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RISMEDIA, December 2, 2009—This year will be remembered by many of residential real estate’s full-service brokerage owners and their full-time professional sales associates as the year that wasn’t. There’s no mistaking the fact that many of the economic struggles our industry saw in 2009 will still be prevalent in 2010. Power Brokers believe that short sales will continue, pricing will still be key and the road ahead will not be without its bumps.

RISMEDIA, November 30, 2009—Consumers are more conscientious about healthy living than ever before and this awareness is making its way to the homebuilding industry, particularly in the custom home market, says Michael Lenahen who owns Ponte Vedra, Fla.-based Aurora Custom Homes. “As more consumers begin to realize how much their home affects every aspect of their health, they are beginning to see the importance of improving its environmental quality with products to benefit their health and that of their family,” Lenahen said.

Editor’s Note: RISMedia will be periodically running a 10-part series of helpful tips on how you can help your clients increase the value of their home by improving and maximizing the all-important extra square footage in their basement. RISMEDIA, November 28, 2009—When a thunderstorm sweeps through a neighborhood creating power outages and releasing torrential rain on unsuspecting basements,

RISMEDIA, November 27, 2009—In today's changing economy, many entrepreneurs and real estate agents are wondering what to do. Some have gone through a cycle of shock, disappointment, fear, and now confusion. What seemed to work in yesterday's marketplace isn't working today. The truth is there are many opportunities in today's market for success. The following 7 tips will put you on a path toward success in today’s economy.

RISMEDIA, November 25, 2009—U.S. house prices rose modestly in the third quarter of 2009 according to the Federal Housing Finance Agency’s (FHFA) seasonally adjusted purchase-only house price index (HPI). The HPI, calculated using home sales price information from Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac-acquired mortgages, was 0.2% higher on a seasonally adjusted basis in the third quarter than in the second quarter of 2009. Over the past year, seasonally adjusted prices fell 3.8% from the third quarter of 2008 to the third quarter of 2009. FHFA’s seasonally adjusted monthly index for September 2009

RISMEDIA, November 24, 2009—(MCT)—House shopping usually slows down in the winter, as people put their home searches on hold to trim the tree, buy presents to put under it and avoid the chilly weather. This winter, however, might be different, thanks to the extended—and expanded—first-time home-buyer tax credit. "We're going to see far more interest in the fourth quarter than we generally do because of the tax credit," said Heather Fernandez, vice president of Trulia.com,

RISMEDIA, November 23, 2009—Just 20 years ago, “going to work” meant waking up, getting dressed, jumping in the car and driving to a physical location where you interacted, face-to-face, with your boss and coworkers all day. In 2009, it might mean stepping across the hall to your home office and getting on a videoconference with a boss you haven’t seen in years—if, indeed, you’ve ever met her. Yes, everything about work has changed. It’s gone from a permanent, flesh-and-blood world of people who know their coworkers well—from where they live to how many kids they have to how they drink their coffee—to a transient one where the voices on the phone may change week to week and project to project. (Even inside an office, coworkers are more likely to e-mail the person in the next cubicle than speak to him).

RISMEDIA, November 21, 2009—Trulia, Inc. has announced that 25.6% of homes currently on the market in the United States as of November 1, 2009 have experienced at least one price cut during the past 12 months. More than 40% of the top 50 major metros across the U.S. are experiencing price reduction levels above 30%, significantly higher than the national average. The average discount for price-reduced homes continues to hold steady at 10% off of the original listing price.

RISMEDIA, November 20, 2009—I recently returned from the NAR National Convention in San Diego, California, a convention that had a feel of celebration. I believe that’s because every one of the 19,000 attendees is a survivor of the past three years of the worst economic and real estate crisis this country has seen in 80 years. For me, the experience was one of confirmation of what I believe to be the future of the real estate industry—Internet-based real estate. The business model, like ours, is a national Internet-based Real Estate Brokerage,

RISMEDIA, November 18, 2009—Aided by the home buyer tax credit, the outlook for housing and the economy appears headed for a sustainable recovery, according to the National Association of Realtors®. Lawrence Yun, NAR chief economist, said the projections are enhanced by a tax credit expansion to more home buyers through the middle of 2010. “Given the success of the first-time buyer tax credit to date,

RISMEDIA, November 17, 2009—In this month’s NAR Power Broker Roundtable, incoming NAR President Vicki Cox Golder discusses how she will lead the real estate industry into 2010. While she believes that we can once again approach the industry with a sense of optimism, there is still a tremendous amount of work to be done as we move into the future.

RISMEDIA, November 16, 2009—Most states continued to experience rising existing-home sales in the third quarter 2009, with prices moderating in many metro areas, according to the latest survey by the National Association of Realtors®. Total state existing-home sales, including single-family and condo, increased 11.4% to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 5.30 million units in the third quarter from 4.76 million units in the second quarter, and are now 5.9% above the 5.01 million-unit pace in the third quarter of 2008. Sales increased from the second quarter in 45 states and the District of Columbia; 28 states and D.C. saw double-digit gains. Year-over-year sales were higher in 32 states and D.C.

RISMEDIA, December 7, 2009—Christine Van Tuyl and Margaret La Grange, an award-winning mother-daughter team with Prudential California Realty in Coronado, have compiled their latest list, “Top Tips for Improving Your Credit Score Now.” “Although interest rates are at historic lows, you need to have excellent credit to secure the best possible rate,” said Christine Van Tuyl, real estate agent. “Whether you’re looking to boost an already good score, or if you have a foreclosure or short sale on your record, it’s never a bad time to improve your credit score.”

RISMEDIA, November 13, 2009—The next generation of real estate customers, at 74 million strong, is poised to enter their prime home-buying years. Generation Y, people born between 1980 and 1995, rivals the size and potentially the influence of their parents’ generation: the Baby Boomers, born between 1946 and 1965. Gen Yers are about to create a new wave of consumer clout, not to mention a chain reaction in real estate that could reshape how you do business and how much business you do. As they enter the housing market, Millennials will enable Gen Xers (born between 1965 and 1979) and Boomers to make their next real estate moves.

RISMEDIA, November 11, 2009—Geared specifically toward agents, don’t miss “Staying Up in a Down Market: Short Sales, Expireds & Price Reductions,” scheduled for this Saturday from 1:30-3 p.m. at the San Diego Convention Center during the NAR Conference.  All NAR full-conference and day-conference attendees are encouraged to attend.  This session—held as part of the NAR Conference program,