On average, how likely are you to respond to an offer you received in the mail? Retailers, Realtors and many other professions spend millions of dollars each year mailing paper letters and mailers to potential customers. Is it worth it? Take this quick HomeGain poll to see where your opinion falls in with other Realtors and real estate professionals!

[polldaddy poll="2323535"]

Wishing everyone a safe and happy Thanksgiving celebration from all of us at HomeGain.

We are rich only through what we give, and poor only through what we refuse.

Anne-Sophie Swetchine

For Thanksgiving.

My experience tells me that real estate professionals have done transactions for friends and family for no commission.  This is pro bono service.  Attorneys do the same. But while the attorney Code of Ethics provides for this charitable work, the Realtor Code of Ethics does not.  I think it ought.

I have lobbied for the National Association of Realtors® (NAR) to include a pro bono provision in the COE.  The purpose is to recognize that Realtors ARE doing pro bono work.  It will get mainstream media coverage and perhaps help boost the Realtor brand, which has taken a beating over the years.

Even if it never makes it to the NAR COE, consider, if you are able, being a pro bono broker for someone in your neighborhood who is in dire straits. Give and become rich.

Happy Thanksgiving.

Have happy clients? Share the Smiles — with HomeGain!

HomeGain has launched a new campaign for Realtor members, called Share The Smiles, in which real estate agent and broker members can send HomeGain photos of their satisfied clients for publishing on HomeGain.com.

Here’s how it works:

1. Take a photo of your clients in front of their new or sold home. Even include yourself in the photo.
2. Email one photo per client (less than 1MB each in size) up to 5 clients and we’ll post them online for the world to see!
3. Feel free to include the names of your clients (and all your contact info!) and/or a 1-3 sentence review or description for each photo.
4. As a HomeGain member, you’ll receive 25 Max Rewards Points per photo/client (totaling as high as 125 Max Points).

Yet another way HomeGain helps you promote your services — a picture says a thousand words! Submit your photos today!

About Max Rewards Points and see your account balance.

If you don’t know it yet, you soon will understand that real estate is a tough business.  As an independent contractor, no one is watching out for you; except you.  I would like to offer some words of wisdom and advice to the newby Realtors and others that I wish had been given to me back when I started my real estate career five years ago.

Having a real estate business is just like any other business.  You must protect your information including contact lists.  It is tempting to utilize all the tools that your brokerage may offer to stay in touch with clients and do marketing campaigns.

However, you should know that companies may take that information and use it for their own benefit if they choose. If you think your brokerage is above that, I recommend getting something in writing before you use the company products, computer and email.

It is easy enough to avoid the entire issue with a few simple practices:

1. Own your domain name.
2. Have your own website with an independent company that specializes in real estate products to host and maintain it.
3. Have an email address that is not managed by your brokerage.
4. If you want the convenience of a secondary company email, do not give the address to clients or publish the address on any websites. Continue reading this post

Although HomeGain was not an exhibitor this year at the National Association of Realtors® (NAR) Annual Conference & Expo in San Diego, California, we sent our best representative, Max The HomeGain Gorilla, to greet hundreds of Realtors as they entered the real estate trade show over the weekend.

Did you spot the Max-mobile truck? (See photos below) Let us know if you did!

Max-mobile at the NAR Annual Expo in New Orleans