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Inman.com Web site maintenance

By Inman News, Thursday, August 20, 2009.

 The Inman News Web site, at www.inman.com will be temporarily unavailable due to site maintenance from 1 a.m. to 5 a.m. Pacific Daylight Time on Saturday, Aug. 22, 2009.

We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause.  more...

Happy agents and happy hours

By Teresa Boardman, Thursday, August 20, 2009.
Flickr photo by <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/feastguru_kirti/2242523628/" target=blank>kspoddar</a>.

Several of my friends and business contacts own small real estate brokerages. One thing I keep hearing from them that is that they are looking for ideas on how to keep their agents engaged with the company.

In most cases they are talking about social activities or office projects. I keep thinking that they are working with or looking for the wrong agents and that a brokerage can and should be successful without having social events or events beyond selling real estate that require agent participation.  more...

Selling Mom's house to pay health costs

By Bernice Ross, Thursday, August 20, 2009.

DEAR BERNICE: I appreciate your helping people like me who are like babes in the woods when it comes to real estate stuff. My mom died recently in an out-of-state nursing home. I am the executor of her estate. Mom had no money and neither do I, but her house is paid for. That's a good thing because I am recently unemployed.

The house sits on three-fourths of an acre that was originally two separate lots. The roof has major leaks, one of which caused a 2-foot-by-4-foot hole in the ceiling. Possums have taken up residence in the attic. They stare at me with impunity. Raccoons are now living under the house. I use bug spray to keep them from moving into the main house.  more...

Debunking the real estate cartel

By Tara-Nicholle Nelson, Thursday, August 20, 2009.
Flickr photo by <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/foreverphoto/2760042027/">KellyB.</a>

The real estate nonfiction book genre should be broken down into two subsets: (a) how-to and (b) who-caused-it bubble-burst reenactments. Books in the latter category aren't pure nonfiction, though, in my experience.

Sprinkled throughout you'll usually find some of the more persistent, pervasive and, in my opinion, fictional (at worst) or exaggerated (at best) tales of real estate industry conspiracies.

I realize that there have been individual instances of agents and mortgage brokers, inspectors and appraisers joining forces in an evil marriage to take advantage of the little guy.  more...

Would-be tenants play 'religion' card

By Janet Portman, Thursday, August 20, 2009.

Q: During an interview with a potential landlord, we were asked some odd questions that, on reflection, seemed designed to find out if we are religious. She asked me where we got married (not just the city, but the site), and how we liked to spend Sundays. We replied honestly -- we got married at a hotel, and spend Sundays on our bikes or hiking -- no mention of attending religious services. Though we have excellent credit and references, we were turned down, and later learned from someone in the building that the owner is practically a religious fanatic. Was this an instance of illegal discrimination? --Marcia S.

A: Let's assume for the moment that this landlord was in fact trying to figure out whether you were religious.  more...

Promoters, detractors are your business Premium Content

By Joseph Ferrara, Thursday, August 20, 2009.
Flickr photo by <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/ella_marie/3270648502/" target=blank>♥ellie♥</a>.

Real estate satisfaction is short-lived and clients do not engage in transactions often enough to sustain it for repeat business.

A real estate transaction lacks word-of-mouth promotional appeal, provides no social currency, the risk of a failed referral, and is limited by local marketing reach.

For this reason, the Net Promoter Score -- a loyalty measurement that uses customer responses ...  more...

Just another fruit smoothie Premium Content

By Marc Davison, Thursday, August 20, 2009.
Flickr photo by <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/maltman23/396284394/" target=blank>maltman23</a>.

While viewing video footage of a customer appreciation event thrown by one of our broker clients, I was alarmed by the soundtrack the videographer chose: "Satisfaction" by The Rolling Stones.

This song, replete with sexually charged lyrics and anti-commercial messaging, played over two minutes of families and friends sharing in the day's events.

I e-mailed my concerns to the videographer.  more...