What are two of the most important components of any business endeavor? Strategic planning and measurement. Every day the number of businesses using Facebook is growing, yet 60 percent of businesses admit to shooting from the hip in their

Real estate sales tend to slow down around the holidays, but if your goal is to increase your brokerage’s profitability in 2014, the end of the year is vital to your team’s success. Set the scene for a prosperous

You probably know that winter is not the season for heavy real estate activity. According to the National Association of Realtors, inventory in winter is traditionally lower than summer, which means you’re probably in for a lull in business

Most consumers feel that spring is the time to get into the real estate market, but for agents, our momentum is constant and needs to be renewed immediately after the New Year. During the end of each year, the

With the mobility of being a Realtor, my car is an extension of my home-office – the only difference, of course, is that it’s on wheels. It can be quite a juggling act, having a mobile office on the

Back in November, new GSE guidelines took effect that promised a great streamlining of the short sale and deed in lieu process, and for the most part they have. I have seen short sale times fall dramatically, and with

Should you run your real estate business from home? Is the daily commute to the office still relevant in today’s work environment? #sb10062935a-002 / gettyimages.com Mobile technology and the Internet have revolutionized many an industry, and real estate is

Great communication is marque in real estate, but what strategies can you follow to make sure that you are truly communicating with skill and effectiveness? Here’s a statement of little controversy: unless you are a good, effective communicator, chances

Efficiency and productivity go hand in hand, but how can you ensure that you’re accomplishing your tasks in an efficient manner? We all want to be more efficient in our professional lives, and for good reason. Efficiency not only

Years ago, pre-children, I was a full-time career woman, and then for the first years after having children, I was a full-time at-home mom,  either of which is a lot for anybody. For the past couple years, I have

Sound decision making is integral for a successful real estate business, how do you ensure that you’re always making good decisions? Real estate is a uniquely decision-based profession. Sure, all businesses depend upon good decision making to succeed, but

Quite a few sellers decide to take their home off the market during the winter months and then re-list their properties in the spring. Some sellers do this because they don’t want to be bothered during the holidays with

As the co-inventor of ACT! contact management software, the product credited as the catalyst for the customer relationship management industry, I’m surprisingly not a champion of the concept of “managing relationships” at all. I don’t think entering data, scheduling

Agents are always looking for ways to be more productive, and we have three easy, straightforward approaches towards achieving just that. Productivity is one of those golden words in today’s business climate, a concept that just about everyone agrees

Agents are always on the lookout for inspiration, but it turns out that the most effective ways to boost your creativity are also the simplest. Real estate is an industry that thrives on creativity. From marketing efforts, to listing

You just received an introductory email from a prospective new client, referred to you by a friend whom you just helped buy a first home. Actually, it could also be either an intro text message or an invite to