Tech mistakes, housing costs/school info by metro, and how to cook perfect bacon
Affordable housing might be coming to Marin County in California, courtesy of George Lucas. How inflated are property values? A family of four earning $88,000 qualifies. Needless to say, some neighbors aren’t happy.
Avoid these common tech mistakes pointed out by the Wisconsin Real Estate Magazine. You can lose clients through poor website maintenance, wrong communication channels when working with a client, failing to back up your information and spending money on gas and travel when you could be using technology to communicate. Other mistakes include avoiding social media, not disposing of your computer in an environmentally safe manner and poor security.
The Brookings Institution has a new statistics page that shows housing costs and school information by metropolitan region.
The article lists more than 8, so I have no idea where they came up with the title, but it’s good advice. 8 things never to do with an extension cord, courtesy of State Farm.
Yet another fool-proof bacon cooking trick to keep your little slices of love crispy but moist from America’s Test Kitchen. I may have to try it.
And summertime is almost here. My thoughts are turning to the pool and a nice chair, how about you? Well, how about this pool, the world’s largest, in Chile?
Updated Field Guides
Auction
Real estate sale by auction is an innovative and unique method for completing real estate transactions. This process often accelerates the sale process, exposing a property to numerous buyers in a short period of time. Read below to learn the benefits and drawbacks to real estate sale by auction.
The Best Places to Live
What makes a location the best place to live, work or retire? We’ve gathered the top lists into one spot to help you determine just that! Find out which cities are ranked as the safest to live in, which cities have the best job opportunities, which cities are more family friendly and much more in this field guide.
Green Property Management
Energy and environmental performance are emerging as key benchmarks in how commercial real estate buildings are judged and priced in today’s market. According to a recent survey, 88% of corporate and developer respondents expect to own, manage or lease some green properties five years from now. This field guide introduces the importance and value of environmental sound practices in property management as well as giving some ideas on trends, certification programs, and other resources for the green property manager.
Investing in Real Estate
Is now the right time to be investing in real estate? Some say yes, some say no, and some say it depends. In a declining market, there are bargains, but don’t look for a quick flip. If you’re thinking long term, you can find some great deals. So if you’re ready to take the plunge or want to be ready for brighter days ahead, find out how to get started, invest with IRAs, use real estate as a retirement tool, get information on rental homes, buying tax liens, real estate partnerships and much more in these books and articles.
Preparing & Staging a House for Sale
Banish the clutter! Trim the bushes! Hide your Star Wars collection! Take down the family pictures! What can you do to prepare a house for sale? Here are tips, hints, thoughts and ideas for sprucing up, cleaning out, decorating, staging, creating a great first impression and making a house appealing to buyers.
Single-Property Websites
Property marketing is always a challenge. How do you make sure your client’s property gets the attention it needs? How do you make it easy for buyers to learn about your property? Some REALTORS® are turning to single-property websites to feature an individual property on a dedicated site. Is the time and effort of creating a single-property website worth it? See what others are saying.
Technology Tools for AEs
This guide will help you learn tips for doing information technology yourself, keep up with legal issues and learn new training ideas.
New eBooks
Several new titles have been added to our collection, including The 8 Best Practices of High-Performing Salespeople, At Your Service, and Sell or be Sold. Click here for more information on new May eBook titles.
New Print Materials
New print materials this month focus on more academic studies and texts, including Capitalization Theory and Techniques Study Guide, Transformational Leadership in the New Age of Real Estate, and Appraising Residential Properties. Click here for more information on new May print titles.
NAR’s Research Group released its annual member profile report. And as usual it’s full of great information on the typical – and atypical – member. Based on surveys of REALTOR® members from across the nation, topics include business characteristics, business activity, income and expense, office and firm affiliation, and demographic characteristics. For the first time in a several years, REALTOR® incomes are on the rise. Other highlights include:
- 62% of NAR members have a personal website
- 54% of the respondents use social or professional networking sites and 10 percent have a blog
- 2% of all Realtors® are under 30 years of age and another 4% are 30 to 34 years old
- Six out of 10 members are affiliated with an independent firm
- 16% are fluent in other languages
And now thru the end of the month members can get a free copy (a $19.95 value) thru the MVP+ program. Even if you only use it once or check to see how you compare to your peers, it’s definitely worth 5 minutes of your time to get.
NAR members and Association staff can borrow up to six electronic books, digital audios and/or videos at no cost, through the Virtual Library eBooks Collection.
Members can also borrow up to three books for 30 days from the Library Catalog for a nominal fee of $10. Call Information Central at 800.874.6500 for assistance.
The 8 Best Practices of High-Performing Salespeople
Norm Trainor
The 8 Best Practices of High-Performing Salespeople follows the stories of real sales professionals, relating their experiences and challenges first-hand. The 8 Best Practices of High-Performing Salespeople is like a private coaching session for those who want to increase sales and build lasting value in their business. It offers practical advice and simple strategies from the best in the business, even letting you in on actual situations and conversations.
At Your Service
Frank Eliason
Technology and social media tools have made it easier than ever for companies to communicate with consumers. They can listen and join in on conversations, solve problems, get instant feedback about their products and services, and more. So why, then, are most companies not doing this? Instead, is seems as if customer service is at an all time low, and that the few companies who are choosing to focus on their customers are experiencing a great competitive advantage. At Your Service will appeal to leaders, managers, business owners, customer service professionals, and anyone who wants to learn how to add value to their organization.
The Contrarian Effect
Michael Port and Elizabeth Marshall
If you’re still doing it the old-fashioned way, you’re probably barely keeping your career afloat. If you want to stop treading water and start making sales, The Contrarian Effect has the answer. This sales approach is like no other in history. Not only do traditional sales tactics fail most of the time, we’re actually better off doing the exact opposite! It may sound crazy, but it’s not just a novel idea; it’s a counterintuitive approach to sales that really works.
Let’s Get Real or Let’s Not Play
Mahan Khalsa and Randy Illig
Customers are afraid that they will be talked into making a mistake; salespeople dread being unable to close the deal and make their quotas. No one is happy. Mahan Khalsa and Randy Illig offer a better way. Salespeople, they argue, do best when they focus 100 percent on helping clients succeed. When customers are successful, both buyer and seller win. When they aren’t, both lose. It’s no longer sufficient to get clients to buy—a salesperson must also help the client reduce costs, increase revenues, and improve productivity, quality, and customer satisfaction.
This book is designed to be of value to anyone who is studying marketing, whether as a subject in its own right or as a module forming part of any business-related degree or diploma. Features include summary diagrams, worked examples and illustrations, activities, discussion topics, chapter summaries and quick quizzes, all presented in a user friendly format that helps to bring the subject to life.
No Thanks, I’m Just Looking
Harry J. Friedman
No Thanks, I’m Just Looking gives anyone the inside scoop on how to skyrocket their selling career with a system of easy-to-learn practical money-making steps. By saving countless hours of trial-and-error experience, readers will be able to focus on the things that really work. Considered to be retail guru Harry J. Friedman’s personal collection of proven selling techniques, No Thanks, I’m Just Looking includes all the tips and humorous anecdotes that have made him retail’s most sought-after consultant.
Sell or Be Sold
Grant Cardone
Whether it’s selling your company’s product in the boardroom or selling yourself on eating healthy, everything in life can—and should—be treated as a sale. And as sales expert Grant Cardone explains, knowing the principles of selling is a prerequisite for success of any kind. In Sell or Be Sold, Cardone breaks down the techniques and approaches necessary to master the art of selling in any avenue. You will learn how to handle rejection, turn around negative situations, shorten sales cycles, and guarantee yourself greatness.
Buying Bargains at Property Auctions
Howard Gooddie
Every week, hundreds of properties – both residential and commercial – are sold at auction in Britain. Howard Gooddie’s classic guide on property auctions is more relevant than ever during the ‘credit crunch’. With generous finance no longer available and repossessions on the rise, auction rooms are filled with more and more people picking up genuine bargains. Property auctions are in Howard Gooddie’s blood. He comes from a family of auctioneers and for many years he was head of one of the country’s leading auction houses. He has brought the gavel down on literally thousands of lots.
As many of you know, NAR releases a quarterly Metropolitan Area Home Price report. But what if you need more local data – say for a neighborhood or a single community rather than a whole metro region? Or what if you need historic data? Probably your best bet would be your local MLS, or if your area is a member, the REALTORS Property Resource (RPR®). But even for non-members or consumers there are some other options to consider. In Chicago for example, there was a publication called Living in Greater Chicago that provided neighborhood and local community data during the 1990s. For other larger metro areas, there may be something similar. Check your local library. While Living in Greater Chicago is no longer published, that mantel has been taken up by our local social and lifestyle magazine, Chicago Magazine. Their annual “What’s Your Home Worth Now” issue takes data from the local/regional MLS and compiles it into some easy to digest tables. New York Magazine provides something similar for its neighborhoods. In smaller communities try your daily newspaper, business paper, or weekly alternative press for info. Finally your local board of REALTORS® may provide a detailed report or make that data available on request.
White House value, goodbye yard signs, and summer travel
A couple of firms have estimated the value of the White House as if it were for sale. A local DC firm has put the asking price of 1600 Pennsylvania Ave at $110 million, though it estimates it would probably close for around $80 million. That figure doesn’t take into account the historic one-of-a-kind nature of the deal. Zillow is more generous, estimating the value at over $220 million, though like much of the country the price has declined over the last year.
Inman’s recent review of The Seven Pearls of Financial Wisdom (on financial guidance for women), piqued our interest. We have a substantial personal finance collection of our own in our library—in both electronic and print.
Are yard signs going the way of the buggy whip in Aspen, Colorado? The Aspen Board of REALTORS® is seeking a voluntary ban on yard signs, in order to eliminate visual pollution. Some approve of the measure, others are in opposition. “The issue of real estate signs in Aspen is not a simple ‘for or against’ question. It’s multi-faceted,” said Will Herndon, President, Coldwell Banker Mason Morse. He defended a firm’s right “to serve our clients’ interests in marketing their properties to the best of our ability within governing codes and regulations of Aspen, Pitkin County and ABOR.”
Fannie Mae, the largest source of U.S. housing funds, said it would not need to request more taxpayer aid this quarter after posting a $2.7 billion profit in the first three months of the year.
Austria’s ‘upside down house’ becomes tourist attraction.
Summer travel season is just around the corner. If your holiday plans include overseas excursions, you might consider getting a credit card that doesn’t charge a foreign transaction fee. These bank fees can add up quickly if you’re not careful. Luckily several companies offer cards without these pesky charges.
And credit cards are not the only ones with fees on the rise. Watch out for the airlines, as they nickel and dime their way back to profitability.
Peek behind the scenes at Paramount Pictures as the studio celebrates 100 years with a look at pictures from Life Magazine’s coverage of a massive ‘housecleaning’ that took place in 1970 at the iconic studio.
Living with the ‘rents, sustainable design, and the economy joins us for lunch
Though the economy is showing signs of recovery, and housing inventory is down, many of us are still working with a tight budget. A Times economist offers some budgeting guidance on dining out. Speaking of recovery, we’ve noticed a lot of new construction in our downtown Chicago neighborhood, including this 1970s office building converted to green hotel. A $600/month eletricity bill for a 63 room hotel ain’t too shabby.
So you’ve moved back home since you can’t afford to buy a house. Are you killing the housing market? The Washington Post says “Yes.” What does this mean for the economy? “It has trimmed demand for housing.” However, looking at home ownership from a historical perspective, home ownerships rates appear to return to their historical norm.
Are you looking at confidential client information on your train or plane commutes? According to the New York Times, you may be inadvertently exposing sensitive client information–such as business deals, personnel issues, and clients list–to the general public. Data thieves target conferences, work commutes, and other public spaces to steal valuable competitive intelligence data.
Horse race fans anxiously await this weekend’s Kentucky Derby: mint julep anyone? To get into the spirit, we share a history of top derby icons. Our favorite: the gloriously ostentatious hats.
We close out with a bow to Air Quality Week, a joint effort of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). Though we all have our own opinions on the environment, we all breathe the same air and thus each have a stake in the need for high quality, clean air.
NAR members and Association staff can borrow up to three books for 30 days from the Library for a nominal fee of $10.
Members and staff can also borrow up to six electronic books, digital audios and/or videos at no cost, through the Virtual Library eBooks Collection.
Capitalization Theory and Techniques Study Guide, Third Edition
By Charles B. Akerson
Appraisal Institute, 2009
While markets, methodologies and technology may change, the need to understand the mathematics of finance does not. Capitalization Theory and Techniques Study Guide, third edition, provides practitioners and students of the income capitalization approach to value with an essential reference tool for their appraisal offices and classrooms.
Transformational Leadership in the New Age of Real Estate
By Christopher Lee
Institute of Real Estate Management, 2012
As we enter a New Age of Real Estate, what can you do to ensure that your company is not just one of the survivors-but one that prospers under the new realities? More than ever, companies must respond to rapidly changing market conditions, competitive pressures, and shifting customer demands and expectations-to look ahead and put themselves in a position to seize the opportunities presented by the “new normal.”
Understanding Property Law, 3rd Edtion
By John G. Sprankling
LexisNexis, 2012
This comprehensive and authoritative Understanding treatise is suitable for use in conjunction with any Property casebook. Features include complete coverage of all standard property topics, including landlord-tenant law, adverse possession, rights in personal property, estates and future interests, marital property, land sale transactions, servitudes, nuisance, zoning, takings, and other land use issues, analysis of cutting-edge topics, such as property rights in human bodies, current takings issues, the new Restatement (Third) of Property (Servitudes), rights and duties of homeowners’ associations, and property rights in personal names and likenesses, discussion of the policy and historical underpinnings of property law doctrines, and clear writing and detailed organization to facilitate student understanding of both basic concepts and controversial topics.
Appraising Residential Properties
Appraisal Institute, 2007
Appraising Residential Properties, fourth edition, has all the information an appraiser needs to perform residential appraisal assignments competently. The fourth edition is written in response to the new AQB requirements for licensed and certified residential appraisers. New data sources are highlighted throughout the text and the discussion of residential property design and building construction has been significantly reorganized and updated.
Understanding Modern Real Estate Transactions, 3rd Edtion
By Alex M. Johnson, Jr.
LexisNexis, 2012
Although the initial focus is on a residential real estate transaction, Understanding Modern Real Estate Transactions also addresses issues applicable to commercial real estate transactions. This treatise also provides case analysis, focusing on the cases that appear in the most prominent and widely used texts for modern real estate. Numerous simple hypotheticals throughout the text explain the more complicated theories and rules.
The New RESPA Rule: Navigating New Disclosures
By Carl G. Pry
LexisNexis, 2011
Complying with the Real Estate Settlement Procedures Act (RESPA) and HUD’s implementing Regulation X can be frustrating for consumer bankers. Changes to RESPA regulation were implemented in 2009 and 2010, and the forms are much different than previous versions. HUD has continuously issued interpretations, questions and answers, and amendments to these forms, complicating things even further. This special pamphlet, The New RESPA Rule: Navigating New Disclosures , examines the principal areas of confusion and uncertainty with regard RESPA disclosures.
Real Estate Valuation in Global Markets, Second Edition
By Howard C. Gelbtuch and Eunice H. Park
Appraisal Institute, 2011
Business has gone global and international expertise is in demand. Consider how these global changes can affect your business and discover the opportunities that await the international valuer!
The uniform standards have guided the appraisal process in federal land acquisitions since they were first published by the Interagency Land Acquisition Conference in 1973. They have earned a prestigious position among legislators and valuers and are frequently cited by Congress. This new edition recognizes the vast changes that have recently characterized the real estate appraisal profession and includes updated case law and expanded treatment of novel and difficult valuation questions.
Field Guides are one-stop resource packages on dozens of subjects of interest to REALTORS®. On each page you’ll find links to articles, books, web sites, statistics, and other material on each subject. The list of the most-used field guides from Information Central for the month of April 2012 was released today:
- Field Guide to Quick Real Estate Statistics
- Field Guide to 1031 Exchanges
- Field Guide to Marketing Tips for REALTORS®
- Field Guide to Open Houses
- Field Guide to Real Estate Office Policy Manuals
- Field Guide to Buying vs. Renting
- Field Guide to Listing & Selling Luxury Properties
- Field Guide to Real Estate Transfer Taxes
- Field Guide to Short Sales
- Field Guide to Mortgage Interest Deduction
Have an idea for a new field guide? Let us know!
