“You are in real estate. I feel sorry for you these days.” I’ve lost count of how many times someone has said something along these lines to me in the past few weeks and months. Have you heard the same thing lately? What with the daily news of the economy, devastating media reports about the [...]

- Are we truly independent contractors? Or are we independent contractors when it comes to (not) being paid benefits and social security, and employees when it comes to “sales meetings”, “floor duty” and other “mandatory” things? – To achieve real success, should we be “interdependent contractors”? – Who’s really in control? – Is a pulse and a [...]

As I watch the price of gas at the pump continue to climb – yesterday I paid $4.19 per gallon for premium here in Loudoun County, Virginia – I secretly pray that it continues to go up. I know this might sound crazy but if you think about the implications of extremely expensive gas on [...]

Many things have made me proud be to a member and now staff with the Fredericksburg Association of REALTORS®.  One of the main aspects, is our leadership’s willingness to embrace new technology and make it relevant to our membership.  We are always trying to find good venues to communicate our services to the membership. Having [...]

This post is part of a series covering my journey of discovery through the history of the National Association of REALTORS. As my guide and my inspiration, I am using a book published by NAR, “100 Years in Celebration of The American Dream,” celebrating the Centennial of NAR. The following was inspired by reading just [...]

Excellent article in this past month’s THE ATLANTIC magazine on the long-term implications of America’s shifting demographics. I’d say it’s a must-read for REALTORS®, who are already seeing first-hand the profound changes shaping the make-up of our communities. Here’s a clip (the link to the entire piece is at the end of this post): Start [...]

First time I’ve heard a reporter actually acknowledge — without being prompted — that the recent downturn in homes sales was preceded by a historic run-up, and that even now, in most places that have experienced a downturn, pricing remains above what it was prior to the 2002-2006 run-up. Yeah, our association leaders have been [...]