By Amanda V. Stepp-Marcum
After watching the Academy Award winning movie American Sniper, I began to reflect on our wounded veterans around the country. As a real estate agent, my focus is always on helping others achieve the American Dream of homeownership but this movie made me think about the physically wounded soldiers in the U.S. and their specific housing needs.
It also happens that the subject is a very personal one for me.
By Todd Waller
Historically low real estate inventory can be a daunting prospect for buyers and sellers alike. Real estate professionals use “months of inventory”—the number of months it will take to sell the current number of active home listings in a given market—to gauge local conditions. Over 6 months of inventory is called a “buyer’s market”; between 3 and 6 months of inventory is a “neutral market”; less than 3 months of inventory is a “seller’s market.”
Nationally, 2014 saw a thin inventory of homes for sale and good buyer demand for those homes.
By Jessica Botkin
Once upon a time, Ohio was viewed by many as a rusty dinosaur of a state, mostly due to the lack of job opportunities here following a recession that nearly wiped out our manufacturing industry. Now, Ohio is proudly on the upswing: the economy is revitalized and our real estate market is bouncing back to life. (Not to mention, our Ohio State Buckeyes recently won the national championship trophy in the first-ever College Football Playoff game!) All in all, Ohioans are collectively feeling better than we have in nearly a decade.
By Jake Breen
In America, homeownership has always been considered a lofty goal, a dream that millions upon millions hope to make real. However, before these would-be buyers find homes, they usually rent. In the age-old rent vs. own debate, each generation seems to have its own idea about what is right. Baby Boomers tend to ask, “Why rent when you can own?” And millennials typically assume it’s always better to rent than own, at least when you’re first entering the job market and disposable income is limited. As rates of homeownership fluctuate, economists look to these differing ideologies to try to figure out just where America stands.
So, when is it better to rent than own? In the long run, it’s always better to buy. Buying a home is an investment in your future. However, many factors come into play when purchasing a home including timing and local market conditions.
By Maggie Aiken
Dear Future Buyer,
I am so excited to start this journey of finding a house with you. Let me start by telling you a little bit about what I do as your real estate agent and how I am going to make this process as smooth and enjoyable as possible.
I have access to the Multiple Listing Service (MLS) along with an outlet of agents who work together to make sure we know about all properties that are on the market or coming on the market in your area. I also have access to all houses that are listed, so you don’t have to worry about calling owners and listing agents yourself to schedule showings. Another huge plus is that the vast majority of sellers will compensate me to represent you – so there is really no reason to try to take on this process alone! The seller is represented by a listing agent, who is working in the seller’s best interest. Considering this is one of the biggest financial purchases you will make in your lifetime, don’t you want to have someone who is solely representing you throughout the entire process?
By Gino Blefari
Last week, my travels took me all over the Golden State—from San Francisco to Palm Springs. And this week, I’m still in California, working closely with our staff at HSF Affiliates in Irvine. In between conference calls and meetings, I had the incredible opportunity to chat with author and former Navy SEAL Mark Divine, who penned one of my favorite leadership books, Unbeatable Mind. During our conversation, Mark was incredibly friendly, even extending an invitation for me to visit his SEALFIT Training Center, which from what I’m told, is everything you’d expect from a hard-core fitness facility. Even over the phone, Mark’s can-do attitude and positive outlook fit perfectly with the resiliency and mental toughness he champions in his writing. More on his leadership philosophy later …
First, let me tell you how this all started.
By Darrin Friedman
You may have noticed that there are a whole lot of real estate agents out there in the world, any one of whom would be thrilled to have your business. From your mother’s best friend’s nephew—you know, the kid who got his license last week and has never actually helped anyone purchase a home—to the top agent in your region who represents the very best of what the name REALTOR® stands for, and every agent in between; the sheer volume of practitioners can seem overwhelming.
By Carrie Foley
I have a confession to make: I am a workaholic. How do I know? I’m never able to take my mind off my work and I’m always thinking about where my next buyer or seller will come from. Just one is never enough.
By Gino Blefari
While enjoying the College Football Playoff national championship game Monday night and the dramatic duel between two exceptional quarterbacks—Oregon Duck Marcus Mariota and Ohio State Buckeye Cardale Jones—I was reminded of a Chinese proverb:
“Not the cry, but the flight of a wild duck, leads the flock to fly and follow.”
The Duck pun is somewhat unintentional. The message, of course, is that true leaders through their actions—not necessarily their words—inspire others to achieve.
By Player Murray
The office of the future is a reality these days, and many are embracing the new look, feel and atmosphere of today’s work spaces. But how do you get from where you currently are—the traditional office space you’ve been in for years—to that shiny, new space that’s so different in many ways?
I’m going to be honest (because I just went through it), there are a lot of moving parts. A lot.
Thoughts on Leadership 