Top 10 Most Popular Articles from January

Ready to make 2017 your best year ever? Our list of the most popular articles from January are a good starting point. You'll learn about cultivating the traits that lead to success (see article #1), resources that will help you sell more homes (#9), as well as sources for finding seller leads (#2) and more referrals (#3).

We may be tip-toeing into the second month of the year already, but don't think it's too late to put into practice the suggestions you'll encounter in the list below! 2017 is still young and you still have every opportunity to meet and exceed the goals you've set for yourself. Read on for some New(ish) Year's inspiration.

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1. 3 Habits of Highly Successful Real Estate Agents
As a top producing agent and speaker, Leigh Brown has met thousands of Realtors over the years. She says that most agents fall into two camps: the wildly successful and the, well, not so successful. When we take a look at the Realtors at the successful end of the spectrum, you'll notice that they all share some common traits. Here are the top 3 traits for success.

2. 3 Places to Look for Motivated Sellers
The colder months are here, and many would-be sellers are hunkering down to wait out the season. As homeowners settle in, most real estate agents will find it progressively harder to get enough listings to keep their businesses running smoothly. But don't worry. There are always motivated sellers who want to sell fast, even in the worst weather. You just need to know where to look.

3. 65 Sources of Real Estate Referrals You May Have Overlooked
Referrals make up a significant amount of an agent's bottom line. So what can agents do to cultivate more referrals? To start, it pays to know who to target and how. According to ReferralExchange, there are 65 major sources of referrals in eight different categories. Our bet is that there's at least a few referral ideas here that you may have overlooked. Check out this comprehensive list of referral sources for inspiration on cultivating new business.

4. Stop Using 'Toxic' Words to Improve Communication with Clients and Leads
Are your words ruining your business? The way you communicate with your clients will make or break your business. Real estate coach Borino outlines three ways to better your communication with prospects and existing clients. The second piece of advice will change your life.

5. Four Time-saving Tools that You Need For YOUR Real Estate Practice
Want tools that can help you stay consistent in your real estate marketing plan? Here are some of the best time-saving tech tools that can use today to help you become more consistent in all your real estate marketing practices.

6. 7 Hidden Secrets No One Tells You About Real Estate Marketing
If real estate marketing were as easy as it's made to look on TV, then the world would be full of real estate moguls by now. While it isn't easy, it's not a mystery either. It just takes work, an open mind and a willingness to learn. We're here to help you with the learning part, by highlighting some of the things they don't tell you about real estate marketing.

7. 3 Ways Real Estate Agents Are Better than FSBO
FSBO is very popular in the millennial market. Sellers are technologically savvy and want to save on the commission—but the ride might be bumpier than anticipated. We have heard it, we have seen it and I have written about it. But, there are some people who still prefer to take the FSBO route. Wondering how to persuade sellers to choose a real estate professional? Check out this infographic to learn more.

8. Build Your Real Estate CRM Database with 4 Easy Steps
Some agents choose to purchase leads from online services, which can be a hit or miss strategy. Instead of gambling with your funds by buying leads, why not build up your list organically? Here are four ways to build your real estate CRM database.

9. 15 Real Estate Resources That Will Help You Sell More Homes in 2017
One of the best low-stress ways to ease into planning for 2017 is to spend a few hours here and there exploring resources that relate to your industry and profession. To help lead you in the right direction, I've collected 15 great actionable resources that you can learn from and apply to your real estate business in order to sell more homes in 2017.

10. Realtor.com Introduces Augmented Reality to Its Mobile App
At the end of last year, there was a lot of chatter about augmented reality being one of the "trends to watch" in 2017. Well, it looks like the pundits are already being proven right, with a major real estate player announcing two brand new augmented reality features in their consumer facing mobile app.