harm than good. In fact there are at least seven ways that perfectionism stops you from success.

Wouldn’t it be terrific if the latest gadget would actually make you more money with less effort? And wouldn’t it be even better if you could get all the money back you’ve already spent on products that still sit unwrapped in their original packaging under your desk right now? You are not alone! Everybody wants the latest silver bullet. And every day there seems to be a newer better, whiter, brighter, quicker, and way-more-cool tool than the one you just bought that guarantees you will make more money…or will you?