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The Latest News from WFG National Title Company
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dronesMoverealtor.comreblsRedfinrupert murdochSelectTechnologytruliaventure capitalZillow
January 12, 2015

Venture capitalists placing big bets on real estate tech

Big talk A raft of Wall Street types and venture capitalists are snooping around the “dynamic real estate opportunity,” as one banker described it. The last time I recall such a swirl of enthusiasm was during the dot-com days in the late 1990s. Yurchello108/Shutterstock Supersized valuations at Zillow and Trulia…
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flexmlsMLS & Associationsmobile appsmobile MLSSelect
January 12, 2015

Competition in mobile MLS apps heats up

Mobile access to one of a real estate agent’s most valuable tools — the multiple listing service — is often a top priority when MLSs choose their vendor. Today, FBS — an MLS system vendor that serves nearly 160,000 real estate professionals — has filled out its mobile offerings with…
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BrokerageSelect
January 12, 2015

Real estate agent outwitted her kidnapper

A real estate agent thwarted her kidnapper by locking him out of the model home she was showing him after the man brandished a handgun and threatened her, police said. Police in Elk Grove, California have arrested David Burnhart, a 47-year-old registered sex offender, in connection with the crime,  booking…
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BrokerageSelectTechnologyvideo
January 12, 2015

Let us know what works when it comes to broker tech

Tech companies hawk their wares to real estate professionals every day. There are lead generation tools, marketing centers, video software, websites, and electronic forms, just to name a few. How do brokers and agents choose? And when brokers do select some shiny new product, how do they get their agents…
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Agent advicefhalending standardsmortgageproperty conditionreal estate disclosuresSelectseller repairs
January 12, 2015

Since when do lenders get to dictate property repairs?

Historically, one of the most onerous aspects of dealing with Federal Housing Administration loans was the inspection process. Fortunately, conventional lenders have never required much more than termite repairs. Sadly, this is all changing — to the detriment of both consumers and agents. A disturbing new trend is emerging where…
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internet marketingleadsMarketingreal estateRobert McTagueSelect
January 12, 2015

4 techniques for effective online lead generation

Internet buyer lead generation accounts for nearly 70 percent of my buyer business each year. Since 2006, I have been investing in buyer lead systems, and I now maintain a consistent 400 percent return on investment from Internet lead generation. However, the Internet landscape has changed somewhat during the past five years. The…
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Agent adviceintrovertspersonality typereal estatereal estate successSelect
January 11, 2015

4 tips for real estate introverts

Real estate, it’s been said, is no place for introverts. It’s a people-driven business. Some brokerages even engage in personality testing designed to uncover how agents handle various situations and where their strengths lie. Conventional wisdom says that introverts don’t succeed in sales, but the truth is far more nuanced.…
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Brokeragereal estate coach profilereal estate coachesreal estate service industryreturn on investmentSelectTim Harris
January 11, 2015

Tim Harris: ‘We are all in real estate to be of service to others’

Tim Harris is the co-founder of Tim and Julie Harris Real Estate Coaching. Age: 44 Degree, school: Ashland University, Otterbein University, Ohio State University. Majored in English and business. Location: Austin, Texas Social media: Facebook, LinkedIn Tim and Julie Harris What’s your favorite activity outside of work and why? Had you asked me in…
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profilereal estate hackerRebekah BastianSelectZillow product team group manager
January 10, 2015

Rebekah Bastian: ‘I want to make sure great agents get all the business’

Job title: Group manager of product teams at Zillow Time at Zillow: More than 9 years What she does: I help drive the strategy and execution of the product teams that focus on Premier Agent advertising, financial and sales integrations, and tools for sellers and their agents. Age: 36 Degree: Master’s in mechanical engineering…
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