Archive for the “Life as a Realtor” Category

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The recession has taken a bite out of real estate agents’ median incomes, which fell more than 13 percent last year nationwide.

The median number of sales handled by agents also dropped – from four in 2007 to 3.5 transactions a year, the National Association of Realtors said Wednesday, and their median sales volume last year was $1.2 million, down from $1.6 million in 2007.

Data about the slowdown in business was included in a sweeping industry profile the Realtors group just completed.

Paul Bishop, the NAR’s managing director of real estate research, said members are diversified in their business activities.

“Most Realtors understand real estate is a cyclical business and are diversified in their income streams,” Paul Bishop, who handles research for the Washington, D.C.-based trade group, said in the report. “Almost all of our members have secondary business specialties, and some are involved in related businesses.” Read the rest of this entry »

Kathleen at Real Estate Marketing has two great tips for prequalifying prospects:

In this crazy market, it’s even more important to make sure you’re working with clients who are serious about buying or selling.  The time required to close a deal is extended in the market today, so you need to make sure every hour you spend is taking you closer to a commission.

Ask the Right Questions to Pre-Qualification

The first way to pre-qualify a prospect is to ask the right questions and to listen carefully to identify any inconsistencies or hesitation in the answers you receive.  Here are the type of questions that can help pre-qualify a buyer or seller: Read the rest of this entry »

As an avid bike rider I love to ride to work and just found an article in the Sarasota Herald that reminds me that there is one old but now incredibly important factor to think about when it comes to working with buyers and that is the bike commute for fitness fanatics and green consumers

But that does not really mean you should hop on the bike to do showings…just be aware.

With gas prices high, bicycles flying out of stores and a buyers’ market for houses, a handful of real estate agents around the country are touting the two-wheeled appeal of their listings.

Some even show houses exclusively by bike, wheeling through the neighborhood with potential buyers to show off bike lanes and bike-focused businesses and repair shops. Read the rest of this entry »