General

QUOTE OF THE WEEK “I once wanted to become an atheist, but I gave up—they have no holidays.”—Henny Youngman, American comedian   NATIONAL MARKET UPDATE Pending Home Sales (signed contracts on existing homes) rose in October for the third straight month and are more than 5% up from last year. The National Association of Realtors […]

6 WAYS TO DE-STRESS AND GET MORE DONE Stress is an unhealthy emotion. When stress is your response to a work situation, you may think it helps you get things done—faster, if not better. But instead of powering productivity, stress diminishes it—by wasting energy on worry and fear, instead of focusing all of it on […]

BUSINESS TIPS       THE 8 KEYS TO POWERFUL PERSONAL BRANDING   As a real estate agent, the primary product you’re selling is yourself. That makes your personal brand your most valuable asset—it’s what sets you apart from other agents and makes you stand out in your market. Building your personal brand takes effort […]

4 COMMON FINANCIAL MISTAKES AND HOW TO AVOID THEM     Managing finances is something we have to do our entire lives. In order to get the most out of the money we earn, we need to develop some healthy habits around managing finances now and planning for financial situations in the future. But to […]

QUOTE OF THE WEEK “When we ask for advice, we are usually looking for an accomplice.”—Saul Bellow, American novelist   NATIONAL MARKET UPDATE A nice bump in September buyer activity sent Pending Home Sales up more than 7% to their highest level since March. This index of signed contracts on existing homes is now ahead, […]

HOW TO UP YOUR COMMUNICATIONS GAME Effective communications begin with the right mindset. Instead of thinking “I’m here to sell,” switch to “I’m here to help.” Being able to help requires two-way understanding— you have to understand your prospects’ needs, and they have to understand how you meet those needs. That requires being an effective […]

BUSINESS TIPS       THE CHECKLIST TO PREP FOR LISTING PHOTOGRAPHY   Pretty much all home shopping today begins on the internet. That’s why listing photography is more important than ever. Here’s a checklist of things you can do before the shoot to make sure your listing photographs are the best they can be. […]

Here’s your monthly Chicago Housing Stats video, courtesy of The Jim Passi Team at Alameda Mortgage Corp. For all of your home financing needs in Illinois, Wisconsin, Michigan, Indiana, Georgia, Tennessee, or Florida, call The Jim Passi Team today at 847-899-1813! Follow our social media pages for more informational tools!

SOME IMPORTANT FACTS ABOUT CREDIT SCORES     Your credit score, also known as your FICO Score, plays an important role when you apply for a mortgage. As a homebuyer, you should know that having a good credit score plays a key role in the purchase process. Lenders check your credit score to determine if […]

QUOTE OF THE WEEK “I hate housework. You make the beds, you do the dishes, and six months later, you have to start all over again.”—Joan Rivers, American comedian, writer, and television host   NATIONAL MARKET UPDATE Builders spent slightly less on residential construction in August, but overall spending was up annually by almost 3%, […]