eXp Commercial to Host Virtual Commercial Real Estate Symposium
BELLINGHAM, Wash. - June 29, 2021 -- eXp Commercial, a division of eXp World Holdings, today announced it will host its quarterly Commercial Real Estate Symposium July 26-30, which features a three-day certification program facilitated by the National Commercial Real Estate Association (NCREA). The event, including the NCREA certification, is free and will be held virtually in eXp World, eXp's 3D technology platform created by Virbela. The Commercial Real Estate Symposium connects CEOs, presidents, owners and CRE leaders with top agents and brokers to drive innovation in the commercial industry. In addition, it provides new and existing commercial real estate agents with training and resources to improve productivity, enhance marketing expertise and increase successful outcomes. The NCREA designation course provides agents with certification for commercial real estate fundamentals, how to prospect and stand out and the NCREA patented GRID system — a lead-generation program. The event will also feature a panel of powerhouse women in commercial real estate, including top performing women from Sabre Advisors, Rocket City Commercial and Aberdeen Advisors who have forged a path in the industry. Additional symposium sessions include: Integrating technology and database marketing Becoming an influencer in the commercial real estate space Expanding consulting and advisor capabilities How to find, screen and work with investors Understanding various types of ROI measurement "We're seeing more and more interest in eXp Commercial not only from seasoned and experienced commercial agents, but also from residential real estate agents looking to expand their careers into the commercial field," said James Huang, president for eXp Commercial. "The commercial real estate landscape has changed dramatically as a result of the pandemic, and this event helps agents navigate the new normal and sharpen their skills to be successful within the current and coming realities of commercial real estate." Through the company's unique financial model, eXp Commercial offers commercial real estate agents compelling incentives, including stock awards and one of the most competitive commission packages in the real estate industry. eXp Commercial agents and eXp Realty agents are able to collaborate for referrals, leverage proprietary marketing resources and scale their business using the company's advanced, all-virtual technology platform. eXp Commercial currently operates in 48 U.S. states. Admittance to the free, virtual event is limited, and those interested can register at expcommercial.com/event. More information about eXp Commercial can be found at expcommercial.com. About eXp World Holdings, Inc. eXp World Holdings, Inc. (Nasdaq: EXPI) is the holding company for eXp Realty, Virbela, Showcase IDX and SUCCESS Enterprises. eXp World Holdings and its global brokerage, eXp Realty, is one of the fastest-growing real estate tech companies in the world with more than 57,000 agents in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Australia, South Africa, India, Mexico, Portugal, France, Puerto Rico, Brazil, Italy, Hong Kong, Colombia, Spain and Israel, and continues to scale internationally. eXp Commercial operates in 48 states. As a publicly traded company, eXp World Holdings provides real estate professionals the unique opportunity to earn equity awards for production goals and contributions to overall company growth. eXp World Holdings and its businesses offer a full suite of brokerage and real estate tech solutions, including its innovative residential and commercial brokerage model, professional services, collaborative tools and personal development. The cloud-based brokerage is powered by an immersive 3D platform that is deeply social and collaborative, enabling agents to be more connected and productive. For more information, visit https://expworldholdings.com

Realogy Congratulates Fifth Graduating Class of Ascend: An Industry First Executive Leadership Program for Brokerage Successors
46-Week Exclusive Leadership Program Powered by Realogy Prepares Current and Future Broker/Owners to Achieve Smooth and Profitable Business Succession Process MADISON, N.J. -- Realogy celebrates the fifth graduating class of Ascend: The Executive Leadership Experience. The group of 35 real estate brokerage leaders were honored for completing the comprehensive, exclusive 46-week program that provides a unique learning opportunity to enhance the business succession program within their companies. A one-of-a-kind program in the industry, Realogy offers Ascend to its brand-affiliated real estate broker owners who seek a smooth and profitable business succession transition as well as rising senior leaders of large multi-office franchisees and company owned stores. The program leverages Realogy's deep industry knowledge and engages senior leadership, real estate industry experts as well as more than 100 brand franchisees who have participated in panels and webinars over the past five years. "Here at Realogy, we recognize the hard work that our broker/owners have put into building their companies," said John Peyton, president and CEO, Realogy Franchise Group. "We want to help them see their legacies preserved with potential successors, and through Ascend, we have successfully been helping our broker/owners prepare their aspirants to be world-class leaders." Ascend features intensive learning experiences that prepare participants to become successful brokerage leaders by challenging them to significant growth in three core areas identified in the program's mission statement: Leading Self. Leading Others. Leading Organizations. ® The challenging curriculum combines onsite classroom sessions at Realogy's headquarters along with online learning modules and individual case study presentations. While the graduation marks the end of the program for these graduates, the learning continues as they join previous graduates in the Ascend Alumni Network, which now boasts over 170 members representing all of Realogy's franchise brands, across three countries and in 125 different cities. The Alumni Network continues to meet for structured events, knowledge sharing and networking. "The skills that these graduates have shown in their businesses already is incredible. Out of this year's 35 graduates, three have already received promotions and seven are owners," said Mike Good, Realogy's executive champion for Ascend. "We congratulate all of our graduates who have shown exemplary progress over the past year." "Ascend has allowed for me to have a whole new perspective on understanding how people think and react in our business. The experience has been absolutely priceless," said Angela Prescott of Century 21 Sunbelt in Cape Coral, Fla. About Realogy Holdings Corp. Realogy Holdings Corp. (NYSE: RLGY) is the leading and most integrated provider of residential real estate services in the U.S. that is focused on empowering independent sales agents to best serve today's consumers. Realogy delivers its services through its well-known industry brands including Better Homes and Gardens® Real Estate, CENTURY 21®, Climb Real Estate®, Coldwell Banker®, Coldwell Banker Commercial®, Corcoran Group®, ERA®, Sotheby's International Realty® as well as NRT, Cartus® and Title Resource Group. Realogy's fully integrated business model includes brokerage, franchising, relocation, mortgage, and title and settlement services. Realogy provides independent sales agents access to leading technology, best-in-class marketing and learning programs, and support services to help them become more productive and build stronger businesses. Realogy's affiliated brokerages operate around the world with approximately 190,000 independent sales agents in the United States and approximately 110,400 independent sales agents in 112 other countries and territories. Realogy is headquartered in Madison, New Jersey.

New Virtual Pro Education Package From Residential Real Estate Council
CHICAGO - April 20, 2018 - The Residential Real Estate Council (RRC), formerly the Council of Residential Specialists, today announced the launch of its newest educational program for real estate agents, the Virtual Pro education package, the most convenient, flexible way to earn the Certified Residential Specialist (CRS) Designation*, network with other real estate agents and receive the highest-quality education the industry has to offer — all from the comfort of office or home. Students will get the value of RRC's live classroom courses complete with interactive lessons from top instructors in residential real estate, and discussion with fellow course participants. "Virtual Pro provides a direct route to earning the Council's CRS Designation and offers courses conveniently delivered to students online. Virtual Pro is an ideal way to offer real estate agents education in a format that adapts well to their busy schedules," says Lana Vukovljak, CEO, RRC. The Virtual Pro education package includes two 8-credit online courses, broken down into shorter chunks, and spanning a total of nine weeks. Both courses are adapted from face-to-face classroom courses and enhanced to take full advantage of the online platform. "Virtual Pro not only offers the most up-to-date and highest quality education but also provides students valuable networking and referral opportunities, both online during the courses and afterward when they gain access to the CRS Referral Network with their CRS Designation," says Dale Carlton, Virtual Pro instructor. Students can choose to join the Council at a discounted rate. The Virtual Pro education package (with or without membership) includes: Course 1: 7 Things Successful Agents Do Differently 8 credits The first course demonstrates what separates great agents from average ones. Course takeaways include specific strategies and marketing systems to move real estate agents and their businesses to the next stage of success, both professionally and financially. Students also learn to organize their real estate career like a business, leverage market statistics, plan for retirement and implement marketing efforts to make these things happen. Agents of all experience levels will discover how to take their business to a higher level. Course 2: Zero to 60 Home Sales a Year (and Beyond) 8 credits The second Virtual Pro course provides knowledge and tools needed to accelerate sales for both agents who are just starting out and veterans looking to jump-start their businesses. Takeaways include: new methods for marketing and bringing in a continuous flow of business, and creating a plan to turn sales goals into reality. Program Schedule: April 30 to June 26 *CRS Designation requires that candidates meet both transactional and education requirements. This program fulfills the education requirements of the Pro Program. For more information, go to CRS.com/designation. About Residential Real Estate Council Residential Real Estate Council, formerly the Council of Residential Specialists, is the largest not-for-profit affiliate of the National Association of REALTORS® comprised of more than 33,000 members, supporting them with education, networking events, practitioner developed tools and mentoring. It awards the CRS Designation to experienced REALTORS® who have completed advanced professional training and demonstrated outstanding achievement in residential real estate. For more information about Virtual Pro, go to the course at CRS.com.

Homes.com at NAR 2017: Find All the Presentation Slides Here!
We hope you learned a lot and had a great time at the 2017 REALTOR® Conference & Expo! Although we had fun serving up emoji martinis and drawing the winners for our daily $500 giveaway, our favorite parts were definitely Chris Smith, Sherri Johnson, and Joe Sesso's in-booth sessions on growing your business. If you missed a session or need a quick refresher, don't worry. We have the presentation slide decks below! Chris Smith, USA Today bestselling author of The Conversion Code and co-founder of Curaytor, shared his tips to "Generate 300+ Facebook Leads a Month," "Turn Online Leads into Appointments," and "Scripts to Close Leads on the Phone." Sherri Johnson, leading national speaker and real estate coach, revealed how to "Make $50k at Your Next Open House" as well as "Strategies for Converting More FSBOs and Expired Leads." Joe Sesso, Amazon bestselling author and national speaker for Homes.com, covered the "Best Kept Secrets to Lead Conversion" and "Niche Marketing Secrets to Grow Your Business." Whether you attended the expo or not, download the slide decks from the speaker's presentations to access valuable conversion techniques! For more lessons from top agents and industry leaders, register for the free, monthly Secrets of Top Selling Agents webinar! To view the original post, visit the Homes.com blog.

Realtor.com® Names the Top 10 Affordable Towns with the Best Elementary Schools
Aurora, Ill., Stone Mountain, Ga., Hampton, N.J., top the list SANTA CLARA, Calif., July 27, 2017 -- Realtor.com®, a leading provider of online real estate services operated by News Corp subsidiary Move, Inc., today released its ranking of the 10 most affordable housing markets with top elementary schools. Led by Aurora, Ill. (60503), the list also includes towns from all over the U.S., from Royersford, Pa., to Chandler, Ariz. To create the list, realtor.com® analyzed ZIP codes within the top metropolitan areas in the country which contained at least one public school ranked eight out of 10 or higher by GreatSchools. In order, realtor.com®'s top 10 most affordable towns with great elementary schools include: Aurora, Ill.; Stone Mountain, Ga.; Hampton, N.J.; Royersford, Pa; Kingwood, Texas; Rosemount, Minn.; Bowie, Md.; Huntington Woods, Mich.; Stow, Mass.; and Chandler. "When searching for a new home, finding something affordable in a good school district with family-friendly features, such as large backyards, tops the list of homebuyer priorities," said Javier Vivas, manager of economic research for realtor.com®. "These markets offer strong public schools and affordable homes, making them a great fit for homebuyers with elementary school-age children." The monthly cost of owning a median-priced home near a top elementary school is on average only 23 percent of the median household income in the ZIP, which is on-average 41 percent less costly than their surrounding metro area. In addition to offering affordable prices, these markets are home to strong incomes as well with an average household income of $106,525, compared to the national median of $57,462. Realtor.com® also looked into the top affordable towns for middle schools and high schools, Aurora also topped the list for middle schools while Royersford -- which made the top elementary list -- was ranked No. 1 for high schools. In fact, seven of the top 10 elementary school towns also made it onto the top middle school or high school list, including: Aurora (middle school), Hampton (middle school), Royersford (middle and high schools), Kingswood (middle school), Rosemount (middle and high schools), Stow (middle school) and Chandler (middle and high schools). "Staying in your home for at least five to 10 years is one way you can ensure you receive a high return on your home investment," added Vivas. "With strong middle and high schools many of the markets on the list offer families the opportunity to put down roots while building equity in their home." In a realtor.com® survey of first-time homebuyers conducted earlier this year, younger homebuyers who are more likely to have young children in the house were particularly interested in living in a good school district. In fact, millennial home shoppers, as well as shoppers age 35-44, cited family needs as the primary reason for entering the housing market, and noted better school districts as a primary reason for purchasing a new home. Realtor.com® ranked ZIP codes according to affordability of homes within each area, determined by calculating the monthly mortgage costs and other costs to purchase the median-priced home in the ZIP code and dividing it by the ZIP code's median income. 1. Aurora, Ill. (ZIP code 60503) Schools: Homestead Elementary School (rating 10/10), The Wheatlands Elementary School (rating 8/10), and Wolfs Crossing Elementary School (rating 10/10) Housing in ZIP 60503: The 2017 median household income in Aurora is $114,118 with a 2017 median listing price of $259,900. Aurora is 45 percent more affordable compared to its surrounding metro area, and 47 percent more affordable compared to the U.S. overall. Schools: Oswego Community Unit School District 308 is home to Homestead, Wheatlands, and Wolfs Crossing. As the district's tagline, "world-class schools serving caring communities" suggests, these schools place an emphasis on partnering and engaging with students' families and their surrounding communities. It is also home to the No. 1 middle school on the list Bednarcik Junior High School. 2. Stone Mountain, Ga. (ZIP code 30087) School: Wynbrooke Elementary School (rating 9/10) Housing in ZIP 30087: The 2017 median household income in Stone Mountain is $71,678 with a 2017 median listing price of $218,950. Stone Mountain is 38 percent more affordable compared to its surrounding metro area, and compared to the U.S. overall. School: Dubbing itself a "theme school," Wynbrooke Elementary seeks to engage students through research-centered assignments and hands-on projects. Its known for its low student-to-teacher ratio, daily homework assignments, and uniform policy. 3. Hampton, N.J. (ZIP code 08827) School: Union Township Elementary School (rating 8/10) Housing in ZIP 08827: The 2017 median household income in Hampton is $118,810 with a 2017 median listing price of $297,000. Hampton is 60 percent more affordable compared to its surrounding metro area, and 37 percent more affordable compared to the U.S. overall. School: The Union Township Board of Education says it aims to build not just academic abilities, but the entire set of skills necessary to become productive members of society by encouraging their students' individual growth. Union Township Elementary students get to enjoy learning in the fresh air thanks to two recently built "outdoor classroom pavilions" that were constructed with the help of community members and the school's PTA. The school is also considering changing its current half-day Kindergarten to a more rigorous all-day program. 4. Royersford, Pa. (ZIP code 19468) Schools: Brooke Elementary School (rating 9/10), Evans Elementary School (rating 8/10), Limerick Elementary School (rating 9/10), Spring-Ford Intrmd School 5th/6th (rating 9/10), and Upper Providence Elementary School (rating 9/10) Housing in ZIP 19468: The 2017 median household income in Royersford is $83,264 with a 2017 median listing price of $246,125. Royersford is 21 percent more affordable compared to its surrounding metro area, and 32 percent more affordable compared to the U.S. overall. Schools: Brooke, Limerick, Spring-Ford and Upper Providence are all located in the Spring-Ford Area School District which places an emphasis on making school fun. It operates under the philosophy that elementary school students "should enjoy coming to school" and that creating an enjoyable environment is the best way to help students reach their full potential. 5. Kingwood, Texas (ZIP code 77345) Schools: Deerwood Elementary School (rating 9/10), Greentree Elementary School (rating 10/10), Hidden Hollow Elementary (9/10), Shadow Forest Elementary School (rating 10/10), and Willow Creek Elementary School (rating 10/10). Housing in ZIP 77345: The 2017 median household income in Kingwood is $123,201 with a 2017 median listing price of $323,750. Kingwood is 46 percent more affordable compared to its surrounding metro area, and 32 percent more affordable compared to the U.S. overall. Schools: The Humble School District, home to Deerwood, Greentree, Hidden Hollow, Shadow Forest, and Willow Creek, is one of Texas' 25 fastest-growing districts. It aims to create students who are "life-long learners, complex thinkers, responsible global citizens and effective communicators." 6. Rosemount, Minn. (ZIP code 55068) School: Shannon Park Elementary School (rating 10/10) Housing in ZIP 55068: The 2017 median household income in Rosemount is $93,743 with a 2017 median listing price of $299,900. Rosemount is 30 percent more affordable compared to its surrounding metro area, and 32 percent more affordable compared to the U.S. overall. School: Known for its academics and extracurriculars, Shannon Park students have a chance to take part in a plethora of activities, including a geography bee, math olympiad, young Authors Conference and family math night. 7. Bowie, Md. (ZIP code 20715) Schools: Whitehall Elementary School (rating 8/10) and Yorktown Elementary School (rating 8/10) Housing in ZIP 20715: The 2017 median household income in Bowie is $107,865 with a 2017 median listing price of $345,350. Bowie is 29 percent more affordable compared to its surrounding metro area, and 27 percent more affordable compared to the U.S. overall. Schools: Located just minutes away from Washington, D.C., Prince George's County Public Schools is one of the nation's 25 largest school districts. Whitehall and Yorktown are known for their academic rigor, which is demonstrated by their mission statements "to educate children beyond expectations" and "a rigorous instructional program for every student, in every classroom every day," respectively. 8. Huntington Woods, Mich. (ZIP code 48070) School: Burton Elementary School (rating 8/10) Housing in ZIP 48070: The 2017 median household income in Huntington Woods is $120,265 with a 2017 median listing price of $400,000. Huntington Woods is 15 percent more affordable compared to its surrounding metro area, and 27 percent more affordable compared to the U.S. overall. School: Burton Elementary school prides itself on its comprehensive and innovative curricula, making parents part of the education process and integrating technology into every subject. The 480 students who attend the K-5 elementary school, also benefit from "differentiated instruction" – programs that help enable the school to cater to all learning types. 9. Stow, Mass. (ZIP code 01775) School: Center School (rating 8/10) Housing in ZIP 01775: The 2017 median household income in Stow is $139,622 with a 2017 median listing price of $504,750. Stow is 45 percent more affordable compared to its surrounding metro area, and 23 percent more affordable compared to the U.S. overall. School: At Center School, educators use high expectations and cutting edge educational practices to drive students toward academic achievement. It's home to a state of the art 100,000-square-foot building equipped with iPads, Chromebooks and smartboards that give a students hands-on technology experience. 10. Chandler, Ariz. (85226) – Kyrene Elementary District and Paragon Education Corporation Schools: Kyrene De La Mirada School (rating 9/10), Kyrene De La Paloma School (rating 8/10), Kyrene De Las Brisas School (rating 9/10), Kyrene del Cielo School (rating 10/10), Kyrene Traditional - Sureno Campus (rating 9/10), and Paragon Science Academy K-12 (rating 9/10). Housing in ZIP 85226: The 2017 median household income in Chandler is $80,130 with a 2017 median listing price of $324,155. Chandler is 30 percent more affordable compared to its surrounding metro area, and 20 percent more affordable compared to the U.S. overall. School: In Arizona, students can attend any school within or outside their own districts. Kyrene and Paragon seek to attract top students with strong academics, small class sizes, lots of activities – such as technology and art – and the opportunity to use laptops every day. For more information, click here. About realtor.com® Realtor.com® is the trusted resource for home buyers, sellers and dreamers, offering the most comprehensive source of for-sale properties, among competing national sites, and the information, tools and professional expertise to help people move confidently through every step of their home journey. It pioneered the world of digital real estate 20 years ago, and today helps make all things home simple, efficient and enjoyable. Realtor.com® is operated by News Corp [NASDAQ: NWS, NWSA] [ASX: NWS, NWSLV] subsidiary Move, Inc. under a perpetual license from the National Association of REALTORS.® For more information, visit realtor.com®.

NAR Tech Edge Events Keep Realtors® Apprised of Latest Tools
  WASHINGTON (February 14, 2017) — Technology is transforming how Realtors® conduct business and communicate with clients. Now more than ever, Realtors® know the importance of staying up-to-date with the new and emerging technologies that are essential to the real estate business. To help Realtors® stay well informed of the latest business technology skills and trends changing the real estate industry, the National Association of Realtors® is continuing its one-day technology conference series, NAR Tech Edge. NAR Tech Edge events will take place in cities across the U.S. starting in early 2017. NAR speakers and local technology experts will present sessions on topics including mobile marketing, online reputation management, content strategy, Google and cloud computing, social media, the importance of photo and video and much more. "NAR Tech Edge introduces Realtors® to the latest technology trends that can help grow their business and better serve their clients," said President William E. Brown, a Realtor® from Alamo, California and founder of Investment Properties. "These one-day, high energy conferences are a wonderful opportunity for Realtors® who are eager to expand their understanding and use of the most current web-based and mobile technologies." According to the 2016 NAR Member Profile, technology remains an essential aspect of how Realtors® manage their business. Nearly nine in 10 members currently use a smartphone with wireless e-mail and Internet capabilities. More than two-thirds of all Realtors® reported having their own website, and 94 percent use email as their primary form of communication with clients. Presenters and emcees for NAR Tech Edge's 2017 tour include Realtor® Bill Lublin, CEO of the Social Media Marketing Institute and Century 21 Advantage Gold, who is a thought leader for his insights into technological tools and their real estate applications; NAR Director of Member Engagement Nobu Hata, an industry expert in technology, marketing and communications trends in the real estate industry; Amy Chorew, vice president of Learning at Better Homes & Gardens Real Estate, a technology trend expert, author, social media maven and Realtor®; and Jeff Lobb, founder and CEO of SparkTank Media, an international real estate speaker, innovator and consultant, who will share how to best leverage and utilize today's robust, cloud-based social media and marketing applications. Following is the schedule for the 2017 NAR Tech Edge events: March: Pembroke, Massachusetts April: Billings, Montana and San Jose, California May: Tulsa, Oklahoma June: White Plains, New York July: Tampa, Florida September: Parsippany, New Jersey October: Albuquerque, New Mexico November: Baton Rouge, Louisiana For more information and to register, visit www.nartechedge.com. Media and non-NAR members are welcome to attend. The National Association of Realtors®, "The Voice for Real Estate," is America's largest trade association, representing more than 1.2 million members involved in all aspects of the residential and commercial real estate industries.

Realogy Program Graduates Its Second Class of Future Real Estate Brokerage Leaders
MADISON, N.J. 01-31-2017 — A class of 38 future business leaders took their next step toward success with their graduation on Jan. 26 from Ascend: The Executive Leadership Experience. This intensive 46-week program is offered exclusively to Realogy Holdings Corp. brand-affiliated real estate brokerage owners to prepare the next generation of leadership to guide their businesses in the future. This year's Ascend graduates, affiliated with Better Homes and Gardens® Real Estate, CENTURY 21®, Coldwell Banker®, ERA®, and Sotheby's International Realty®, represent diverse market areas and company sizes from the United States. They join the 41 graduates of last year's inaugural program in the Ascend Alumni Network, which offers structured events and continued opportunities to network. "The most important thing that a successful business owner can do is prepare for the next generation of leadership through succession planning. Ascend provides an invaluable learning experience featuring instruction from some of the top experts and successful business leaders in our industry," said Alex Perriello, CEO of the Realogy Franchise Group. "Having the opportunity to evaluate our personal strengths and the strengths of others in our organizations has been very helpful. The Ascend program has empowered me to take more ownership of the direction I'd like to see and help our organization go," said Jeff Taylor, ERA Key Realty Services, Whitinsville, Massachusetts. "Ascend has boosted my confidence beyond where I believe it would have been in 5-10 years from now. The program has helped us set systems and goals that are clear and attainable. It transforms you on a personal and professional level, and the connections you make are invaluable," said Nicole Rideout, Gibson Sotheby's International Realty, Boston. Ascend features intense learning experiences that prepare participants to become successful future brokerage leaders by challenging them to significant growth in three core areas identified in the program's mission statement:  Leading Self. Leading Others. Leading Organizations.® The challenging Ascend curriculum combines onsite classroom sessions at Realogy's headquarters location with online learning modules and culminates with individual case study presentations. The program engages Realogy senior leadership, real estate industry experts and current successful franchisees from all Realogy brands. About Realogy Holdings Corp.Realogy Holdings Corp. (NYSE: RLGY) is a global leader in residential real estate franchising and brokerage with many of the best-known industry brands including Better Homes and Gardens® Real Estate, CENTURY 21®, Coldwell Banker®, Coldwell Banker Commercial®, The Corcoran Group®, ERA®, Sotheby's International Realty® and ZipRealty®. Collectively, Realogy's franchise system members operate approximately 13,650 offices with more than 268,000 independent sales associates conducting business in 111 countries and territories around the world. NRT LLC, Realogy's company-owned real estate brokerage, is the largest residential brokerage company in the United States, operates under several of Realogy's brands and also provides related residential real estate services. Realogy also owns Cartus, a prominent worldwide provider of relocation services to corporate and affinity clients, Title Resource Group (TRG), a leading provider of title, settlement and underwriting services and ZapLabsSM, its innovation and technology development subsidiary. Realogy is headquartered in Madison, New Jersey.

RPR Presents 'Quick Start Guides'
  In conjunction with RPR's learning suite of how-to videos, workshops, eBooks and user success stories, now comes the RPR Quick Start guides — one page, downloadable guides to help get you started on RPR, quickly. These helpful how-to's are ideal for giving agents a speedy tutorial on a multitude of topics, ranging from buyer's tours to listing presentations, to how to download the mobile app. Need to prepare for an open house in under five minutes? We've got you covered. Searching for the perfect home with prospective buyers? A guide to the RPR app's nearby listing information is available too. There's even a Quick Start guide for setting up your account on RPR. Low ink and easy to digest, these are the perfect downloadable for your next training session. To view the original post, visit the RPR blog.

Real Estate Game Works Launches Simulation for Continuing Education
SEATTLE--Real Estate Game Works (REGW), a Seattle-area startup, has developed an entertaining online simulation for real estate agents to meet their continuing education requirements. The software employs a concept called "gamification" to convert dry, boring subject matter into a 21st Century learning experience. "Our simulation will revolutionize the way real estate agents renew their licenses," says CEO Jed Etters. "Say farewell to countless hours of sitting in a classroom or taking mind-numbing multiple choice tests." The simulation allows players to hone their skills by replicating a "day in the life" of a real estate agent. Players will find clients, negotiate prices, buy and sell homes, and engage in marketing. As a reward for good work, players can upgrade their office from a shabby basement to a downtown suite. The "clients" that players meet in the simulation, such as the Drill Sergeant and Geeky Professor, will keep them entertained in ways that traditional continuing education cannot. "For the first time, continuing education will be fun. Real estate agents will be eager to play this," Etters states. Sprinkled within the simulation are learning modules on topics of interest to real estate agents. These modules, combined with the simulation, provide the 30 hours of continuing education required by regulators in Washington state. Crucially, the product is endorsed by the Washington Association of Realtors. Players can access the game on desktop computers, laptops, and tablets such as the iPad. To create the simulation, Etters partnered with veteran game designer Brayden Olson, whose company, Recurrence, launched a simulation for business students at the University of Washington and other schools across the country. "We make a great team," Olson says. "We believe that Jed's deep knowledge of real estate and my experience in gamification will make Real Estate Game Works a smashing success." The simulation will launch on September 15 in Washington state at various price points depending on the number of hours purchased. Real estate agents who must renew their licenses soon can join a waiting list. REGW is expanding their offering to additional states in the near future.

More than 700 Agents Have Earned Their Real Estate Digital Marketer (REDM) Certification
  Earlier this year, we launched the Real Estate Digital Marketer (REDM)™ certification course. And since launching the course, more than 700 agents have earned their REDM™ certifications. That's a huge accomplishment, and a powerful step forward for our industry. See, every REDM™ agent has made three essential commitments: REDM™ agents are committed to changing the real estate industry for the better We've all encountered the negative and damaging views some consumers hold of our industry. REDM™ agents are committed to changing the way real estate is seen by banding together and elevating the professionalism of our industry. How?... REDM™ agents are committed to giving sellers a 5-star experience The old days of selling real estate are gone... You know, placing a listing in the MLS, putting a sign in the yard, and praying that it sells. Today, sellers have much higher expectations. They expect us to market their properties across a wide range of channels, including online marketing. REDM™ agents get the skills and expertise needed to meet those expectations, and use them to deliver a 5-star experience. By satisfying our customers, we lift the overall impression of our industry. And happy sellers mean more referrals. REDM™ agents are committed to promoting their brand and growing their businesses Here's what makes REDM™ so powerful: While gaining the skills to better serve clients and change our industry, REDM™ agents also learn how to use only marketing tactics to promote their brands and grow their own businesses. Now, if you're ready to make these commitments and earn your REDM™ certification, we have exciting news... Registration for the REDM™ course opens tomorrow! But the window to sign up is only going to last a couple days... so make sure to keep an eye on your inbox tomorrow! On Wednesday, July 27, you can join REDM™ here: http://thepaperlessagent.com/redm-coaching-club In the meantime, here's some more information on what you can expect from the REDM™ certification course: The Paperless Agent Declares War Showcasing Your Competitive Edge Preview of the REDM Course To view the original post, visit the Paperless Agent blog.

Homebuyers Gain Expanded Access to Education, Down Payment Help During National Homeownership Month
ATLANTA, GA, June 15, 2016 – Atlanta-based Down Payment Resource (DPR) and eHome America today announced an expanded partnership to enhance awareness of both online homebuyer education and the availability of programs for down payment and closing cost help, tax credits and affordable mortgages. Homebuyers now benefit from a redesigned online education platform that allows them to directly explore available homeownership programs. Since 2014, eHome America's nonprofit counseling network have used DPR's search platform to match clients to down payment help. Now, homebuyers can visit a new program search page to learn more about down payment help and get registered for its improved online course. The course also allows consumers to search, find and explore all the details for programs that accept a certificate from eHome America to meet homebuyer education requirements. The joint effort aims to not only increase the awareness of down payment help and educate more buyers, but also onboard more homeownership program providers with eHome's online education platform. As more state and local Housing Finance Agencies (HFAs) adopt and accept online education to meet their program requirements, more buyers will learn they can achieve homeownership. DPR tracks nearly 2,500 homeownership programs administered by 1,300 program providers. The average down payment benefit is more than $8,000. Most programs require homebuyer education and, according to DPR's research, more than half of the programs now accept online education. "Homebuyer education is critical to the development of successful homeowners," said Rob Chrane, CEO of Down Payment Resource. "Today's homebuyers begin online. We're pleased to work with eHome America to integrate down payment program search into homebuyer education so we can reach buyers where they are." eHome America educates nearly 8,000 homebuyers monthly with its convenient online platform and the personal touch of a trusted, local nonprofit advisor. The platform, also available in Spanish, has helped more than 200,000 homebuyers secure education certificates since 2009. "We're seeing increasing adoption of online education by HFAs and other lenders, as well as boarder awareness of down payment assistance. Together with DPR, we are educating more than 250 homebuyers every day," said Milt Sharp, president of the eHome Network. "It's been exciting to see how together we can inform and motivate first-time buyers while at the same time giving them the foundation for long-term success as homeowners." About eHome America eHome America is an interactive, web-based education program for prospective homebuyers that is linked to local nonprofit HUD-approved housing counseling agencies. The program was developed in 2009 by Community Ventures Corporation, a nonprofit agency based in Lexington, KY. Community Ventures Corporation is a HUD-approved counseling agency and a member of the national NeighborWorks Network. About Down Payment Resource Down Payment Resource (DPR) creates opportunity for homebuyers, Realtors and lenders by uncovering programs that get people into homes. The company tracks nearly 2,500 homebuyer programs through its housing finance agency partners. Winner of the 2011 Inman News Innovator "Most Innovative New Technology" award, DPR is licensed to Multiple Listing Services, Realtor Associations, lenders and housing counselors across the country. For more information, please visit www.DownPaymentResource.com.

Coldwell Banker Real Estate Announces First-of-its-Kind Smart Home Education Curriculum Exclusively for the Coldwell Banker Network
Madison, N.J. 05-17-2016 — Coldwell Banker Real Estate LLC, the original Silicon Valley real estate start-up founded in 1906, announced today the launch of a smart home  education curriculum available exclusively for the Coldwell Banker® brand and its affiliated franchised brokers and agents.. The curriculum, a real estate industry first, was created in partnership with CEDIA, the global trade association for the home technology market, and is available to all members of the Coldwell Banker network.  It will be offered by a CEDIA instructor through Coldwell Banker University. "Smart home technology is becoming a source of convenience, security and comfort in homes across the United States, with almost half of all Americans owning or planning to invest in smart home technology by the end of 2016, according to the Coldwell Banker Smart Home Marketplace Survey," said Budge Huskey, president and chief executive officer of Coldwell Banker Real Estate, LLC. "We believe it is our responsibility to ensure that our affiliated agents are the foremost experts in every aspect of the home. As ambassadors to the home, it is imperative for our affiliated agents to learn about smart home products and provide exceptional advice for homebuyers interested in smart home integration." Developed by CEDIA, the Coldwell Banker curriculum will provide an extensive look into the evolution of home technology and recent rise of the smart home with a focus on how smart home products are changing the way we live in and interact with our homes. This program will equip attendees with the skills needed to advise buyers looking to invest in a smart home and sellers looking to stage and showcase their smart homes. Upon completion of the optional course, the participants will receive a certificate. "CEDIA is at the forefront of home technology design and installation, so it made sense for us to join forces with the leading smart home real estate company to create this curriculum," said Vin Bruno, CEDIA CEO. "This education will give Coldwell Banker affiliated agents a tremendous advantage, providing them insight into the most up-to-date smart home developments and how technology can benefit their clients to live their best lives at home. Agents who complete this program will have a better ability to market listings more effectively and provide valuable information to the communities they serve." About Coldwell Banker Real Estate LLC Since 1906, the Coldwell Banker® organization has been a premier provider of full-service residential and commercial real estate brokerage services. Coldwell Banker Real Estate is the oldest national real estate brand and franchisor in the United States, and today has a global network of approximately 3,000 independently owned and operated franchised broker offices in 47 countries and territories with almost 85,000 affiliated sales professionals. The Coldwell Banker brand is known for creating innovative consumer services as recently seen by taking a leadership role in the smart home space, being the first national real estate brand with an iPad app, the first to augment its website www.coldwellbanker.com for smart phones, the first to create an iPhone application with international listings, the first to develop an iPad application (CBx) to easily bring big data into home listing presentations, and the first to fully harness the power of video in real estate listings, news and information through its Coldwell Banker On LocationSM YouTube channel. Coldwell Banker is a leader in niche markets such as resort, new homes and luxury properties through its Coldwell Banker Previews International® marketing program delivering exceptional experiences for all consumers served. About CEDIA CEDIA members deliver technology solutions that allow people to have their best moments in life from the comfort of their own home. Life lived best at home. CEDIA is the international trade association and central touch point for 3,700 member companies that represents every facet of the ever-evolving technology market.

National Association of Realtors® Sponsors "Now I Get It" Video Series on Yahoo Finance
  SUNNYVALE, California (February 22, 2016) — Yahoo! Inc. today announced that the National Association of Realtors® (NAR) will sponsor new episodes of “Now I Get It”, a popular video series on Yahoo Finance. NAR’s campaign will connect with future home buyers and renters, especially millennials, through targeted ads and brand integrations within episodes that feature Tom Salomone, President of NAR. “Yahoo Finance is known for its unrivaled access to financial insights and news, and we’re always looking for new ways to work with great brands like the National Association of Realtors to help them share a compelling story with this audience,” said Lisa Utzschneider, Chief Revenue Officer, Yahoo. “Working with NAR, we’re delivering video content that’s not only relevant and informative for our users, but something they can enjoy watching across devices.” As the exclusive sponsor, NAR will engage viewers around six new episodes of “Now I Get It” on Yahoo Finance. This special real estate focused miniseries will answer commonly asked questions about the home buying process to help consumers make educated decisions, while reinforcing the value of an experienced broker. During branded segments at the end of each episode, NAR President Tom Salomone will share perspectives on topics including when to sell, remodeling, buying vs. renting and more. The first episode of the NAR sponsored series debuts today and will focus on the best time to sell a house based on region, time of year, and type of property. NAR will also run targeted pre-roll video, native and display ads on Yahoo to amplify the sponsorship. Yahoo Gemini native ads will enhance the campaign by driving consumers to a custom Mobile Content Module, featuring articles that highlight each episode theme. NAR’s campaign on Yahoo was developed in partnership with the real estate organization's agency of record, Havas Media. “Whether you are a current or aspiring homeowner, we’re excited to partner with Yahoo for this new campaign to share advice and tips on navigating the real estate market with a wide audience of all ages through video, native and display advertising,” said Tom Salomone, NAR President. “With Yahoo’s extensive video advertising solutions and editorial capabilities, we are creating and sharing content that helps break the barriers between Realtors® and consumers.” “Now I Get It” is a popular video series on Yahoo Finance that explains the business concepts and jargon from the biggest financial stories of the day. New episodes of “Now I Get It” will air every other week. Episodes, additional clips and articles are available at https://finance.yahoo.com. About Yahoo Yahoo is a guide focused on informing, connecting, and entertaining our users. By creating highly personalized experiences for our users, we keep people connected to what matters most to them, across devices and around the world. In turn, we create value for advertisers by connecting them with the audiences that build their businesses. Yahoo is headquartered in Sunnyvale, California, and has offices located throughout the Americas, Asia Pacific (APAC) and the Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA) regions. About the National Association of Realtors® The National Association of Realtors®, “The Voice for Real Estate,” is America’s largest trade association, representing more than 1.1 million members involved in all aspects of the residential and commercial real estate industries.

New Acquisition Highlights Education and Training Opportunities for Real Estate Professionals
  Cambridge, ON (January 14, 2016) — In a competitive industry of over 1.1 million real estate professionals across North America*, brokers and agents are seeking opportunities and resources to help them stand out from the competition. Today, Lone Wolf Real Estate Technologies Inc. ("Lone Wolf") announces the acquisition of technology and mobile web creation leader Barcode Publicity, providing services under the Barcode Realty brand and its assets, as a step forward in creating education and training opportunities for the real estate industry. The acquisition by Lone Wolf, the North American leader in residential real estate software, represents investment in education offerings for the real estate industry through Barcode's robust speaking, training and education services. In addition, Barcode also brings with it a solid mobile application and IDX website solutions, which will be incorporated into Lone Wolf's Complete Enterprise Solution; a full-service platform supporting a healthy eco-system of technology and tools for brokers and agents. "The opportunity to further expand our platform to provide education and training services supports the growth and development of real estate professionals, as well as our vision for growth in the industry," says Lorne C. Wallace, CEO of Lone Wolf. "We're excited to bring the Barcode Publicity team and its offerings into the Lone Wolf family." The acquisition comes with advantages to both Barcode and Lone Wolf clients alike. The core Barcode team has made the move over to Lone Wolf and will maintain operations of the Barcode software. "Lone Wolf's reputation and loyal customer base are the reason we began the discussions with their team. Barcode couldn't be happier about the opportunity for our product line and our clients. Lone Wolf has some of the most tech-forward thinkers in this industry. This is where Barcode belongs," said Alex Camelio, President of Barcode Publicity. Barcode and Lone Wolf teams will soon begin working together on an extensive review of the Barcode platforms to determine which features will be developed into the eco-system of technology and service offerings under the Lone Wolf umbrella. This will create the opportunity to take the best of both worlds and meld them into a product that will be used by real estate offices across North America. *109,000 active members of the Canadian Real Estate Association and approximately 1 million members of the National Association of REALTORS®. About Lone Wolf Real Estate Technologies Lone Wolf Real Estate Technologies Inc. is the North American leader in real estate solutions and services with nearly 10,000 offices and over 250,000 agents utilizing their fully integrated product lines. Lone Wolf's experience and unmatched knowledge of the industry has provided a unique opportunity to develop the Complete Enterprise Solution. The Complete Enterprise Solution is a fully integrated product line comprised of back office, front office and web-based software providing a single point of data entry, improved efficiency and additional opportunities to identify revenue for real estate professionals. The Complete Enterprise Solution also integrates with partner solutions to create an eco-system of brokerage operations that enable brokerages and agents to operate more efficiently and increase opportunities for profitability. Lone Wolf has offices in Cambridge, ON, Langley, BC, Mississauga, ON, Las Vegas, NV, Show Low, AZ, Atlanta, GA, and Tallahassee, FL. For more information please visit www.lwolf.com.

Realtor.com® Premieres Exclusive Digital Video Series with Actress Elizabeth Banks Targeting First-Time Home Buyers
SAN JOSE, Calif., July 8, 2015 -- Realtor.com®, a leading provider of online real estate services operated by News Corp subsidiary Move, Inc., today announced the launch of a five-episode digital video series created to provide first-time home buyers with practical and entertainingly delivered advice on the start-to-finish stages of the purchase cycle. The original series is part of a broad marketing campaign realtor.com® launched in May and comes at a time when millennial sentiment about buying a home has seen a significant increase. The webisodes, which feature Emmy-nominated actress, producer and director Elizabeth Banks, and are directed by Emmy and Golden Globe-nominated actor, producer and director Fred Savage, will be promoted across a range of digital platforms and publishers including AOL, Curbed, Facebook, Google, HGTV, Hulu, Reddit and Yahoo, among others. All of the media will drive consumers back to realtor.com® to consume the entire series. "We want everyone to think of realtor.com® as the best real-time resource to help them make the most informed real estate decisions," said Andrew Strickman, Move's head of brand and chief creative. "Our knowledge that many buyers turn to the Web first for help navigating one of life's most important decisions, and the fact that many first-time buyers prefer to consume entertainment digitally, drove the development of the content. With a partner like Elizabeth to help us, there was no question this humorous, episodic approach to the home-buying process was the way to go." The digital video series, "The Home Buying Process in Plain English with Elizabeth Banks," is the latest component of the biggest and boldest marketing initiative in realtor.com®'s nearly 20-year history. Results of a recent realtor.com® survey released in June found that millennials are now more inclined to take the plunge into home ownership and this demographic is primed to gain market share in the second half of the year. Sixty five percent of millennials responding to the survey intend to buy a home within three months, up from 54 percent in January. By mixing humor with solid advice for any buyer, particularly first-time buyers, Banks walks viewers through the key components of the process in each of the five episodes. In the first episode, called "Knowing When You're Ready," she recommends that potential buyers have a heart-to-heart with themselves about what they can actually afford: "Plan for the house you can afford now, not later. The most important thing for a first-time buyer is to live within your budget. Also, don't be an idiot ... But those are really the same thing." Episodes two through five – "Mortgage Lending 101"; "The Search"; "The Offer" and "Closing the Sale" – provide insight on the benefits of mortgage pre-approval, the do's and don'ts of searching for a home, open house etiquette, what to expect when making an offer and the closing process. Regarding why she thinks it is important to infuse humor into the home-buying process, Banks said: "For nearly everyone, buying a home is the biggest purchase they will ever make so there is that mixture of joy and anxiety. It's important to use humor to get people through the process." Banks' directorial debut, the musical comedy "Pitch Perfect 2," premiered in May, with the best opening by a first-time director in history. She currently appears opposite John Cusack and Paul Dano in the Brian Wilson biopic "Love & Mercy." Later this month, she will be seen in the Netflix Original Series reboot "Wet, Hot American Summer," co-starring Bradley Cooper, Amy Poehler and Paul Rudd. The digital series was created by Pereira & O'Dell New York, the company's advertising agency, and directed by Savage, who is best known for his iconic role as Kevin Arnold in the 80's hit TV series "The Wonder Years." His directorial credits include the hit series "Modern Family," "It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia" and the critically acclaimed kids' shows "Phil of the Future," "Wizards of Waverly Place" and "Zeke and Luther." About Move, Inc. and realtor.com® Move, Inc., a subsidiary of News Corp, is a leading provider of online real estate services. Move operates the realtor.com® website and mobile experiences, which connect people to the most important and accurate information they need to find their perfect home and to the REALTORS® whose expertise guides consumers through buying and selling. As the official website of the National Association of REALTORS®, realtor.com® empowers consumers to make smart home-buying, selling and renting decisions by leveraging its direct, real-time connections with more than 800 multiple listing services (MLS) via all types of computers, tablets and smartphones. In addition to the industry's most comprehensive and accurate information, Move's network of websites provides consumers a wealth of innovative tools, including Doorsteps®, Moving.com™, SeniorHousingNet and others. Move supports real estate agents and brokerages by providing many services to grow their businesses, including ListHub™, the nation's leading listing syndicator and centralized intelligence platform for the real estate industry; TigerLead®; Top Producer® Systems; and FiveStreet; as well as many free services. Move is based in the heart of Silicon Valley – in San Jose, Calif.

Homes.com Launches Innovative Social Marketing Suite
  NORFOLK, Va. (February 12, 2014) – With the launch of a new social media platform, Homes.com, leading online real estate destination, continues to provide tools and resources to make it easier for real estate professionals to market their brands. The innovative Homes.com Social marketing package offers solutions that help real estate professionals save time and simplify social media marketing. It provides everything from social media account setup and custom graphics to posting content on their behalf. The added benefits of reputation management and fan base growth make for a comprehensive social media suite. Homes.com Social is a one-of-a-kind marketing tool for agents and brokers, designed to help today's ever-busy real estate professional navigate the digital networking arena. It gives professionals a competitive advantage through a targeted social media program designed to create an exceptional brand experience, enhance audience engagement, boost consumer return traffic and improve search engine ranking. "Now more than ever, social media plays a vital role in business development and lead acquisition for real estate professionals," said Brock MacLean, Homes.com executive vice president. "Homes.com Social is designed to integrate the need for consistent consumer communication with uniform brand messaging across a variety of platforms. The platform assists agents and brokers with managing their social channels and online reputation, and allows for better control of online conversations. With a team of experts at the helm, Homes.com Social will be an invaluable asset for professionals as they navigate the constantly evolving social arena and manage the most important aspect of the real estate profession - time." Homes.com Social is available to real estate professionals nationwide as part of the Homes Connect marketing suite of services. The platform contains three key components, all designed to enhance branding, leverage reputation and drive meaningful conversation. Social Management – Allows professionals to build online visibility with account setup by the Homes.com Social Team on seven different social channels (Facebook, Google+, Twitter, YouTube, Instagram, Pinterest, and Foursquare), saving time by providing daily posts and enhancing brand consistency with a custom Cover Photo, Profile Icon and Welcome App. Subscribers can utilize custom-built Facebook apps (such as the Facebook Sweepstakes App) to generate traffic and monitor community interaction with reports measuring growth, demographics and content performance. The Sweepstakes App adds excitement and drives "Likes" to your business page, increasing your fanbase across all networks. Homes.com creates, manages and provides the prizes for these monthly contests. Social Listening - Expands brand visibility to ensure connection with potential consumers via online business directories and social networks. Elevates reputation using executive reports, monitors local listings, views and responds to online reviews across multiple platforms, all while saving time and maximizing productivity. Social Education – Easy access to live experts and continuing social education including online training, webinars, newsletters with social media best practices, how-to's and marketing templates. Watch the Homes.com Social video for detailed information regarding useful tools and features of the platform. Visit connect.homes.com or call 888-510-8795 for more detailed information on Homes.com Social.

IMSD 'Real Estate Systems' Training Series Starts January 8
You've put in the effort, created the ads, and wrote countless emails to reach prospects. And it worked--you generated the leads! Now how do you convert those leads into commissions? Why aren't you getting deals right away? There is not one supreme answer how to manage and convert all of those leads you generate, only a combination of hard work and good strategy. On January 8th, the Internet Marketing Specialist Designation kicks off the SYSTEMS class series. This is one of three core areas real estate agents need to master if they want to dominate the world of online marketing. The SYSTEMS series of IMSD is a paid training program of four weeks live training for real estate agents on how to implement strategies in the areas listed below. Mastering Internet Lead Generation is designed to take the overwhelming idea of lead generation and offer a manageable plan. We provide a straight-forward recipe as we teach: The key sources of internet traffic you'll want to drive to your website Essential systems you will need in place for your business Using online lead capture forms and landing pages The four websites that every agent needs Internet Lead Conversion Tactics is designed to teach you how to get your website and blog visitors filling in contact forms. Then learn our scripts to convert online real estate leads as we teach you: The mindset of today's online buyers and sellers Key strategies to converting online leads into commission checks Ten Days of Pain lead conversion program Scripts and dialogs to engage your prospects Working Your Prospect Sphere will focus on the long-term goals. Don't put all that effort into getting online leads without a good long-term follow up plan. We will teach you: How to research your prospects to dig up important information Going beyond email drip marketing with social media, blogging, and video A system for connecting with your prospects as they approach the buying or selling phase Craigslist Classified Services can offer a lot of opportunity to get leads when you know how to do it right. Let us show you: How to write Craigslist real estate ads that stand out and get clicks Developing a consistent Craigslist lead generation system Craigslist posting rules and ghosting Craigslist advertising examples for real estate Learn more about the Search, Social and Systems coursework that are required to earn the Internet Marketing Specialist Designation. If you are interesting in becoming an IMSD member, take advantage of this $200 IMSD discount. Current IMSD Members: You'll find all the registration links for the classes described above at https://www.imsd.net/members/live-webinars. Learn more about the Internet Marketing Specialist Designation.

Free Webinar: Social Media Update for 2011
Free Webinar: Social Media Update for 2011 Celebrate Geek Day on May 25th with your friends at IMSD as we provide a mid-year review on social media and real estate. Join Ben Kinney and Chad Hyams from the Internet Marketing Specialist Designation program and our surprise guest speakers for this valuable interview to learn the next steps to social media success! We encourage you to post your questions in advance to www.Facebook.com/IMSDesignation. ***LIMITED CAPACITY*** Social Media Updates for 2011 Geek Day - Wednesday, May 25th - 1PM PST / 4PM EST About IMSD The Internet Marketing Specialist Designation teaches agents real-world social media and online marketing strategies. When you learn through IMSD, you actually implement the strategies as you take the training. Traffic increases, leads start coming in, and business starts rolling in!

Free Webinar: Choosing a Contact Manager Software
Picking a contact manager is a complicated decision. Gary David Hall and Amy Chorew will discuss the different options and benefits available based on aptitude with technology; current needs and future goals. We will discuss the "must haves" and "can do without" options. Gary David Hall started as a Realtor® in 1987 and has been, reviewing, using, and teaching. Real Estate Contact Management and CRM software databases and programs ever since. Date: Wednesday, May 25, 2011Time: 3:00 PM – 4:00 PM EDT Click here to register for this FREE Webinar. Seating is limited, so sign up now!   The Writings on the Web: Fun with Format Are You Technically Ready to do Business Today? Create a Fancy iPhone Email Signature for Free

Supercharge Sales with Net Aspects' New Seminar
February 9th, 11:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. PST. Online-World Wide: Learn how to Increase lead generation by 33% year over year See how to instantly connect and collaborate on leads, deals, and more Discover how to speed sales and boost win rates by 25% Improve agent productivity by 25%, so agents can sell more Explore how you can Increase Website Traffic by 30% The Triple Threat Business Builder CRM, Email Marketing & SEO Websites Heath Craig, the President and CEO of Net Aspects, will be showing you how to Implement the Triple Threat Business Builder Solution into Your 2011 Marketing Plan. This is a start-to-finish plan that is sure to help you grow your business in 2011. The Business Builder is one integrated platform to manage your customer relationships (CRM) keep them informed with the market with Automated Email Marketing Campaigns, New Listings by Email and provide them with one of the most robust Property Search Websites in the Industry to help them find their Dream Home. The Business Builder combines business processes, people and technology to achieve this single goal: getting and keeping satisfied customers. It's an overall strategy to help you learn more about your customers and their behavior so you can develop stronger, lasting relationships that will benefit both you and your customers for life. Agenda: Marketing for Success Build Website that Generate hundreds of Leads per month Search Engine Optimization SEO Social Media Optimization Using CRM to convert leads into sales Lead Distribution New Listing Notifications Email Marketing Generate thousands of Referrals a year!  

3 Tips to Help You Deal with Your Scalability Problem
Scalability is defined as “a characteristic of a system, model or function that describes its capability to cope and perform under an increased or expanding workload.” Or in more relevant terms ... the ability to expand your coaching business and its revenue AND increase your profit margin (your labor stays constant while revenues grow ... sounds nice doesn't it?). 99.9% of coaches, trainers, consultants, counselors, authors and solopreneurs of every kind have 1 very big common problem: scalability.  It’s a problem because if you’re not in action doing whatever it is you do to make sales, sales stop.  Which means the money stops.  That’s the real problem. Wouldn’t it be great if money came in without you having to exert tremendous amounts of energy to generate every damn penny? On Wednesday, December 15th at 11am EST, Kim Andes, founder of Frame of Mind Coaching, will share the 3 keys to establishing scalability: 1.       Leverage what you know 2.       Provide an extraordinary customer experience over and over 3.       Technology Click here to register! Scalability is as much about leverage as it is about growth.  For a business to grow, evolve, and/or simply stay afloat, it must gradually move from prospecting-based to marketing-based.  A prospecting-based business means revenue is only generated when you are actively seeking sales; a marketing-based business is one with leverage – and therefore scalable – in which sales transpire without you having to exert tremendous amounts of energy. On Wednesday, December 15th at 11am EST, Kim Andes will share with you exactly how they have achieved a sustainable level of scalability in their coaching business, Frame of Mind Coaching (and in what areas theyneed to keep evolving). Scalability is also about working smarter not harder.  If you want to achieve higher sales, while exerting less energy, then don’t miss this event; the content of this call is HUGE for you – especially as we enter into a new year, with new goals! Join us Wednesday, December 15th at 11am EST and finish 2010 with a BANG!  Get serious about making more money, in less time, in 2011. Click here to register! To learn more about Frame of Mind Coaching, please click here.

ReachFactor Adds Four New Features
Earlier this week ReachFactor announced several new product enhancements to their lead generation and online marketing tool. ReachFactor allows real estate agents and brokers to connect with Facebook, share listings on Twitter and instantly post listings to Craigslist. The four updates include: 1. Import Listings from Realtor.com You can now import your listings from Realtor.com. In the “Listings” click on “Import Listings” and select Realtor.com from the dropdown. Then just paste in the address for your listing. Voila! No more entering listings by hand. If you need us to add another site, just send us an email. 2. Get Rated in Your Surveys We added a question to the survey. We want to make sure the survey is short so your clients will fill it out, but the 5 star rating of your service needs to be included. Now you can show off five star ratings in addition to great feedback. 3. Search Engine Optimization We added a bunch of data to your websites that will allow google and other search engines to show a little extra data when your ReachFactor pages come up in search results. If it’s your profile page they’ll be able to add a rating (1-5 stars) and a count of the number of reviews you have. 4. Changing Endorsements to Reviews Endorsements and reviews what’s the big deal? Everyone’s talking about reviews so even though they have very similar meanings its much more useful to you if your clients see review tabs. It’s a name they know and are likely looking for anyway. We went ahead and changed the terminology throughout the entire ReachFactor app, on your public sites and on the Facebook tabs. To learn more about ReachFactor, please click here.

Worried about Recent Suspension of Foreclosures?
No doubt you’ve heard the news recently that a number of major banks have volunteered to temporarily suspend foreclosures in 23 states and Bank of America is temporarily suspending foreclosures nationwide. While this situation is changing daily, I want to tell you what we currently know to answer any questions you may have. In late September and early October some lenders and servicers began voluntarily halting foreclosures in select states while they reviewed their foreclosure processes. So far, only Bank of America has extended its foreclosure moratorium to California, where the vast majority of foreclosures are conducted without a court order. Foreclosures in the other 23 states are processed through the court system. Non-judicial foreclosures in California, however, do have legal requirements that lenders must follow. For example, California law requires that lenders for certain mortgage loans made between Jan. 1, 2003, and Dec. 31, 2007, attempt to make contact with borrowers to discuss options for avoiding foreclosure at least 30 days before filing a notice of default. Lenders also must sign a declaration in the notice of default stating that they tried to contact the borrower, made contact with the borrower, or fall within an exception (such as a bankruptcy filing). The lenders and servicers that have placed their foreclosure moratorium on properties in the 23 states where courts are involved in the foreclosure process include: Goldman Sachs Group Inc’s Litton Loan Servicing, Ally Financial Inc.’s GMAC Mortgage unit, JPMorgan Chase, and PNC Financial. These lenders/servicers have only temporarily halted their foreclosures while they review their foreclosure process. This is in response to findings that questioned whether some lenders/servicers were following the correct procedures to foreclose on a property. This halting of foreclosures is a voluntary action taken on the part of these lenders/servicers and has not been mandated by either the states or the federal government. Some members have begun to report the immediate impact of this moratorium on transactions that involve foreclosed properties. Delays in escrow and the removal of listed foreclosures are temporary results of this moratorium. The immediate impact on the market will be the slowing of home sales, which could put upward pressure on home prices in the short term. The long-term effect on the market is uncertain at this point as it depends how long the moratorium remains in place. Assuming the moratorium is lifted in the next month, the flow of REOs to the market should resume, but the uncertainty created by the moratorium may cause hesitation on the part of buyers. Federal agencies, including the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, the Federal Housing Administration, and the conservator of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, have asked lenders and servicers to review their foreclosure processes. This review would apply to all states including those like California where the vast majority of foreclosures are non-judicial. The participating lenders and servicers believe their internal review processes should take anywhere from a few weeks to 30 days to complete. NAR has sent a letter to regulators expressing their concerns over the foreclosure issue. Please visit www.realtor.org/foreclosure for the latest developments and additional information. C.A.R. is supportive of lenders taking action to ensure homeowners are not improperly foreclosed on and that they are following state law. We hope they are able to conduct their review expeditiously so as to minimize the impact on California’s housing market. If you have additional questions or are experiencing problems or delays with any foreclosure transactions, please call our Customer Contact Center at (213) 739-8227. Sincerely, Steve Goddard  

Premise or Hosted CRM- Which is Right for You?
With all the recent attention on on-demand, or software-as-a-service (SaaS) CRM solutions, it might seem like this is the future of software. Though many are jumping on the on-demand bandwagon, many are also jumping off. Churn rates for on-demand are as high as 30 percent while renewal rates with on-premise software stand in the 80 percent range. There must be a reason an increasing number of organizations that tried hosted on-demand applications have returned to an on-premise solution. In fact, we can think of 10.   Learn which approach is best for your needs, topics include: Total cost of ownership  Ease of customization  Control of data User-interface Disaster recovery Building the business case Tuesday, August 17, 2010, 11:00AM - 12:00PM Pacific Time * All attendees will receive a complimentary "Premise or Hosted CRM - Which is Right For You?- CRM Success Kit" and discover how you can realize these advantages. This webinar is sponsored by FrontRange Solutions. FrontRange Solutions manufactures GoldMine Software used by more than 130,000 companies and over 1.7 million users worldwide to optimize sales, marketing and customer service performance.

Listing Presentations that Beat Your Competition
Jennifer Cummings, real estate marketing expert and RETechnology.com content contributor, will teach you how to create a listing presentation that will make YOU the obvious choice for homeowners in today's challenging market. In this webinar, you will... Learn 3 proven strategies to get more listings...at the right price! Find out the 3 best ways to DOUBLE your confidence before any presentation  Discover the #1 mistake most agents make in their listing presentations...and how to avoid it And more...  Title: Create a Listing Presentation That Will Blow Your Competition Out of the Water! Date: Thursday, July 1, 2010 (1 Hour) Time: 12:00 p.m. PT / 1:00 p.m. MT / 2:00 p.m. CT / 3:00 p.m. ET    

What's Journaling Have to Do with Sales?
Last month we hosted a webinar dedicated to the topic of coaching with confidence and selling coaching with confidence.  It was by far the most popular event we have ever done.   So, back by popular demand, on Thursday June 17th, 1pm - 2pm EST, Frame of Mind Coaching will be hosting another event to specifically share how they sell A LOT of coaching.  The event content will be similar to last month, but the format will be altered to make it more interactive so you get a more immediate impact. This presents a unqiue opportunity for brokers to hone their coaching skills, and make their own in house training sessions more effective with their agents. Thursday's event will be teleseminar only.   Kim Ades, MBA, and Marc will be asking tough questions and opening the floor for you to ask them your toughest questions.  They will share the history, successes and failures behind our coaching company, Frame of Mind Coaching.  And most importantly, they will share how, exactly, they sell with confidence that results in hundreds of new coaching clients. On Thursday, June 17th, 1pm - 2pm EST, they are going to show you exactly how to be more confident and make more sales. This is a no-nonsense, get-to-the-point presentation. The agenda includes:  How to build your confidence, quickly. How to quickly become a more effective coach. How to feel comfortable “asking for the order.” How to leverage past clients for future, easier sales. How to generate more new leads. How to raise your coaching fees, with ease. How to create a group coaching product. Kim Ades, MBA, and Marc have been selling coaching and training for over 25 years combined.  They run a thriving coaching practice, Frame of Mind Coaching, which has generated over 100 clients per year.   

Touchscreen Mobile Device Sales Will Grow 97% in 2010
STAMFORD, Conn., March 4, 2010—The worldwide market for touchscreen mobile devices will surpass 362.7 million units in 2010, a 96.8 percent increase from 2009 sales of 184.3 million units, according to Gartner, Inc., By 2013, touchscreen mobile devices will account for 58 percent of all mobile device sales worldwide and more than 80 percent in developed markets such as North America and Western Europe. "Touchscreens are no longer the preserve of high-end devices and are now being included in many midrange phones as more companies have been driving the consumer market for affordable touchscreen phones," said Roberta Cozza, principal research analyst at Gartner. "As phone capabilities increase, consumers are becoming much more aware of the benefits of touch interfaces, and vendors are responding." With mobile phone vendors now focused on integrating touch technologies, many are now going a step further and beginning to deliver user interfaces (UIs) that are truly optimized for touch input. They are also increasing their software skills to deliver deeper integration of touch UIs with the underlying platform, rather than software overlays. Ms. Cozza said that the success of the iPhone has shown the viability of capacitive touch technology in mobile phones, which enables more-natural, responsive and intuitive gestures. Gartner predicts that capacitive and resistive touchscreens will coexist in the short term in mobile phones. Capacitive touch will be the mainstream technology; however, resistive touchscreens will still be around because of its lower cost. "As we saw at Mobile World Congress touch interface technology will continue to be one of the key areas of innovation during 2010," said Ms. Cozza. "Vendor and industry focus on touch UI will bring increasing sophistication and spur adoption of touch UI in other consumer electronics devices." However, vendors need to concentrate on delivering an experience rather than just a product. "Consumers won't buy a mobile device purely for the touch UI," said CK Lu, research analyst at Gartner. Touch technology is just an enabler, and ultimately, it is a compelling user experience—which includes good UI design, applications and services—that will make or break a product." Mr. Lu advised vendors to invest in expanding their UI design capabilities and ensure that designs for touch-driven UIs integrate closely with the underlying device software, allowing for an uninterrupted experience. He also said that vendors should consider integrating touch with other form factors, such as numeric or QWERTY keypads, because touch UI cannot fulfill all kinds of operations. From a sales volume perspective, Asia/Pacific is the leading region for touchscreen mobile devices. In 2010, touchscreen mobile device sales in Asia/Pacific are projected to surpass 129.1 million units, accounting for 35.6 percent of the global market. By comparison, Western Europe and North America are expected to account for 26.8 percent and 24.4 percent of global touchscreen mobile device sales. Looking at penetration of touch devices as part of overall sales in their regions, however, Western Europe leads the way with 49 percent, followed by North America at 46.65 percent. Due to the much larger size of the overall market, touchscreen sales will account for just 23.4 percent of total mobile device sales in Asia/Pacific.  “The Asia/Pacific region adapted touch very early since handwriting is great for Chinese input,” Mr. Lu said. “Looking at worldwide performance, touch technology is mainly driven by high end smartphones and feature phones. However, in Asia, the percentage of smartphones are relatively low compared to their sales in Western Europe and the U.S. Although the touch experience is generally welcome by users, price remains an inhibitor for wide adoption of touch phones, particularly in emerging markets.” Additional information is available in the report "Forecast: Touchscreen Mobile Devices, Worldwide, 2006-2013," which is available on the Gartner website at http://www.gartner.com/resId=1288713. About the Gartner Wireless, Networking & Communications Summit 2010 The Gartner Wireless, Networking & Communications Summit 2010 offers new concepts and best practices to increase ROI on wireless investment, insights on the future of wireless, and unbiased perspectives on devices, systems, integration and the latest trends. Gartner analysts will provide advice and best practices for successful wireless and networking implementations at the Gartner Wireless, Networking & Communications Summit 2010 taking place April 19-21 in San Diego, CA. Additional information is available at www.gartner.com/us/wireless. Members of the media can register for the Summit in by contacting Christy Pettey, Gartner Public Relations, at +1 408.468.8312 or at [email protected]. Additional information from the event will be shared on Twitter at http://twitter.com/Gartner_inc and at #GartnerWireless. Contacts: Christy Pettey Gartner +1 408 468 8312 [email protected] Ben Tudor Gartner Tel (Media Hotline): +44 (0)1784 267738 Tel: +44 (0)1784 267298 [email protected] About Gartner: Gartner, Inc. (NYSE: IT) is the world's leading information technology research and advisory company. Gartner delivers the technology-related insight necessary for its clients to make the right decisions, every day. From CIOs and senior IT leaders in corporations and government agencies, to business leaders in high-tech and telecom enterprises and professional services firms, to technology investors, Gartner is the indispensable partner to 60,000 clients in 10,000 distinct organizations. Through the resources of Gartner Research, Gartner Consulting and Gartner Events, Gartner works with every client to research, analyze and interpret the business of IT within the context of their individual role. Founded in 1979, Gartner is headquartered in Stamford, Connecticut, U.S.A., and has 4,000 associates, including 1,200 research analysts and consultants in 80 countries. For more information, visit www.gartner.com. To view the original press release, click here.  

Negative Equity and Home Values Decline
Despite some areas experiencing flattening or reversal of home value declines last year, one in five markets now showing signs of a possible double dip in homevValues, according to Q4 2009 Zillow® Real Estate Market Reports. Key facts: Negative equity remains high at 21 percent of all single family homes with mortgages, but was flat quarter-over-quarter. U.S. home values fell 5 percent year-over-year, and declined 0.5 percent quarter-over-quarter, marking the 12th consecutive quarter of year-over-year declines. In one in five, or 29 of the 143 markets tracked by Zillow, home values have flattened or have begun to decrease again after showing at least five consecutive monthly increases during 2009—early signs of a what could become a “double dip.” SEATTLE—Feb. 10, 2010—Home values across the country declined again in the fourth quarter of 2009, as the Zillow Home Value Index[i] fell 5 percent year-over-year, and 0.5 percent quarter-over-quarter, to $186,200. That marked the 12th consecutive quarter of year-over-year declines, according to the fourth quarter Zillow Real Estate Market Reports[ii]. Despite home value declines seen across most of the country throughout 2009, some markets experienced what appeared to be a bottom in home value declines, or even increases in home values during the year. However, the fourth quarter of the year brought signs that the fledgling recovery of home values in many of these markets is slowing again. If the declines are sustained, the result will be a “double dip[iii]” in home values, defined as two periods of sustained declines in home values separated by a brief period of stabilization or recovery. One in five, or 29 of the 143 markets tracked by Zillow, showed at least five consecutive month-over-month increases in home values during 2009 before beginning to flatten or fall again in the second part of the year. These markets include the Boston metropolitan statistical area (MSA), the Atlanta MSA and the San Diego MSA. Home values in an additional 29 markets, including the Los Angeles and New York MSAs, increased on a month-over-month basis each month throughout the fourth quarter. However, the rate of increase slowed from November to December in 21 of those markets, and several appear likely to experience several months of sustained decline in early 2010. The percent of single family homes with mortgages in negative equity was essentially flat from the third to the fourth quarter, changing from 21 percent in Q3 to 21.4 percent in Q4. This comes after a decrease in negative equity from the second quarter’s 23 percent. The number of homeowners losing their homes to foreclosure[iv] across the country reached a peak in December, with more than one in every thousand homes being foreclosed—a number not reached since Zillow began recording national foreclosure data in 2000. “While we have seen strong stabilization in home values during 2009, there are clear signs that they will turn more negative in the near-term,” said Zillow Chief Economist Stan Humphries. “What we saw in mid-2009 was a brief respite from a larger market correction that has not yet run its course. The good news is that, for those markets that will see a double dip in home values before reaching a definitive bottom, this second dip will not be a return to the magnitude of depreciation seen earlier, but rather will look more like a modest aftershock of the earlier downturn. “The recent stabilization owed a lot to policy support in the form of tax credits, lower interest rates and increased Federal Housing Administration lending. The remaining correction in home values we’ll see in the first half of this year is a function of market fundamentals, such as the increasing flow of foreclosures, high levels of inventory in the market and a probable decrease in demand as the impact of the tax credit wanes and mortgage rates rise. While the next few months are likely to bring further home value declines in most markets, we do expect to see a national bottom in home prices by the middle of this year. Thereafter, home values are likely to bounce along the bottom with real appreciation remaining negligible for some time.” Foreclosure resales[v] across the country remained high, making up more than one-fifth (20.3 percent) of all U.S. home sales in December. Foreclosure resales also made up the majority of sales in several MSAs, including the Merced, CA MSA (68.3 percent), the Las Vegas MSA (64 percent) and the Modesto, CA MSA (62 percent). Additionally, 28.5 percent of home sales nationwide sold for less than what the seller originally paid. Several markets across the country showed positive longer-term appreciation. Home values increased year-over-year in 27 of 143 markets and remained flat in 15. The Boston MSA was the largest area with year-over-year appreciation, despite its more recent downturn in home values. The area’s Zillow Home Value Index rose 1.9 percent in 2009. Home values in the Boston area rose for eight months in 2009, which outweighed the recent declines. To view the original press release from Zillow News, please click here.  

What is Your Strategy to Recruit Experienced Agents?
RISMEDIA, September 19, 2009 — Recruiting experienced agents is an easy way for brokers to bring excitement back into their office as well as impact their bottom line. While bringing in experienced agents is a great way to keep your office productive, many real estate professionals are relying on passive forms of advertising to bring in new agents. Here, Todd Shyiak, President, Cogent Step Recruiting discusses the formula for successful recruiting.  Recruiting experienced agents can bring immediate benefits to a broker — an immediate impact to the bottom line, increased market share and excitement in the office. Yet, most simply don’t have a strategy or the time to recruit experienced agents.  Of the brokers who do have a plan, many rely on “passive” forms of advertising — drip email campaigns, a website page and direct mail pieces touting the advantages of their brand and office. But passive ads are easy to dismiss and even ignore. The best and perhaps only way to recruit experienced agents is to call them directly until you actually speak with them. When you speak directly to an agent, you can determine if they are perhaps unhappy where they are today and/or if they are interested in hearing more about your value proposition. The number of agents you end up speaking to and meeting with using the phone instead of ads will increase your chances of achieving your goals exponentially.  To successfully recruit experienced agents, a broker must first have a goal in mind then develop a plan and execute that plan daily. Assuming the broker has a solid value proposition (an established brand, technology tools, training, competitive rates and good market share, for example) and a commitment to grow their market share, the next step is working through the numbers. If, for example, a broker has set a goal of recruiting 10 experienced, producing agents this year and he or she has 600 agents in their market area with sufficient sales volume to warrant a call, break it down like this:  Calling 600 successful agents on their cell phones until you actually speak with them will require a commitment to make 150 calls per week for 12 weeks (1,800 total calls). You will end up speaking with approximately 80% of the agents (480) and leaving a voice mail for 120.  Of the 480 that you end up speaking to, between 9 and 12% will be “interested” in exploring their options either because they are unhappy where they are or they want to learn more about your brand/value to them and their business.  Of the 40 to 60 interested agents, you should be successful in booking 20 to 40 face-to-face meetings.  20 to 40 meetings will result in between 5 and 10 agents recruited and a lot of momentum and excitement in your office that will result in the “collateral” recruiting of even more Agents.  The right energy, scripting and objection handling on the initial call will identify a much higher percentage of interested agents in the first place. The critical needs analysis, both on the phone and during the face-to-face meeting is crucial to understanding agents’ current issues and future needs and wants. Broker training on consultative best practices will ensure a higher success rate for the face-to-face meetings.  Being committed to growing your market share may be a great goal, but you must also commit to train yourself (or your managers) on recruiting best practices. That’s where Cogent Step Recruiting can help. When a broker is overwhelmed with the sheer volume of calls they need to make, let alone understanding the other elements of successful recruiting, we offer an outsourced solution. Most agents are quite happy to get a call from an executive recruiter.  The ability to effectively identify and attract experienced agents is more than a tactical advantage—in a highly competitive market, it is a core capability that will drive the success of your business for the long term. Set a goal, develop a plan and execute.  Todd Shyiak President Cogent Step Recruiting www.cogentstep.com  RISMedia welcomes your questions and comments. Send your e-mail to: [email protected].