Real Estate Trends by Stefan Swanepoel

Merge Creates One of the Largest Real Estate Franchises in Northern America

Stefan Swanepoel (Author, Speaker & Trends Guru) — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 08:12:15 -0600

Barely a year ago the real estate industry was stunned when Canadian-based Brookfield Residential Property Services (Brookfield RPS), a division of Brookfield Asset Management Inc. (Brookfield), and owner of Royal LePage, the largest Canadian residential real estate company, acquired GMAC Real Estate. With the departure of CEO John Bearden and a pending name change imminent, many labeled the GMAC franchise as yesterday’s news.

What a difference a year has made.

Announcing their second large acquisition today, Brookfield RPS has now also the owner of Real Living Network Services, a subsidiary of Real Living Inc. Combining the two companies creates one of America’s leading residential real estate franchises with more than $20 billion in annual home sales and an estimated 30,000 agents.

Although that in its own is huge news (and the largest real estate brokerage acquisition of the year) it is the merging of the two and the rebranding of the whole as Real Living that is electrifying. The reason is that Ohio-based Real Living is a national award-winning real estate brand known for its innovation, customer service and a culture of partnership and collaboration within its network. Last year I even named Real Living as the “Most Promising New National Brand” in my Swanepoel TRENDS Report while Entrepreneur Magazine listed them as one of the Top 50 New Franchises.

Exciting times for newly appointed President Harley E. Rouda, Jr.

What are your thoughts about this "new " move. Has yesterday’s news turned into tomorrow’s future?

Conducting Your Own Social Media Orchestra

Stefan Swanepoel (Author, Speaker & Trends Guru) — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 14:45:55 -0500

Communicating and marketing with your customers or potential customers used to be simple. You had a few options such as TV, radio, print, etc. The advent of the Internet and the recent growth of Social Media have in some respect made this process easier, but at the same time considerably more complex as the number of technology, web and online tools has exploded.

Managing the diverse and expanding facets of Social Media can be compared to managing all the components of an orchestra. In the same way that an orchestra consists of different parts — percussion instruments, keyboard, strings, brass, etc. — so Social Media consists of different parts; Blogging, Microblogging, Networks, Wikis etc.

In both cases the musical instruments or the different components of Social Media can all work autonomously; and successfully so. However, the full sound, power and impact of an orchestra only occurs when the conductor enables all the members of the orchestra to play together in harmony. The same principle applies to Social Media.

Tying it All Together

To coordinate all the members to each play their instrument at the right time requires a conductor that uses a music score (a plan) to show him when each instrument should be played.

In that same way view yourself as the conductor of your own Social Media Orchestra. It’s not vital that you activate or participate in every section and there is no reason that you can’t start one section at a time. There is no right or wrong here, neither is there a deadline or time frame. This example of a Social Media Orchestra is to illustrate the fact that you are in control of your own participation and that it can be done piecemeal and on your own timeline.

However, similar to the music conductor you must use your Social Media sites (think instruments) harmoniously and with a specific plan (think song/tune) in mind. If you don’t, your result will create a less attractive result (think noise).

To help understand the Social Media Orchestra the new Swanepoel Social Media Report (2010) published last week week divides social media activities into three primary sections and nine secondary components. For more details on managing your own Social Media Orchestra review chapter six in the 2010 edition of the Swanepoel SOCIAL MEDIA Report.

Rules of Engagement

Stefan Swanepoel (Author, Speaker & Trends Guru) — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 14:52:17 -0500

Just as it’s important to know the rules of the road and driving etiquette before driving on the open highways, so it is equally important that you have an understanding of the customs of Social Media. Although no hard legal rules exist, there are many good manners to follow if you want the vast crowds of the Social Media world to follow you.

Here are a few “Rules of Engagement” that will help you navigate more efficiently:

Give More Than You Take

The more you contribute to conversations and discussions, the more people will recognize your name and what you stand for. Over time you will establish credibility and build value. Remember the well-known adage; the more you care, the more you share.

Respect

Be respectful of the community, the members, the group’s overall goals, etc. Social Media is a participatory sport and that means that you are one of many. People can chose to communicate with you or they can chose to ignore you. Treat others as you want to be treated.

Listen

Listening and receiving comments and feedback are two of the greatest strengths of Social Media. They represent first-hand interaction with your customer. By listening to them you gain unfiltered feedback about your products and market.

Respond

When people comment or leave messages for you it’s only polite to respond in a timely fashion. By responding you are validating to the online community that you are an individual that values and acknowledges others. This adds to your credibility as an individual.

Build Relationships

It’s called social networking for a reason. Make sure you build relationships with everyone that communicates with you; establish conversations, ask questions, respond to questions, etc. Discussions and relationships encourage people to return to your page, thereby building a meaningful community.

Be Authentic and Transparent

Be sincere and honest; be yourself. With Social Media displaying your profile, message and comments it is critical to your success that you are genuine and dependable.

Do Not Become a Nuisance

It’s generally agreed that spamming is bad, but it’s also important to avoid becoming a Keyboard Gangster, Envelope Pusher or a Social Saboteur. More about these different type in my new Social Media Report.

Collaborate

Social Media is a collective medium. This means that it uses the knowledge or wisdom of the whole group; not just a single individual. For that reason, information obtained in Social Media on Wikis or reviews is seldom entirely wrong. On the other hand, it’s often not 100% right. As a result, there is a strong need to work together, updating and constantly adding value to improve the quality of the content.

Add Value

Every member of a community must contribute his or her fair share. What is your contribution? Remember that contributions come in many different shapes and actions: providing information, being a resource, answering questions and redistributing information.

Consider Opportunities in the Long Tail

In Social Media, every service offering has some degree of value. It’s not always wise to just focus on the few services that command a high frequency of interest among a few niche groups and the requisite competition that introduces other service providers. As technology continues to erode communication barriers, value will also come from the many niche groups in “the tail” that demonstrate interest in services that conventional (competing) service providers would otherwise consider having little value.

These are extracts from the new Swanepoel SOCIAL MEDIA Report 2010 written by Stefan Swanepoel (author of 15 books including the annual Swanepoel TRENDS Report) and Mel Aclaro founder of MindBridj.com, a company servicing web video solutions for speakers, trainers and coaches. This Report is due for publication on October 12th and can be ordered at the RealSure Online Bookstore.

200 Great Real Estate People to Follow on Twitter

Stefan Swanepoel (Author, Speaker & Trends Guru) — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 10:44:47 -0500

Many agents often ask me at seminars where do they start with Twitter?

How do they make contact with great people on real estate?

Who can they learn from? Etc. etc.

Well to make it easy I have compiled a list of 200 Interesting and Influential People on Twitter. I have made it so easy that you can view all their profiles on two pages and with two clicks follow all of them.

I am following all of them, I suggest you do to:

List #1

List #2

Guess who the Top 10 Government Agencies on Twitter are?

Stefan Swanepoel (Author, Speaker & Trends Guru) — Mon, 14 Sep 2009 18:35:16 -0500

SOCIAL MEDIA SNIPPET:

Guess who the Top 10 Government Agencies on Twitter are?

See answer here.

I only got 4 right? How did you do?

Listening In On The Conversation About You...Yes You!!

Stefan Swanepoel (Author, Speaker & Trends Guru) — Thu, 10 Sep 2009 18:59:10 -0500

What do you mean you didn’t know that they were talking about you, your company, your brand and your service?

Of course they are, every day.

And not even behind you back. No, the discussion is in the open. Right there on the web, in the chat room, in the forum and on one of the many social media networks spanning the globe.

Time you got in touch with a rapidly growing information base. With each passing the information is growing exponentially and it’s vital that you get in on the dialogue.

Here are some of the online media you should be monitoring regularly:

• Search Engine Results
• Press Releases
• News Services/Group
• Blogs
• Social Media Networks
• Video Releases
• Podcasts
• Resource sites such as Wikipedia
• Q & A sites such as Yahoo Answers

What? You don’t have time. No problem. Set up automated listening posts that serve as monitors and then report back to you with the information of where, who and what was said.
Google Alerts is simple example of such as online tool that allows you to set up alerts around keywords. When these words then appear in websites, press releases, blogs, discussion forums, etc. Google will send you an email with a link to the exact spot.
Cool, right?

So what should you be tracking?

Well for starters how about items such as: • Your personal name
• Your trademarks
• Your company name
• Your competitor
• Your franchise brand
• Your products and services
• Your existing key customers
• Potential customers you are courting
• Key markets you operate in or wish to operate in
• Etc, etc,

The list is really almost endless. But be careful because you may be flooded with too much information. The internet connected us all together and now social media is making the conversation evolve into the most important feature since email.

So, are you in on the discussion?

This is an extract from the new soon to be published 120page Swanepoel SOCIAL MEDIA Report 2010 especially for Real Estate Professionals. Copies ordered now at RealSure Online Bookstore will be shipped on October 5th.

15 Suggestions on How to Conduct Yourself in Social Media Networks

Stefan Swanepoel (Author, Speaker & Trends Guru) — Fri, 04 Sep 2009 15:19:46 -0500

Your profile, posts and comments on most Social Media networks will be available for many thousands, maybe even everyone to see – forever. It is therefore vitally important that you conduct yourself correctly.

Be yourself, be open, be transparent, share… and all those other good things. Just decide who you are, what image you wish to portray today, and tomorrow.

Don’t just sign up for a network account on LinkedIn or Facebook or Twitter with the intent of just engaging in idle chit-chat without taking the time to complete profile and think through your positioning.

Here are some steps to get you going:

Positioning Yourself (Finding Your Spot)

When participating in Social Media you will have various opportunities to create a persona. Before doing so you should clearly decide how you want the world to view you. To achieve this, ask yourself the following questions:

• Are you someone who is using Social Media for personal or professional use? • If you’re using Social Media for professional use, what information are you presenting? • Are you an individual that offers quotes or frivolous information or do you provide real and relevant content? • Do you respond to people or ignore people? • Who are you connecting with? • What do you want your online experience to be like? • How do others view you? It’s important that you know what your motivation is for joining (business, social, networking, etc.) and whether you will want to create a professional or a personal profile.

Take Away

• Profile yourself • Find synergies • Find your market

Building a Brand (Adding Value to Your Spot)

After you have decided what your positioning is, the next step is to decide what brand you will be building online. Consistency is important and attaching the desired identifying image helps in placing and posturing yourself. For example, you can be an expert in anything—a topic, an area, etc.—or you don’t have to be an expert at all, just everyone’s friend. Regardless of what you choose for your goal, building your brand will require you to standardize and unite the message behind your brand; photo, logo, content, website, etc. In the end, all these elements must portray a unified message.

Take Away

• Offer help • Be consistent • Add value

Conveying Authenticity (Ensuring Your Spot is Sincere)

As social networks are personal venues for connecting one person directly with another, it is important to create online relationships that are built on mutual respect and trust. Because users may never physically meet, and therefore not have the opportunity to build the confidence that you are who you say you are, you need to demonstrate online that you are someone worth taking the time to build a relationship. To be authentic in Social Media requires users to be sincere and engaging.

Take Away

• Be real • Be sincere • Be engaging

Create a Following (Making Your Spot Popular)

To create a following in Social Media you have to “give” more than you “take.” Connect with like-minded people that you can initially relate to and with whom you share common interests. If you interact with your followers and friends by actively creating discussions and continually engaging with others in the community, others will, in turn, be compelled to follow you.

Take Away

• Give more than you take • Stay relevant • Acknowledge others

Creating a Sales Pipeline (Making Your Spot Count)

Sales follow trust, confidence and value. Similar to shopping in a mall, some interaction or a recommendation creates trust. Thereafter customers need to first be aware of a store. Then, after gaining more information, they may enter and browse through the product selection. Often they might ask for help or more information and you should be ready and willing to provide it. Use Social Media to guide your potential customers to your offerings. Don’t try and sell them; “pull” don’t “push.” As many Social Media sites only allow short or limited messaging such as Twitter (140 characters) you will need to direct potential customers to your blog or website where you have more space and control in order to more comprehensively describe your products and services.

Take Away

• Don’t sell – Inform • Don’t sell – Redirect • Don’t sell – Guide them

Synopsis

It’s all about the conversation, the sharing and the value to bring to the other members of the discussion. The more selfless your actions the better your following and ultimate return will be.

These are extracts from the new soon to be published 120page Swanepoel SOCIAL MEDIA Report 2010 especially for Real Estate Professionals. Copies ordered now at RealSure Online Bookstore will be shipped on October 5th.

Social Networking - Cutting Your Own Grass

Stefan Swanepoel (Author, Speaker & Trends Guru) — Sat, 15 Aug 2009 10:52:30 -0500

Great presentation from one of the masters of social media. Thanks for the trial blazing Jeff.

Via Jeff Turner (Real Estate Shows):

Yesterday, I finally got around to editing the kickoff presentation I did at REBarcamp Denver.

This morning I received this message in tweet from Jeremy Blanton: "Can you do me a fav & put that video up on AR?" I asked him to tell me why and the following was his response.

Jeff, I would like you to post your video for the members because this is something they need to hear & understand. Especially those that are just starting down the social media road.

Many hear about the new technologies & think that they have to learn & understand each & every one of them. When in all reality, they could be 100 times more effective if they just found one or two ways to effectively market themself in the social media realm and become masters of those.

Like you mentioned in the video, not everything that you or I do will work the same for that member. Each market has it's own specific niche that the each & every person needs to learn. While twitter might work well for an agent in California, it may not do a thing for an agent in Idaho.

This simple principle applied to social media stands true for any type of marketing someone does. Example:

In my area, open houses are extremely ineffective. Agents that do an open house here only hold them to pick up that one or two buyer leads that come in, or the agent does the open house to please the seller.

Just because open houses do not work for here, does not mean that they are a complete waste of time. I have spoken with several people from around the US that use an open house as their main form of marketing & it has been super effective for them.

I guess the main reason I would love this video share is this: Each market & each person have their own individual uniqueness. The key isn't trying to learn how to do EVERYTHING, but to learn what will work & become a master of those.

Jeremy, that's good enough for me. :)

Jeff Turner on Twitter | Facebook

Who Are the Top 100 Most Connected People in Real Estate? Are You One of Them?

Stefan Swanepoel (Author, Speaker & Trends Guru) — Sun, 19 Jul 2009 21:41:04 -0500

Business & Social Media & Networks have exploded the last 5 years. So much so that I have been asked by hundreds of brokers and agents when am I going to write about it more and provide suggestions, tips and strategies on how to master this growing "monster."

The good news is that I am busy writing as we speak and will be announcing in August details about my new Swanepoel SOCIAL MEDIA Report - A Field Guide for Real Estate Professionals.

Meanwhile it's important to be connected, get connected and to build your network. This survey should prove interesting and hopefully inspire many more real estate professionals to become more active in social and business networks.

Submit your name and lets get a snapshot every year of what it means to be one of the 100 most connected in real estate.

Via Ron & Alexandra Seigel (Luxury Real Estate Marketing) (ra@napaconsultants.com):

Who Are the Top 100 Most Connected People in Real Estate? Are You One of Them?

In the game of real estate marketing whoever has the most high trust relationships wins!
The more people you know who would go out of their way to refer business to you, the more business you get.

The entire world is a buzz over social media and professional networking. There is no question that online networks like Facebook (www.facebook.com ) and Twitter (www.twitter.com ) have exploded into household names with millions of people participating. Even in our own industry the growth of ActiveRain (www.activerain.com) has been nothing short of incredible as it has raced up to over 150,000 members!!

Yet, only one-third of all real estate agents engage in professional networking, according to NAR. What is everyone else waiting for? Perhaps the technology itself is a bit daunting at first. But, the essence of connecting with new people from all over the world, people who could not only become friends but also referral sources, is well worth the time and effort.

Proxio, the international MLS and global referral network, is interesting in identifying and recognizing the most connected people in real estate. Are you one of them? Do you have, on various networks, more than say, 3,000 contacts, friends and/or followers?

Then maybe you could be one of the TOP 100 MOST CONNECTED PEOPLE IN REAL ESTATE. Enter a short survey coordinated by Proxio, the fastest growing multilingual agent-to-agent referral network in the world, to find out if you are. CLICK HERE to take the survey.

The Top 100 Most Connected People in Real Estate will be announced at the INMAN conference in San Francisco on August 5/6th

The Changing Face of Real Estate Franchise Brands

Stefan Swanepoel (Author, Speaker & Trends Guru) — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 15:48:06 -0500

There is always a debate going on in the real estate industry about which company is the largest. As some don't disclose financials and others use different measuring criteria (offices, agents, sales volume, profitability, brand recognition, etc.) we have many potential "winners".

This article is however not about who is #1 or #2 but rather what has happened to real estate franchise brands over the course of the last 20 years, and does that information in any way provide us with a trend line that may afford likely scenario's going forward.

To start off, we need to look at the most prominent brands 20 years ago; 1989. I revisited many "old" publications of those years, the REAL Trends Report and the leading Real Estate Report of the time; the Roulac Report by Deloitte, Haskins and Sells (1988). Combining all that intel I have compiled a list of what were, in probable order, the most likely candidates for the most prominent Residential Real Estate Franchise brand of 1989.

Century 21
Coldwell Banker
ERA
RE/MAX
Realty World
Merrill Lynch
Red Carpet
Help-U-Sell
Gallery of Homes
Better Homes and Gardens

I have followed the same criteria and researched the REAL Trends Report again and the leading Real Estate Report of today, my Swanepoel TRENDS Report. The most likely candidates for the most prominent Residential Real Estate Franchise brands of 2009 are:

RE/MAX
Coldwell Banker
Century 21
Keller Williams Realty
Prudential Real Estate
ERA
Realty Executives
Sotheby's International Realty
GMAC Real Estate
EXIT Realty

Analysis:

So here is where the interesting part comes in. Although not based on any scientific hard facts, the following has occurred during the past 20 years:

40% have remained a Top 10 national real estate brand (C21, CB, ERA & RE/MAX).
20% exchanged their brand for a new brand and were still able to hold on; remaining a Top 10 brand (Merrill Lynch became Prudential and BH&G became GMAC Real Estate).
10% dropped off the Top 10 list but still operate as a national franchise (Realty World).
30% fell on even more difficult times and went through different types of trouble including bankruptcy. (Gallery of Homes, Help-U-Sell and Red Carpet). It is interesting that one or two of the brands are staging a comeback.
10% of the brands on the 2009 list had improved their rankings (Realty Executives).
30% of the brands on the 2009 list were not even in real estate franchising back in 1989 (Keller Williams Realty, Sotheby's International Realty and EXIT Realty).

Probing Questions:

There are of course many different deductions that can be made using above information resulting in hours of interesting discussion. Due to the brevity of this article I am going to list just five observations that I think are worth consideration:

Will the three brands that have dominated for the past 20+ years maintain their stronghold; RE/MAX, Coldwell Banker and Century 21?
Will newcomer Keller Williams Realty that surged into the top 5 be able to continue its rise and unseat one of the top 3 established brands? If yes, who will be the one to loose its top 3 ranking?
Twenty year plus top 5 brand ERA has for the first time dropped out of the top 5. Is this a sign that they will continue a downward slide; ultimately out of the top 10?
Brand changers (Merrill Lynch became Prudential and BH&G became GMAC Real Estate) have shown that brands are not always that important as both survived and held on to similar top 10 rankings in 20 years. GMAC is however scheduled for another name change within the next year. Will they still be able to hold on to their top 10 ranking after a second name change?
Will companies such as Realty World, Red Carpet and Help-U-Sell that dropped off the top 10 and are staging a comeback be able to regain their former top 10 status?

Closing comments:

There and numerous new franchise brands bubbling under the radar such as Weichert Realty, Assist-to-Sell, ZipRealty and even Better Homes & Gardens (not same company as before but the same brand) that could very well be a top 10 real estate brand within the next five years.

Although this exercise was more one of fun rather than trying to predict the future, it does show us that even in the "big picture" of large national brands the world is ever changing and that anything can happen.

Love to hear your thoughts on the value of real estate brands for a brokerage and/or agent.

As always you can also follow me on www.Twitter.com/Swanepoel and www.Facebook.com/Swanepoel

Rainers Did You Grab Your Name on Facebook? Online Digital Name Grab Rush!

Stefan Swanepoel (Author, Speaker & Trends Guru) — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 13:18:45 -0500

Most of the leading Social Media sites such as MySpace and Twitter have been offering customized and/or vanity URLs for their profiles for quite some time; the world's largest social-network, Facebook has not.

This all changed late Friday and early Saturday, June 12^th and 13^th, when Facebook allowed its 200 million users the chance to claim a personalized Web address on a first-come, first-served basis.

Within three minutes 300,000 users had grabbed a name. Fifteen minutes later that number rose to 500,000 and to more than 3 million within the first few hours, making this the largest online digital rush ever in the history of the Internet.

What does this mean? Facebook previously assigned users a numerical ID number. For example let me illustrate it with my own page. My Facebook page was www.facebook.com/people/Stefan-Swanepoel/773410101 - I had no choice in the selection of the URL for my profile page. It was whatever Facebook had allocated me. Now after obtaining the URL of my choice it is now www.facebook.com/swanepoel - much simpler, easier to remember and matches my other accounts; i.e. www.twitter.com/swanepoel

Excitement for millions and disappointment for millions of others who did not get the URL they had hoped for. Facebook has aggressively tried to minimize "cybersquatting" of user names by only letting accounts that were created prior to the date of their announcement be eligible for the permanent names. They also reserved certain names to protect trademarks, intellectual property and other rights. Furthermore, Facebook is also enforcing a strict 'no transferability' policy," thereby further restricting the misuse of these names.

However you look or feel about this step, it is widely acknowledged as a hugely positive step towards making Facebook profiles a more personal experience easily shareable. Furthermore it strengthens Facebook as the world's dominant online community.

If you have yet customized your Facebook URL you can do so by going to http://www.facebook.com/username/

Let me know what URL you were able to get?

It’s Confirmed. It is the Next Big Thing!

Stefan Swanepoel (Author, Speaker & Trends Guru) — Wed, 13 May 2009 13:15:55 -0500

Following the crash of the initial dotcom bubble in 2001 many people claimed to have created or coined the phrase Wed 2.0 as we in subsequent years the industry grappled with what would come next. By 2004 the term Web 2.0 was appearing everywhere and euphoria reined with this next phase of the Internet that included all sorts of "second generation" web developments. Information sharing became hot as did collaboration, hosted services, blogging, wikis, video-sharing and of course social-media sites.

In 2003 MySpace grabbed our imagination, followed in 2004 by Facebook and in 2005 by YouTube. They quickly emerged as the dominate players in this new social media environment. However, this new Olympic team was still missing a player or two.

Although micro-blogging and social media site Twitter only entered the trials late in 2006, it is having an even more fundamental shift than any of its predecessors. Twitter is basically a SMS (Short Messaging Service) sent to followers that have subscribed to receive them with its messages (Tweets) limited to 140 characters.

It was initially perceived as a Gen X toy, but Twitter has transcended that expectation, which many Web 2.0 technologies have not been able to do. It has become a very significant communication tool of the first decade of the 21st century. It may sound premature and even absurd to some, but there are those that are already comparing its influence to that of Morse code, the telephone, radio or television.

In barely three years the estimated number of users (no official numbers are released) is around 12 million. Compete.com ranks it as the third most used social network behind Facebook and MySpace - which means about 6million unique visitors per month - while Nielsen.com ranks it as the fastest-growing member community site (1382% in February 2009), ahead of Facebook (228%)

The American Red Cross uses Twitter: during the 2008 Mumbai attacks, when US Airways flight 1549 went down in the Hudson River and this month when NASA astronaut Mike Massimino used it onboard the Space Shuttle Atlantis.

All indications are that Twitter is the next really "big thing."

So, Realtors^® don't get left behind. Get your free Twitter account today and start learning how to "Tweet" this week. You can find and follow me on Twitter at http://twitter.com/swanepoel

Realtors What Are You Doing About Green?

Stefan Swanepoel (Author, Speaker & Trends Guru) — Wed, 06 May 2009 13:01:02 -0500

The recent Earth Day gave the green revolution another shot up the arm. When Earth Day started in 1970 a large number of people (20 million people one country) had already committed to celebrate it. Since then that number has exploded to 500 million (175 countries); about 7% of the world's population.

But even prior to 2000 "building green" still remained outside mainstream awareness - but has that changed, and for many good reasons. Elevating the profile of "Green" has been added to the agenda of movie celebrities such as Brad Pitt and Leonardo DiCaprio, music stars like Radiohead and of course, political celebrities like former vice president Al Gore.

Closer to the home front, the U.S. Green Building Council has made great strides with the release of the first green building standards under its Leadership Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) rating system for new construction, existing building operations and commercial interiors. The USGBC also created its Certified Green Professional (CGP) designation that recognizes builders, remodelers and other industry professionals who incorporate green building principles into homes without driving up the cost of construction. The National Association of REALTORS® has also validated this growing trend when they launched their new designation aptly called "Green" for Realtors®.

With buildings accounting for large amounts of land use, energy and water consumption, and air and atmosphere alteration, it's important that we start building new eco-cities. Here are some of the buzz words and concepts that are contributing to reducing the impact of building on human health and the world we live in:

Advanced water conservation
Greywater and wastewater-treatment techniques
Lush planted terraces with parapets collecting rainwater for reuse
Air-quality-enhancing garden filled atriums
Photovoltaics
Passive solar building design
Heavily insulated walls, triple-glaze doors and windows
Heat recovery ventilation systems
Reduced surface area designs to minimize loss of heat
Environmentally-controlled systems
Reducing environmental degradation

So after years of doing very little and now after months of consultation with the American Institute of Architects comprehensive, new legislation is at last being introduced that is aimed at promoting energy efficiency in residential buildings. The bill would provide incentives to lenders and financial institutions to provide lower interest loans and other benefits to consumers who build, buy, or remodel their homes and businesses to improve their energy efficiency.

Living "green" isn't an one-legislation-event or an all-or-nothing proposition. It is an evolution, a growth process, and a re-thinking of our existing patterns, habits and thoughts. Above it all we must recognize that we have a responsibility to our children to take care of the place we call earth and to preserve it for future generation.

What could/should Realtors do to help?

With Every Down, There Is An Up. Let's Get The Confidence Back!

Stefan Swanepoel (Author, Speaker & Trends Guru) — Mon, 20 Apr 2009 13:47:16 -0500

Housing, like any other "toxic" assets, needs to go through a cleansing process. That means down, before up.

And this is going to require liquidating the debt as we cannot continue carrying all that excessive baggage forever. The empty promises, artificially inflated numbers and ongoing uncontrolled bailouts have got to stop. We just can't save everyone that bought a house who shouldn't have. If some people were greedy, lazy or stupid - sorry - they should loose their house and not be rewarded by someone else making the payments. At the same time we are not going get housing back on track we if don't create jobs. People without work are unstable and live in uncertainty.

Fixing the problem and coming up with a viable, effective, nationwide plan is of course difficult and I do not claim to be an economist or an expert (I track real estate business trends - that's all - for my free monthly enewsletter visit www.RETrends.com). That said let me provide my two cents on the economy:

1. As we have probably reached the lowest point in the housing market, or are within months of reaching it, we need to focus our efforts on short term incentives to regain overall optimism in real estate as a solid investment again if we hope to re-energize buyers into returning to the marketplace.

2. We need to halt foreclosures as far as reasonably possible. Banks need to allow people to extend the amortization of their home loans over a longer period of time; maybe even to 40 years if the situation dictates it. We have got to stop this negative wave that is cycling through the housing industry.

3. Government has to enhance the initial Home Buyers Tax Credit by extending it to ALL homebuyers, not just first-time home buyers. Furthermore, eliminate the recapture of the tax credit for 2008 and provide a true tax benefit across the board.

4. I am not sure as to how we would implement this but what if all service providers involved in the transaction would provide a rebate of 20% on the fees associated with the purchase of a home for the next year. This would include title companies, mortgage companies, escrow companies, attorneys, etc., and yes, even real estate professionals.

5. Finally wouldn't it be great if we could lock mortgage rates for all home purchases at 4% for an extended period of time; 12 to 18 months? That would really be a boost.

In summary, let's get back to the solid model that worked before: 20% down, documented income, good credit and accurate valuations. Real estate has also been a great investment and on the long term will be again so there is no need for us to create unnatural bubbles. Let's not repeat what happened during the last decade.

Does this resolve all problems? Of course not, but it would certainly revitalize and restore our faith in housing and get buyers off the sideline in significant numbers. And that's really what we need most in fixing the housing downturn - home buyers with confidence in real estate.

I am sure we each have our own opinion regarding what needs to happen. Love to hear thoughts.

The Wise Realtor. Are Ready for Tomorrow?

Stefan Swanepoel (Author, Speaker & Trends Guru) — Mon, 30 Mar 2009 22:45:40 -0500

"It is impossible to predict the future." That's a statement I have made hundreds of times, both from the stage as well as in print.

Yet considering the most likely scenarios and then preparing for them lessens the shock when some variation of any prediction does materialize. Being caught off guard is just foolish. Why would you fight the future? The future is coming, no matter what. And for it to arrive, time will change.

We have all heard the saying that everything changes and that nothing is certain but change itself.

A wise Realtor^® with open arms would embrace new concepts and innovations. Listen, read and test drive new technology, social media, ways to advertise, methods to reach out to the home buyers, creative ways to serve him or her better, differently and more effectively and cost efficiently.

Agreed. But not every new business model is necessarily better than the one you have. But they can't all be bad. Whether you are a 50-50 kind of a guy or a believer of the 80-20 rule...it really doesn't make any difference.

Not responding to new scenarios is stupid.

You're not stupid...are you? Okay, so you're not. Then don't be in denial about change. The real estate business is changing. Homeowners are different. Real estate information is all on the Internet.

Read any good article, blog or report on the changing real estate industry and use this relatively slow period in the real estate cycle as an opportunity to retool.

If you are not sure where to start then read both my 2008 and 2009 Swanepoel Trends Reports. The two reports examine different important trends, strategies and concepts. These are wide-ranging studies of some 2,000 hours of research, interviews and writing. Or subscribe to my free monthly Trends Newsletter.

I'll be the first to acknowledge that I have no crystal ball and that not everything in the reports is 100% accurate nor will be 100% in your future. But you will find no other report, more comprehensive, more complete or more focused on trying to provide real estate brokers and agents honest, objective and useable information.

I believe that real estate agents do have an important future role in the home buying transaction. Not as Sunday Open House-sitters, not as MLS Advertising Managers, not as Poorly Educated Sales Mavericks, but as true Real Estate Professionals.

And what is that?

A Real Estate Professional is a person that I can look up to. Someone who is my advisor regarding my real estate matters. He or she is a person that will wisely guide me to the right decision and not just sell me something because they earn a commission. Someone who will always negotiate the best deal for me and not try appease both parties to get the deal done. A person that will remain with me as my real estate consultant for all my future real estate and mortgage needs, whatever they may be.

Are you that real estate professional? Can you be that Mr. or Ms. Realtor^®? If so, you are one in one thousand. If not, I urge you to take action as the real estate business is going to change and will do so right around you.

So what do you think Realtors^® should do?

Real Estate is Local, Buyers are Global - 3 International Trends Impacting Everyone

Stefan Swanepoel (Author, Speaker & Trends Guru) — Wed, 25 Mar 2009 13:48:04 -0500

For a long time most international markets have felt far away, and many Americans didn't care nor were they very interested in foreign cities. Although the Web has brought us closer together as a people we still remain apart. Few products or services illustrate this better than the buying or selling of a home.

But today with air travel becoming increasingly more commonplace, immigration and living choices becoming more readily available and our own market in a recession, many smart real estate companies have turned toward international expansion as a new means of controlled growth.

At the same time many buyers in foreign countries are looking at the United States as an investment opportunity, in spite of or in some cases even as a result of our current depressed housing market. Concurrently, fluctuation in currencies and the advantages created as a result of exchange rates have also increased business opportunities in different markets around the globe.

While America is struggling through the current financial and economic crisis, as many other countries around the world are, several overseas economies find themselves in a stronger situation - even in some cases one of strong growth. Growth in China, India and Russia seems to be resulting in a race to see who can supplant the United States and become the world's next economic power.

And at the heart of many strong economies lies a strong real estate market. One where people have the right to live, own and transact freely with their homes. It is that ability to search, market, buy or sell real estate that forms the focus of this trend.

Three international trends that can impact your real estate business, irrespective of where you live or practice real estate are:

1. Global and Multi Language IDX
2. Global Multi Listing Systems
3. Global Social Media Websites

For individual Realtors^®,working the online global tools, websites, services and communities has become a key component in a comprehensive real estate strategy. Even when just serving the local market the importance of being able to translate listing data and serving customers in the language of their choosing is vital. Have buyers from foreign countries be able to find you, communicate with you and even browse your properties for sale. You never know where the next buyer may be coming from.

If you aspire to become an international player the time to start acting global is now.

This is an extract and update from my 160-page 2009 edition of the Swanepoel TRENDS Report.

2009 Trends Now Mobile

Stefan Swanepoel (Author, Speaker & Trends Guru) — Wed, 25 Mar 2009 13:37:48 -0500

After literally hundreds and hundreds of requests to make the annual Swanepoel TRENDS Report available in an audio format this has finally happened with the new edition of the Report.

Just released this week is the first ever CD set of the 160-page 2009 Trends Report published last month. The entire unabridged 2009 Swanepoel TRENDS Report is contained in a 5 CD set and offers over 4 hours of information. The report is read by Mel Aclaro, an instructional designer, trainer and the New Media Director at RealtyU, one the largest educational and training companies in the real estate industry.

If you want to get a crystal clear vision of what's happening in the real estate brokerage business today and the Top 10 business trends impacting the future of Realtors® then this is the fastest and easiest way for you to get up to speed.

The audio CD set can be obtained by from the RealtyU's online E-store at www.RealEstateBooks.org. To my all friends, use the promo code Get It Now and save 20% off the regular price.

Banks in Real Estate Business - War Ends - NAR Wins by Technical Knock Out in Round 8.

Stefan Swanepoel (Author, Speaker & Trends Guru) — Wed, 18 Mar 2009 11:04:58 -0500

Rarely has pending legislation suggested changes to the financial services arena as controversial as the recent Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act (GLB Act). The proposed rule would declare real estate brokerage, real estate management, and employee relocation to be activities that are "financial in nature" or "incidental to a financial activity" under the GLB Act. This would allow financial holding companies and national bank subsidiaries to enter these businesses.

The impact on the real estate brokerage industry has escalated and this GLB Act has become one of the most highly profiled public, advertising, social media campaigns and debates on main street, the grapevine, Chicago and Capitol Hill.

Before we end with the final result, let's quickly summarized where it started.

Spurred by the 1929 market crash and in the belief that the stock market speculation by the banks led to their collapse, the 1933 Banking Act was aimed at restoring confidence in the banking system. It established the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC), which insured customer accounts and prohibited banks from both accepting deposits and underwriting securities. In a section called the Glass-Steagall Act (GS Act), it forced the separation of commercial and investment banking.

Following World War II, banks sought ways around the restrictions by forming holding companies that in turn engaged in commercial activities. Then in 1956 the Bank Holding Company Act (BHC Act; amended in 1970) placed further restrictions on what banks could do in the insurance business and once again reinforced the division of commercial and investment banking activities.

By the mid 1990s many economists and policymakers viewed the terms of the GS Act to be largely unnecessary and in November 1999 President Clinton repealed the GS Act and introduced the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act (GLB).

That is where the new debate started.

The act specifically allows a bank holding company or a foreign bank that qualifies as a financial holding company to engage in a broad range of activities that are defined by the GLB Act to be "financial in nature" or "incidental to a financial activity."

The fight was on.

Fast forward to 2009 and the "bloody" almost decade long battle ended quietly last week when Congress passed an Appropriations Bill that would permanently ban the Federal Reserve Board and Treasury Department from finalizing the 2000 proposal to allow federally chartered banks into the real estate brokerage business.

NAR wins with a technical knock out in Round #8.

So what happened?

Well, the American Bankers Association, which had led the crusade and was able to get a series of some eight-one-year delays, just decided to give up. According to the Associations president, "It was no longer on our priority list." Well, with the state of the financial market no-one is surprised.

So, it's over?

Well for now, at least. Will there be another challenge or initiative in the future? Most likely. Meanwhile, also remember that this rule only applies to federally chartered banks and not state banks.

That said, this battle is over, and NAR remains the reigning champion.

A detailed 20+ page whitepaper discussing the issues titled "Real Estate Confronts the Banks" was published in 2001 by RealSure, Inc. and is available for free downloading.

Survival Tips: If You Wish To Succeed In 2010, Here Are 10 Golden Rules

Stefan Swanepoel (Author, Speaker & Trends Guru) — Fri, 06 Mar 2009 16:07:52 -0600

Whether you own a small real estate office or a franchise with multiple offices, real estate brokers have much in common with other small business owners during these difficult economic conditions. This economy affects all businesses and it doesn't really matter if you are the local hair salon or the major department store, current market conditions are tough.

For real estate brokers, owners and managers the focus revolves around how to recruit quality agents, how to retain quality and productive agents and how to increase overall profitability. This is analogous to the farmer who must plant, fertilize and water before reaping - and the sayings goes, "You reap what you sow." Sowing solid business principles is certainly a key part of reaping a profit.

Included in the Swanepoel TRENDS Report 2009 is a list of 10 suggested action steps for brokers to be successful during the down turn. Here is a synopsis:

RECRUITING

1. Define Your Hiring Objectives

Brokers must know what they want in a new hire before they can communicate the need to the marketplace. It's no longer a numbers game but a quality contest. Creating unnecessary turnover wastes too much time and is too expensive, let alone the disruptiveness that results from bringing a team member on board who's not a good fit.

2. Benefits Has its Privileges

Announce your need to your local market and identify the top five reasons why an agent should join your company. Don't get caught up in the compensation game as it isn't and shouldn't be the number one reason an agent joins your company. The focus needs to be on what your company will do to expand the agent's career.

3. Being Creative

Brokers need to determine what group of agents they need to add to their team to achieve the desired results, be it Gen X or Gen Y, multilingual people, college graduates, etc. It will require the use of multiple marketing channels such as Craigslist, blogs, social networks, customer lists and other online services to expand your search - go where the agents are.

4. Quality Control

Test for a match before spending time with the potential recruit. Do the standard reference checks but more importantly check to make sure the new recruit is compatible with your company and your team. Many different tests like a DISC assessment, the Real Estate Simulator, etc. can help.

RETENTION

5. Leadership

The number one reason agents often leave their company is a poor relationship or disagreement with management. And this almost always comes down to leadership and communication. The work environment is critical and experts are saying that people providing the service to the customers are #1.

6. In Good Hands

Most real estate agents are looking for guidance, mentoring and support to help them pilot their careers to success. Creating teams and mentors within your company helps everyone feel that they are part of something and that they belong - which creates an air of openness and sharing that will result in higher production.

7. Professional Development

Failure of the majority of agents to improve their own knowledge and skills has placed an added responsibility on the shoulders of brokers. To ensure that your company succeeds, brokers must provide agents access to extensive professional development opportunities. A good way to go is a private labeled online university.

PROFITABILITY

8. Business Plans

Study after study has shown that most businesses that fail did so because they did not have a comprehensive business plan for the company to follow. With an inexpensive real estate industry specific business plan for agents it is easy for brokers to ensure that their agents are equipped with the necessary tools to develop a realistic business plan and accountability system.

9. Expense Analysis

It's amazing that during the peak real estate market many brokers didn't control their expenses and failed to set aside a portion of their profits for the leaner years. Re-margining your business and bringing costs in line with income is foundational to the success of any business. But remember, it's not a one time event. It has to be continuously monitored and managed.

10. Systems

One efficient strategy to do more with less is to streamline activities, automate repetition and put systems into place that can handle many non-income producing tasks. Technology for real estate companies has come a long way in helping to manage clients, agents, information and transactions and increase productivity.

Copies of the 160-page 2009 edition of the Swanepoel TRENDS Report are now available at Amazon as well as the online real estate bookstore.

A Grueling 100 Days Ends. It’s Arriving Next Week. Good Luck To All Rainers.

Stefan Swanepoel (Author, Speaker & Trends Guru) — Wed, 28 Jan 2009 18:22:46 -0600

After more than 3 months of writing and many more months of research the Swanepoel TRENDS Report (2009 edition 161-pages) will be arriving from the printers next week.

Out of the housing bubble of 2006, the subprime ashes of 2007 and the mortgage meltdown of 2008 we are going to see a whole new real estate industry evolve and develop and we will look back at the years 2008 - 2012 as the transition period during which the real estate industry made a major paradigm shift to reinvent the home buying and selling process.

Paradigm shifts share one thing in common - they don't happen overnight. They are slow to develop and they change during the process.

There has been pressure on the real estate business to change now for more than a decade. The internet started shaping the industry in the mid 1990s while the industry was undergoing significant consolidation. The 2000-05 housing boom put a hold on this but with the downturn the industry is once again facing strong pressure to fundamentally transform the real estate business.

Just as surely as the early bird that gets the worm, if you don't start adapting in 2009 the shift will pass you by. In fact if you haven't already started it may already be too late. Recognizing that change is happening is the first step, taking action the second and monitoring its evolution the third. Unfortunately many have not yet recognized that change is already here.

And it's true, a lot of change is happening. For example, organized real estate at the hands of NAR may be on a new track, MLS may look and function completely differently, new non-U.S. firms may already be expanding major new brands into the U.S., social media may have found its connection with real estate professionals and a new younger generation will soon assume the leadership of the real estate industry. A generation that is more global, more socially attuned via social networks, more wirelessly adapted and in many respects better educated.

Real estate professionals will certainly survive as the primary link between Americans and the American dream, but will end up with significantly different roles and value in the process. Make sure you stay in control of your destiny.

My latest annual Trends Report is due for release next week of February. And as before, it is full of information, facts and figures, new business models, changes, shifts and recommendations. Don't be left behind, get a copy and get up to speed with what's happening to our industry.

Purchase a copy at www.RealEstateBooks.org before the Report arrives next week from the publishers and save $50 off the cover price.

I hope you all enjoy the read and benefit from its contents.

How Will Home Values Be Impacted By Rising Oil Prices?

Stefan Swanepoel (Author, Speaker & Trends Guru) — Wed, 21 Jan 2009 00:19:12 -0600

When the Baby Boomers were younger (1960-90), families with children made up more than 50% of all households. By the time we got to 2000 this figure had declined to 33% and by 2025 it is estimated to be around 25%.

As a result the suburban boom in housing prices that we experienced will in all likelihood slow down considerably and shift to a more urban environment. No one is predicting that suburban life is dying nor will it be replaced, but as less families continue to prefer bigger houses and car-based lifestyles, a shift will occur.

There will be a swing towards different types and designs of homes as well as where those homes will be located. Gen X & Y have different needs than retiring baby boomers and rising oil prices will impact a generation that is less inclined to commute to work than the preceding generation.

In my latest Swanepoel Trends Report we discuss the 10 U.S. cities ranked as being the most prepared for an oil crisis (according to US City Preparedness for an Oil Crisis by Warren Karlenzig). They are:

San Francisco, CA
New York, NY
Chicago, IL
Washington, DC
Seattle, WA
Portland, OR
Boston, MA
Philadelphia, PA
Oakland, CA
Denver, CO

What these cities all have in common are strong transit systems, dense city centers that are well organized, a high degree of mixed real estate uses (retail, residential and commercial), medium to high population densities and a high utilization of public transportation by commuters.

This appears to all be strong plusses for Gen X & Y. Does this mean that suburban home prices could in the future be negatively impacted as a result?

What are you thoughts.

What if you had no E&O on all your previous sales. True Story.

Stefan Swanepoel (Author, Speaker & Trends Guru) — Wed, 14 Jan 2009 15:34:30 -0600

Imagine answering the doorbell some Saturday morning only to be met by a process server who is prepared to deliver a blow that has the potential to wipe out your life savings and create havoc and stress for months or even years to come.

You open the registered envelope and find yourself faced with a lawsuit on a property you sold 18 months ago while under a broker who has since sold his company. No problem. You paid your Errors and Omissions (E&O) insurance premium on that transaction so you're looking at the most maybe a $1,500 deductible. You contact the current Broker/Owner of the brokerage you were working for when you participated in the transaction and ask that legal counsel be provided, as detailed under your E&O insurance - and the answer is:

"Sorry, you're not covered. The past owner did not purchase an Extended Reporting Period (ERP) policy and all prior transactions are no longer covered. I'm afraid you're on your own."

What if you were a top producer and had hundreds of transactions with the same broker? What if that broker has filed bankruptcy? Unfortunately this is a TRUE story that affected a real agent and his entire family. But the bigger picture is even worse.
By not purchasing the ERP insurance necessary to cover prior acts, the Broker/Owner has left over 20,000 transactions open to lawsuit without any coverage for the agents involved.

And the worst part - there is no requirement that agents under that broker be informed of their "uninsured" status.

How could this happen?

Unfortunately this is not an isolated case and there are literally thousands of agents across the country that are potentially in the same position. Consider a few of the facts:

There is no grace period for renewal of an E&O policy.
If the broker is negligent in renewing their E&O policy, doesn't purchase prior acts coverage or doesn't renew the policy, all prior acts are not covered.
In non-mandated states the E&O carrier can choose to discontinue coverage and it is not mandatory for agents to be notified of any changes in the policy or scope of coverage, even though the licensees are paying for the policy and the loss of coverage may financially impact them.

With the fallout of the subprime debacle we can be certain that there are folks out there that have lost their home and are looking for someone to blame. If you consider the fact that somewhere in the neighborhood 1 in every 452 homes in the country is in some stage of the foreclosure process you begin to see the magnitude of the potential problem. And after the initial shock of foreclosure is over, where do you think they are going to start looking for satisfaction? I seriously doubt the mortgage broker is the first name on their list.

The potential expanse of this problem in the industry is staggering as the number of brokerages sold, merged or closed continues to grow every day and tens of thousands of agents are being affected - most without even knowing it. You need to know where you stand.

In Trend #10 of the 2009 Swanepoel TRENDS Report - The Good The Bad & The Ugly - we took a long hard look at this potentially devastating issue and provided some background information as well as some suggested action to take. This problem is not going away and you need to know the facts.

TOP 10 TRENDSETTERS FOR 2008

Stefan Swanepoel (Author, Speaker & Trends Guru) — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 18:04:13 -0600

As part of the annual Swanepoel TRENDS Report we also every year include a look back at the year that just passed and list the Top 10 Newsmakers, Top 10 Events and Top 10 Trendsetters for 2008.

This week I am discussing the Trendsetters. Trendsetters are defined as those companies that during 2008 set forth actions that were different and memorable and could potentially have a far reaching impact on the real estate industry in the years to come.

The Top 10 Trendsetters in Real Estate for 2008 are:

1. Brookfield Real Estate Services

The acquisition of a Top 10 national franchise happens but once or twice a decade. So when it does occur it's important news - when it's done by a non-U.S. company it's very big news. The acquisition of GMAC Real Estate by Brookfield Real Estate Services, the holding company of Royal LePage, Canada's largest real estate company, solidifies them as a major real estate player in North America.

2. Cyberhomes

For its dynamic growth and rapid rise during the last year to become one of the strongest new forces in consumer facing websites we recognize Cyberhomes as a newsmaker. After various earlier missteps with FNIS and Dwayne Walker, Fidelity seems to have picked a winning horse in Cyberhomes.

3. Keller Williams

Despite the steep slide in real estate sales and the sharp reduction in the number of real estate agents among most large national real estate franchises, KW apparently bucked the trend in both cases. The company has continued to grow rapidly in size, stature and market share since 2000 as well as during the 2006-2008 housing bubble, to become one of top national real estate franchises in the industry.

4. Fannie Mae & Freddie Mac

These two Government Sponsored Entities (GSE), long considered economic pillars of stability in the real estate industry, shocked the world with their financial collapse and the extent to which their leadership apparently mismanaged funds and their responsibilities. The fact that government intervention was necessary to rescue them from total failure remains shocking.

5. Engel & Völkers

The #1 real estate company in Germany, and according to some reports all of Europe, expanded its real estate shop franchise concept to over 500 offices in 25 countries. It also aggressively expanded into the U.S. by opening shops in Florida, Connecticut and New York and with openings in California scheduled for 2009.

6. National Association of Realtors^®

This institution celebrated its 100^th anniversary in 2008 and as we reflect on all of its accomplishments it is evident that the industry would not be where it is today without the National Association of Realtors^® (NAR). However, what makes NAR newsworthy is not its survival but the announcement of their second century initiatives, which if successful, could significantly reshape the real estate brokerage industry.

7. Casa Latino

Rising rapidly during the last two years, Casa Latino has become the undisputed national leader in the Hispanic market with offices in 14 states as well as 14 countries and territories in South America and the Caribbean.

8. Realogy

There is no doubt that the higher the tree the stronger the wind. The industry leader and mega-brand real estate franchise enjoyed success and expanded during the strong real estate market of 2000-2005. The financial crisis and housing collapse have taken their toll on the company however, resulting in hundreds of offices being closed and almost half a billion in estimated losses in 2008. The company is large enough to survive, yet it carries an enormous debt to be restructured. 2009 might provide the answer.

9. Frontdoor.com

Since the launch of HGTV's frontdoor.com late in 2007, the site has been a true bright spot for the industry. The site has enjoyed significant growth while also offering a large selection of information for the home buying, selling and owning community.

10. Broker Agent News

Coming late to the Online Community world did not stop Broker Agent News. During the latter part of 2008 it not only changed its name from Broker Agent News to Broker Agent Professional, but also launched a new Social Network for real estate agents named Broker Agent Social. Within the first month participation exploded past 5,000

The 2009 Swanepoel TRENDS Report will be published the first week of February. You can still save $50 off the cover price by ordering pre the publication date at www.realestatebooks.org.

US Could Disintegrate by July 2010…

Stefan Swanepoel (Author, Speaker & Trends Guru) — Sun, 04 Jan 2009 15:27:19 -0600

According 50-year old Prof. Panarin, a former KGB analyst, author and current dean of the Russian Foreign Ministry's Academy, there is a more than 50% chance that the US will disintegrate by July 2010. He says that mass immigration, economic decline, and moral degradation will trigger a civil war next fall and the collapse of the dollar and the U.S. will break into six pieces.

Dr. Panarin began his career in the KGB in 1976. In post-Soviet Russia, he got a doctorate in political science, studied U.S. economics, and worked for FAPSI, then the Russian equivalent of the U.S. National Security Agency. In 1998 he attended a conference in Linz, Austria, devoted to information warfare, the use of data to get an edge over a rival. It was there, in front of 400 fellow delegates, that he first presented his theory about the collapse of the U.S. in 2010 based on classified data supplied to him by FAPSI analysts.

Panarin predicts that economic, financial and demographic trends will provoke a political and social crisis in the U.S. Wealthier states will withhold funds from the federal government and effectively secede from the union, social unrest will lead to civil war and the US will split along ethnic lines.

According to Panarin the U.S. foreign debt "a pyramid scheme," and he predicts China and Russia will usurp Washington's role as a global financial regulator. He says that Americans hope President-elect Barack Obama "can work miracles," but when spring comes, it will be clear that there are no miracles."

Foreign powers will then move in.

California will form the nucleus of what he calls "The Californian Republic," and will be part of China or under Chinese influence. Texas will be the heart of "The Texas Republic," a cluster of states that will go to Mexico or fall under Mexican influence. Washington, D.C., and New York will be part of an "Atlantic America" that may join the European Union. Canada will grab a group of Northern states Prof. Panarin calls "The Central North American Republic." Hawaii will be a protectorate of Japan or China, and Alaska will be subsumed into Russia.

My Comments:

Absolute nonsense! What is the man smoking?

Yes, the US has experienced a recession or two, a housing bubble, a collapsing stock market (a few times), civil unrest and even a civil war...but we survived all of that before,..and we will again.

As a matter of fact as Thomas Jefferson (1743 - 1826) said: "The boisterous sea of liberty is never without a wave."

We as Americans have fought hard for freedom and equal rights. Remember the words of two other great presidents:

"Fourscore and seven years ago our Fathers brought forth on this continent a new nation conceived in liberty and dedication to the proposition that all men are created equal." Abraham Lincoln (1809 -1865)

"We and all who believe in freedom as deeply as we do. Would rather die on our feet than live on our knees." Franklin Roosevelt (1882-1945)

So whatever intel Panarin is using, he may have to adjust his predictions because we will prove him wrong. The US may have had a tough year or two, probably will even have one this year as we pick ourselves up from a depressed housing and stock market, but that we will...and we will do so as a free nation, a world power and one of the most prosperous nations in the world.

"We stand for freedom. That is our conviction for ourselves; that is our only commitment to others." John F. Kennedy (1917 - 1963).

God Bless America! Do I hear a thousand Rainers that agree!

Stefan Swanepoel
Author: Swanepoel TRENDS Report

Tips, Tools, and Tweets - Twitter Twexplanations

Stefan Swanepoel (Author, Speaker & Trends Guru) — Sun, 04 Jan 2009 14:45:15 -0600

Many comments I received indicated that they not sure how to use Twitter or to get the maximum benefit from Twitter. Glancing through ActiveRain I found many great post by Rainers that have offered up lots of wonderful information. I also a found a Twitter starters guide on the Web.

I hope you learn something Twittastic.

1. Kim Wood of RE/MAX Main Line in Pennsylvania published some great info on Twitter. (You can follow her @kimwood).

Check her posts on ActiveRain at:

How to Twitter - Part One : Why Twitter? Get signed up
How to Twitter - Part Two : Setting up your Profile
How to Twitter - Part Three: Follow and Get Followed
How to Twitter - Part Four: Replies, Direct Messages
How to Twitter - Part Five: Things to do on Twitter

2. Regina P. Brown, from San Luis Obispo provides insight to the following great Twitter Tools (You can follow her @GoldenPen).

Analyzes your usage - http://twitter.com/grader
Helps you shorten your TWEETS - http://tweetshrink.com
The "place" where everyone can communicate on one specific topic - http://tweetchat.com
Software that helps you manage your Direct Messages - http://www.tweetdeck.com
Who should you follow? - http://twitter.com/MrTweet
Who's NOT following you? - http://friendorfollow.com
The "place" where everyone can communicate on one specific topic - http://tweetchat.com

3. Found this Free PDF download on Mastering Twitter in 10 minutes or less - go to http://www.deannaspencer.com/suggests/MasteringTwitter.pdf

You can follow me @Swanepoel - I look forward to read your twitterrific tweets.