Most lenders would consider a conventional mortgage as a loan that conforms to the guidelines set forth by Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae, the two government sponsored enterprises (GSEs) that provide liquidity in the mortgage market. Technically speaking, a

In today’s competitive real estate market, a great looking and staged home can give a seller a leg up on their competition. With the over-saturation of home inventory on the market and the influx of new properties coming to

It can be a lonely world out there. Human beings are not meant to be “lone wolves;” we need to be surrounded by others to get the most and the best out each other. There is comfort in companionship

Mortgage rates are at an all-time historic low, but one of the biggest problems facing Chicagoans is that very few people have the ability to refinance due to poor credit and negative equity in their properties. This will only

By Rebecca Denison It’s not a secret that social media users generate a great deal of data. Big data. Take a tweet, for example. Each time one 140-character message is sent out, dozens of pieces of metadata are connected

By Matthew Collis Although email marketing may be a vital component of your communication strategy, you may not be aware that email marketing campaign reports can help you to pin-point the best leads in your database and increase the

In order to compete in our market, you must stay on top of cutting-edge technology. Whether you are Droid or Apple user, there are apps for EVERYTHING in the real estate market. Want to know how much that house

Love it or hate it, short sales are here to stay. As a buyer’s agent, you owe it to your clients to know the basics of how to effectively work with short sale

Being a leader is not for everyone. For some reason many think the leadership position is easy, but anyone in leadership knows it can be challenging. Getting people to follow you and your beliefs takes effort, respect, honesty and

With today’s housing environment and the volume of distressed properties on the market, buyers are seeing a surplus of affordable homes available for purchase. And while homes may be available, many are not “move-in ready,” or immediately suitable for

By Bob Corcoran The Chinese philosopher Laozi once said, “The journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.” If making positive changes in your business looks like a thousand-mile journey, the good news is this: you can

By Bob Corcoran The real estate business is full of acronyms. You’re familiar with many of them: CRS, GRE, NAR and globs of others. But there’s one that seems to be flying under the radar of a lot of

By Roz Zweig, Broker, Coldwell Banker, and Geraldine Markel, Ph.D., Managing Your Mind Coaching & Seminars Do you have a sinking feeling that it’s been a tough go and that things are going to get worse before they get

Your listing isn’t selling and your clients’ hopes are turning into fears. When your client chose you as their real estate agent, you had very positive things to say about their home and promised it wouldn’t take long to

By Kathy Kalnes When trick-or-treating as a child, which homes were most appealing to you? The houses with the best candy and decorations, of course. When presenting your listing to potential buyers, it is crucial to showcase the “treats”

I often think about my funeral and what that will look like. Will I hear crickets or will it be standing room only? How long will I be remembered, and for what? When you think about your place here