The “Secret Agent” responded to my rebuke of “short sales” as a way to re-energize her real estate business. She was almost despondent. Here’s what she said:
 
“Mr. Alexandrov, I am disappointed that you don’t believe taking short sale listings can help boost my real estate business. I am going to try it anyway. Just because you’re a real estate coach, it doesn’t mean you have all the answers. Plus, a lot of people in my office are doing short-sales and they are always telling me how many deals they are doing. Thanks for your advice but I have to give this a try.”
 
Here’s my response:
 

ERA real estate agent Devin O'Branagan has released a new novel, "Red Hot Property," which is being promoted as an "often witty, sometimes tragic, expose of the real estate industry.

The book is about Molly O'Malley is a rookie real estate agent who must learn to swim with the sharks.  When she is recruited by the top agency in town, Molly dives into dangerous waters alongside neurotic colleagues, vindictive office staff, dueling managing brokers, eccentric lenders, and crazy clients. 

Sounds like real life real estate.

REOTrans is a comprehensive system to manage and sell default and REO properties - and its popularity is only increasing. If you haven't signed up to become a member of REOTrans by now, you should be asking yourself if you're missing out on an opportunity for income potential in this tough market.

We are all faced with call reluctance at one time or another in our sales careers.  We all know that we need to prospect and make calls daily to generate new business.  However, knowing and doing can be two entirely different things.  The fear of calling can be a career ender for many sales people.

Witnessing the burgeoning staging industry has me marveling at the viral nature of its growth. Well over two thousand Real Estate Agents now hold the AHS Designation, which means that they are able to guide their sellers through the process of staging their homes. In today’s market we know that this is a crucial part of the sales process.

More than 28 million employed Americans, or one fifth of the workforce, now participate in some form of telework!

According to the ITAC (International Telework Association and Council), “23.5 million employed Americans teleworked at least one day per month in 2003. This number rose to 24.1 in 2004. This number is expected to rise to 40 million by 2010.”  That number would likely be much higher except that millions of American workers cannot telecommute because they build houses, serve food, mow lawns, treat patients or perform other jobs tied to specific locations.

The results for the Real Estate Olympics held on the Inman Real Estate Trends Community are now in. Wow, what a huge undertaking it has been to tally the scores, taking all factors into consideration, weighted scores, removing highest and lowest scores and of course double checking the hanging chads.

... Apparently not, according to a Consumer Reports survey conducted this year.  Among its readers who either sold a home, tried to sell one, bought one or both bought and sold a home during the past few years, most consumers reported being just as satisfied with their agent regardless of whether they paid a cut-rate commission or the full monty.

Other findings:

o  Not much difference in perceived services between the big brokers. Though overall, independent agents were perceived as tending to provide the fewest services... (Although, sellers who used them said they were just as satisfied.)

... As it turns out, a force much more powerful than the fabled 'Mordor' has finally gotten its sinister clutches around 'The Shire.'

Always on the lookout for new perspectives, we are today welcoming our newest contributing author, Christine Wade.  As you might imagine, Christine comes to us from the real estate industry--with a twist.  A licensed agent with multiple certifications, Christine will write from the vantage point of a business owner in the industry of real estate virtual assistance.