Is your listing camera ready? TV shows about home design and remodeling are having an influence on buyers’ perceptions of what homes for sale should look like, according to an NAR survey. Sixty-eight percent of REALTORS®, according to the 2021 Profile of Home Staging, said their buyers were disappointed by how homes appeared compared with those […]
Industry News
4 Traits to Look for In a Broker
You’ve likely heard discussions over who is the best broker to work for. But a broker who one agent thinks is great might be someone you absolutely detest. There are, however, a few ways to spot a great broker. If you’re looking to join “Company A” because you heard from another agent that they love […]
NAR’s Pocket Listing Policy a Possible Target of DOJ
Less than two weeks after the U.S. Department of Justice pulled out of a proposed settlement with the National Association of REALTORS® (NAR) to broaden its investigation into the trade group’s rules, the agency has provided a big clue as to one of the rules it will be digging into: the Clear Cooperation Policy. In […]
Redfin CEO On Damage of Pocket Listings
by Glenn Kelman, CEO Redfin In a November 2019 fair-housing initiative, the National Association of REALTORS® (NAR) moved to ban so-called pocket listings, where real estate agents tell only a select group of buyers about a home for sale. But since then, the number of homes sold without being marketed to the public has […]
7 Strategies to Win Bidding War
When the real estate market is hot, an attractive house is a coveted commodity. How can you win the bid on a property with multiple offers? If you have found a dream house, here are seven tips that can help your offer win the bidding war. 1. Play to win, not to lose A big […]
Blackstone Bets on SFH Rentals
Blackstone Group agreed to buy single-family rental company Home Partners of America for $6 billion, betting the demand for suburban housing will stay hot even as the pandemic eases. Home Partners, which is being acquired by Blackstone Real Estate Income Trust, owns more than 17,000 homes across the U.S., according to a recent statement. The company […]
Century 21, Keller Williams Included in Discrimination Suit
A law firm working with a housing rights advocacy group on Wednesday sued dozens of real estate agents and companies — including high-profile players such as Keller Williams, EXIT Realty and a Century 21 franchise — over claims of discrimination against lower-income tenants. Law firm Newman Ferrara filed the suit, which is based on an […]
Shocker: DOJ Drops NAR Deal
The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) announced on Thursday that it is pulling out of a proposed settlement with the National Association of REALTORS® (NAR) to broaden its investigation into the trade group’s rules. “The proposed settlement will not sufficiently protect the Antitrust Division’s ability to pursue future claims against NAR,” said Acting Assistant Attorney […]
Can Zillow Purchase of ShowingTime Help You?
Now that the pandemic has hastened demand for a seamless, 100-percent digital transaction, professionals are figuring out what it takes to create an integrated tech experience that benefits buyers, sellers, agents, brokers, MLSs and everyone in between. Homesnap Founder Guy Wolcott said that Zillow Group’s acquisition of ShowingTime was a turning point for him, as […]
Post-Pandemic Office Debate
The pandemic forced many real estate agents to set up shop at home and work with customers who were wary of personal interaction. But what was an inconvenience for some was a trial run for others who began to imagine conducting business without a designated office, panelists Kendall Bonner, Sabrina Brown and Wendy-Forsythe discussed at […]