What Will YOUR Real Estate Fortune Cookie Say? - 08/26/11 05:24 PM
 Recently, Kris Berg at Inman News wrote a terrific piece about the fact that, as much as we'd like to believe their contents, fortune cookies really do generally tell us exactly what we want to hear. So my question for you is this: Are you (at least subconsciously) basing your real estate career planning and decisions on the kind of wishful thinking found in fortune cookies?
If you are, it's time to think again. As Berg notes, “These assurances [found in fortune cookies] tend to buoy the old spirits, but they're not real.” Fortune cookies are inevitably upbeat. When was the … (9 comments)

Are YOU Tapping the Shift to Rentals? - 08/09/11 06:39 PM
 It's a given – dealing with rental properties can provide income and future clients for savvy, open-minded agents. Inman News ran an interesting article recently, highlighting just this point. Remember, it's all a matter of how you think – we're in a make-it-or-break-it economy, and if you're smart, you're scrambling to not only use but create best practices to put yourself at the head of the pack.
Rentals have BIG potential as a new money-maker for real estate professionals. By 2015, the nation's home ownership is projected to drop from about 66% today, to 64% - the same rate as in … (4 comments)

The Debt Ceiling Crisis and the Real Estate Market: Do You See the Parallel? - 08/03/11 08:19 PM
 
For weeks, the question on nearly everyone's mind has been, “Will the U.S. Government default on its loans?” The situation created a lot of worry and a lot of fear in a lot of peoples' minds. A primary concern in our field was the impact on the already fragile real estate market. As foreclosures continue, a lot of us were left wondering whether a debt decision delay would worsen the market.
Well, the House passed a $2.4 trillion debt-ceiling increase Monday night, by a vote of 269-161. That final tally highlighted deep dissatisfaction among the rank-and-file members of both parties. … (12 comments)