Join us for a FREE, exclusive phone event LIVE on Tuesday, December 8th for the chance to interact with an exceptional team of real estate experts.

Here is your chance to ask a panel of experts within the real estate community questions specific to your own business. You can send your questions in advance, and ask more questions during the call!

Topic: “Gearing Up for 2010 – What REALTORS® Need To Do Now”

When: Tuesday, December 8, 2009

Time: 9am – 10am Pacific / 12pm – 1pm Eastern

Cost: None

Meet The Experts:

Eric Pakulla, RE/MAX Advantage Realty, Maryland

Expert For: “Mastering Internet Lead Conversion”

Mr. Pakulla is a multi-million dollar producer with over 15 years of experience in real estate. The Eric Pakulla Team is ranked the #5 RE/MAX team in the entire United States. Pakulla has received the most coveted awards from RE/MAX International: The Diamond Club and Lifetime Achievement. Pakulla is an elite HomeGain Advisor, HomeGain Blogger, an AgentView member, and an AgentEvaluator Million Dollar Club member.

Chris Tesch, ABR, E-Pro, RE/MAX Bryan College Station, Texas

Expert For: “Propelling Business Through Technology”

Ms. Tesch has over 8 years in real estate and achieves over 60 transactions each year. Tesch earned the RE/MAX Platinum Club Award in 2008. She is a member of many organizations including the American Business Women’s Association (ABWA), Leading Women’s Express Network (LWEN) and Cyberstar Professional, an elite group of less than 200 professionals worldwide that use technology to its utmost. Tesch is a HomeGain member of BuyerLink, AgentView and AgentEvaluator.

Patrick Kitano, Domus Consulting Group and Transparent Real Estate Blog, California

Expert For: “Social Networking Best Practices”

Mr. Kitano is Co-Founder and Managing Principal of Domus Consulting Group, a management consulting firm working with real estate brokerages and Web 2.0 companies to develop technology marketing strategies, and with venture investors on new business models. Experienced in four competitive industries – films, investment banking, internet technology and real estate – Kitano excels at advising Realtors on best practices for success. Continue reading this post

This exclusive real estate video features Eric Blackwell, Director of Technology at RE/MAX who presented a special session at the August 2009 HomeGain Nation Live Real Estate Forum in San Francisco titled “SEO Is A Team Sport”.

Did you put SEO or getting better ranking as a priority for your business this year? What is SEO? Why do search engines put some REALTORS® at the top of search results over others?

SEO is the role that relationships play in helping you get to the top — being “search engine friendly”. Blackwell explains all this and more for what SEO means to REALTORS®, and provides the basic rules of effective SEO strategies.

Watch the SEO TRENDS session video: “SEO Is A Team Sport”

Check back next week to see one more video from this 2009 real estate event, which is the “Trends In Real Estate Marketing” with power presenters Robert Hahn, Patrick Kitano, Jay Thompson, Joseph Ferrara and Louis Cammarosano!

Watch more HomeGain Nation session videos

Also see more HomeGain Nation real estate videos on the HomeGain YouTube channel, on the HomeGain Nation Blog. and in the HomeGain Media Center.

It’s becoming a popular trend to coat cars and SUVs with logos, website URLs, and other contact information. It could be especially valuable for REALTORS® since referrals and local exposure is so important. But some people love their car too much the way it is. What do you think? Would you do it?

See more real estate polls

This video features three highly motivated and successful Realtors® — Karen Breen Elia, RE/MAX Exclusive Properties, Carl Medford, Windermere Properties East Bay and Wayne Long of Shepherd Brokers.com GMAC Real Estate — who presented at the August 2009 HomeGain Nation Live Real Estate Forum in San Francisco.

Watch this strategic real estate video as they discuss their methods for effectively finding, connecting and closing homes with people through the Internet via HomeGain’s AgentEvaluator® marketing program.

Watch the AgentEvaluator session video: “Prospecting, Proposals, Pipeline”

Keep checking back as we will be adding more videos!

Watch more session videos

Also see more HomeGain Nation real estate videos on the HomeGain YouTube channel, on the HomeGain Nation Blog. and in the HomeGain Media Center.

I am continually amazed by how little some people know about the real estate business.

Most people generally have a good idea about how the industry works but every now and then I run into someone who is pretty naïve about the home buying process. Even doctors, lawyers, CEO’s and other professionals may not know how our business works.

Here are 10 things you should know about working with a Realtor®.

1)  Realtors® work on commission

There may be a few exceptions here and there but most Realtors work on 100% commission. That means no salary, no draw, no bonuses, no nothing. If there is not a successful closing the Realtor does not get paid. No only do they not make any money they actually lose money. Agents are essentially small businesses with various expenses like advertising, websites, business cards, stationary, direct mailers, gas, time and energy. If they don’t generate revenue they lose money.

Realtors are not public servants. Don’t ask them to work for you if you don’t think they will get compensated with a commission from a successful transaction.

2)  Hire a Realtor®

First figure out if you want to work with or without a Realtor. Some people want to work directly with the listing agent because they think that they will get a better deal on the property. If you do want to work directly with the listing agent keep in mind that they had a prior relationship with the seller before meeting you. The Realtor might look out for the seller’s interests instead of yours. It might be best to hire a Realtor that represents you in the transaction. Continue reading this post

Last week HomeGain rolled out the September/October issue of its Agent Success Newsletter.

The digital real estate newsletter included:

Feature Story:

“New Survey Results: Where Do REALTORS® Think Home Prices Are Heading?”

The results of the 3rd quarter HomeGain Realtor Survey on Home Prices show that since the first quarter, HomeGain members are of the opinion that home prices are stabilizing and will continue to do so. 69% of HomeGain members believe that home prices will remain the same in the next six months.

We also asked our members whether they approved or disapproved of President Obama’s performance. What did they say? Read complete survey findings

Follow HomeGain: Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTube

Agent Insight - Question of the Month:

Q: How does the new video feature on AgentEvaluator® work (for adding videos to my proposals)?

HomeGain News:

AgentEvaluator® “Refer an Agent” Sweepstakes – Chance to Win $300!

New Toll-Free Number For AgentView Members

HomeGain Nation Session Videos Now Available

October: 4th Annual Agent Appreciation Campaign Is Launched

Continue reading this post