“If I had five minutes to chop down a tree, I’d spend the first three sharpening my axe.”
-Abraham Lincoln Preparedness in anything can greatly increase our effectiveness and chance for success. In real estate, the same holds true. When the time comes to hire a REALTOR® that's prepared to assist you in selling or buying your home, what should you expect?...

This blog was contributed by Home Advisor. When investing in countertops for your kitchen, you should first consider how much cooking -- and what type of cooking -- you’ll be doing. Are you a master chef with a wide array of kitchen tools, or do you prefer to cook everything in the microwave or oven? Countertops vary widely, which influences the total cost of a...

Posted on Nov 17 2014 - 1:34pm by Suzanne De Vita
Comments Off on Send Clients a Gratitude Gift This Thanksgiving

For those in real estate, November means one thing: seasonal marketing, and lots of it. Rather than inundate your clients with emails and postcards, show your appreciation this Thanksgiving with a gesture of gratitude. Whether you’re planning to check in via pop-by or phone call, build a better client relationship with these budget-friendly gifts.

Luggage...

Posted on Nov 14 2014 - 12:48pm by Nick Caruso
Comments Off on Jump Start Your Business by Focusing On the Consumer Experience

Dynamic content, a responsive social media presence and an all-inclusive mobile experience were all hot topics at RISMedia’s Power Broker Forum held last week at the 2014 REALTORS® Conference & Expo held in New Orleans. The panel entitled “Power Broker Strategies for Enhancing the Consumer Experience,” provided a marco level approach for empowering and...

For those who are interested in making a profit after buying a property, flipping houses is a common practice that works to improve and update a structure before selling your home for a higher value. Many people find that the time and effort put into the property can be a challenge, but can have a large payoff. Flipping houses is now considered a practical way to...

While chatting with Amanda Zuckerman, lead broker for MV Realty in Delray Beach, Fla., it quickly becomes obvious that she’s not the villain reality TV made her out to be. Zuckerman, best known for her stint on the controversial 15th season of Big Brother, is extremely down to earth and personable – the kind of person you’d want to throw back a beer or two...

Editor's Note: This post was originally published on November 6, 2014. Housecall continues to share this piece due to ongoing requests and reader interest. There are many questions homeowners ask themselves during the selling process. "How much will my home sell for?"  "How much should I list my home for?"  "Who should I select as a real estate agent to sell...

You are dying to get an updated home, and you are very excited for the remodeling process to begin. But you aren’t naive. You have heard the horror stories about renovations, and you intend to make yours go smoothly. So you have done your homework, dotted your i’s and crossed your t’s, and you are confident your remodel will go off without a hitch. However,...

Anyone could figure that your personality affects your decision-making. Type A's will be likely to meticulously plan, while the more whimsical of us will be likely to make choices on the fly. However, did you know your personality makes your home buying decisions predictable? New information from a September 2014 study titled Real Estate and Personality can help real...

Posted on Oct 31 2014 - 4:29am by Nick Caruso
Comments Off on Poveglia, Italy: The World’s Most Haunted Island

Off the southern coast of Venice is a seventeen-acre island that holds a history straight out of a horror movie. The island, recently purchased by Italian businessman Luigi Brugnaro, has been labeled by locals and paranormal experts alike as the “most haunted place on earth” (though, don't they say that about every haunted joint out there?). But here's the story...