Across the U.S., homeowners’ associations are on the ascent. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, 59 percent of newly constructed homes in 2014 were part of a homeowners’ association. That’s up from 46 percent in 2009. So, what’s the draw of homeowners’ associations? By the same token, what are the drawbacks? “A well-run and managed HOA can be a blessing,...
Judie Crockett is proud to admit that she’s addicted to Facebook. While she used to feel embarrassed about her self-professed love for the popular social networking site, Crockett realized that it’s actually a reflection of her love for the real estate business. “I’m addicted to Facebook because I’m addicted to people. I really do care about people and I...
“Comps” – or recent comparable sales – give real estate practitioners and appraisers the information they need to price a home at fair-market value. Though comparable data are clear-cut to a professional, how many sellers understand the various tangibles and intangibles that inform these comparisons? If the gap between seller perception and appraiser opinion...
Panelists share their successful growth strategies during RISMedia's 2015 CEO Exchange. When it comes to growing in today’s recovering yet challenged real estate market, brokers are pulling out all the stops in order to set their firms up for continued growth as we head toward the future. While recruiting, retention, organic expansion, roll-ins and mergers and acquisitions...
For today’s real estate pros, business comes from a wide variety of places, off- and online. For those not maximizing leads from the Web, a lot of prospective clients – and money – could be left smack dab in the middle of the table. For Galand Haas, operating principal of Keller Williams Realty Eugene and Springfield, in Oregon, and Lane Hornung, CEO and founder...
Though REALTOR® Safety Month is coming to a close, safety is an issue that should remain top of mind year-round, and be everyone's number one priority, regardless of bottom lines and the allure of new prospects. Real estate agents should never forget the importance of staying safe and real estate brokerages should never stop reminding their staff that there is nothing...
The dialogue concerning REALTOR® safety—ongoing and unabated in the year since the death of Arkansas agent Beverly Carter —has brought to light the many risks real estate practitioners face in the field. But the conversation, says Charles Oppler, 2015 Vice President of the National Association of REALTORS®, appears long overdue. “We took everything we did...
RISMedia’s 2015 CEO Exchange kicked off on Wednesday, September 16 at The Yale Club in New York, N.Y., with a behind-the-scenes look into how Power Brokers are embracing change in order to meet the needs of an ever-evolving industry and consumer. Moderated by John Featherston, president & CEO of RISMedia, “Here Today, Ready for Tomorrow: Blueprints for Sustainable...
Real estate professionals take a broad array of precautions to stay safe, from taking martial arts classes to setting up complex safety policies within their company. However, what they may accidentally overlook, according to Garry Marsoubian, is online safety. Marsoubian is the director of Data Center Services at MRIS, where he oversees the security initiatives...
Contributed by Pem Guerry With compliance requirements differing from industry to industry, it can be difficult (and tiring) to keep up with an influx of regulations, especially regarding digital documents. But don’t be discouraged—documents using e-signatures are every bit as legal as those using traditional wet ink signatures. As with any paper document, however,...
