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Does Slow, Steady Growth Actually Create Real Estate Bubbles?

Blog Contributor Professional Development, Sales & Marketing Leave a Comment

By Sam DeBord If “a stitch in time saves nine,” does a market that corrects itself frequently save itself from over-correcting? We’ve been told that slow and steady growth is the safest path for an investment. Real estate markets that follow a moderately increasing appreciation path are the rock-solid investments that provide safe harbor from volatile equity swings. And yet, …

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The Case for a REALTOR® to Lead Realtor.com®

Blog Contributor Being a REALTOR®, realtor.com, YPN News 8 Comments

By Sam DeBord Realtor.com®’s president, Errol Samuelson, has been hired away by Zillow. I’ve met Errol and he’s a nice guy, very smart, and very successful. Business is business. But, naive as it might be, there’s plenty of disappointment from the REALTOR® community. It comes from a belief that we have a common cause greater than just our businesses. Whether …

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You Don’t Need Experience To Gain Clients

Blog Contributor Customer Service, New REALTOR®, Professional Development 4 Comments

By Sam DeBord When I started out in the real estate business, my biggest fear was probably the same as many other agents’: “What if they ask me how many homes I’ve sold?”  There was an almost inescapable fear that every new client I met would find out that I hadn’t been selling for very long, and abandon me for …

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NAR/Realtor.com® Agreement Part 1: Displaying Unlisted New Homes & New Home Communities

Blog Contributor NAR 5 Comments

By Sam DeBord The National Association of REALTORS® recently voted to approve updates to its operating agreement with realtor.com® and allow more flexibility for the Web site.  There has been a wide range of reactions from REALTORS®. This blog is part one of my five-part series in which I will discuss the propriety of the agreement. Let’s start with some …

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Quick Facts You Need To Know About The Mortgage Interest Deduction

Blog Contributor Business Challenges, Mortgage Financing 7 Comments

By Sam DeBord When talking to associates and the public about real estate topics, it’s important to be educated on the issues that we value most as REALTORS®.  Government fiscal and tax policy can be confusing issues that many REALTORS® don’t feel they have time for. Still, anyone working in the industry is bound to strike up a conversation that leads …

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Short on Experience? Try Your Local Board.

Blog Contributor New REALTOR®, Professional Development, Sales & Marketing 3 Comments

By Sam DeBord One of the biggest hurdles for new REALTORS® is overcoming a lack of experience when meeting with a potential client. Motivation, marketing skills, and preparation go a long way, but they can fall flat when faced with a simple seller question: “So, how long have you been selling real estate?” Many REALTORS® who are fairly new to …