Suing cities and battling Nimbys: The fight for more housing

SAN FRANCISCO — “Nimbyism” — the condition of taking a “not in my backyard” stance towards building — may be the biggest obstacle to housing development out there. So what better way to promote the construction of more housing units than to champion  “Yimbyism” — the condition of viewing development through the lens of “yes in my backyard?” That’s the aim of Sonja […]

How big media thinks about real estate

Robert Thomson   SAN FRANCISCO — When it comes to the media’s view on real estate, there are few who are able to see the world through such a broad lens at Robert Thomson, chief executive at News Corp. The journalist-turned-exec sat down with Brad Inman to discuss how world politics can and are affecting […]

What will digital transactions look like in the future?

SAN FRANCISCO — Consumers and agents want three things from DocuSign, according to Keith Krach, the company’s chairman and CEO — trust, choice and speed. He broke down consumer wants and needs (and agents’ wants and needs, too) at a special session at Inman Connect San Francisco — and announced a big initiative at DocuSign to help […]

Open Houses Offer Home Shoppers Insights into Priorities and the Local Housing Market

When it comes to helping sell homes, some brokers love open houses. Others avoid them if possible. There is agreement, however, that open houses offer lots of useful information to homebuyers. Visiting several open houses is an ideal way for buyers to dip their toes into the local housing market, contends Paul Booth of RE/MAX […]

Should You Buy a Home? Just Ask Your Facebook Friends

The homeownership experiences of our Facebook friends can impact our home-buying and -selling decisions. So according to jointly-conducted research from Facebook, Harvard University and New York University, which indicates our Facebook friends influence our perceptions of homeownership. Facebook users with friends who own homes in areas where prices have appreciated tend to consider a house […]

Zillow Group Acquires Bridge Interactive Group

Zillow Group, Inc. recently announced it has acquired Bridge Interactive Group, LLC, a leading creator of broker and multiple listing service (MLS) back-office software. Bridge Interactive helps brokers and MLSs address the complex world of listings management by implementing systems based on open standards from the Real Estate Standards Organization (RESO). Bridge Interactive provides brokers […]

Engel & Völkers Opens in Ottawa

European-based premium real estate firm Engel & Völkers announced its newest shop opening in Ottawa, bringing the firm’s global network and exclusive level of service to the nation’s capital city. Led by John King, owner and Broker of Record, the new Engel & Völkers Ottawa Central will provide its premium service and international reach to […]

8 Red Flags that Your Company Needs a Service Overhaul

These days providing a great—heck, exceptional—product or service won’t keep customers happy. (You can thank the hyper-connected global economy for their fickleness.) No, we must also delight customers with an outstanding service experience. Problem is, it’s all too easy to assume they’re delighted while, in reality, they have one foot out the door with an […]

What You Need to Know about the Data Security Act of 2015

Businesses are at the mercy of hackers, sniffers, and the criminal element who are after your data. Many states have their own regulatory requirements, and this lacks uniformity and creates issues for those who do business across the United States. So what is next? Will we see uniformity in regulatory compliance for businesses across the […]

Education Insider: Foreign Investment in U.S. Real Estate Tops $102 Billion – Are You Getting Your Share?

Last month, NAR released its annual Profile of International Home Buying Activity, indicating that foreign investment in the United States remains strong, at $102.6 billion. Other key findings included: Foreign buyers typically purchase more expensive properties than resident home buyers and favor all-cash purchases. Resident foreigners—those who live here in the US—made up 59% of […]