Best Fresh Management Ideas for 2007

By Carla Cross, CRB, Real Estate Business Magazine, December 2006/January 2007

"Nothing endures but change." Heraclites, a Greek philosopher, said that around 500 B.C. The saying has never been truer than in the real estate industry today. Across most of the country, shifting real estate markets require managers to make changes in recruiting, selecting, training and retaining. But, even "bigger picture" than that, stunning trends in customer habits and demands, company models, commission rates and payments are emerging in the industry. The changes and adjustments necessary to manage trends will affect the long-term success of businesses.

Assure your agent force is not behind the eight ball, but ahead of the curve for 2007. What you do, rather than what you buy, is of primary importance to a successful future. The way managers lead in 2007, amid shifting real estate trends will determine success and survival in both the short-term and long-term.

Trend Number One

The Consumer Starts with the Internet

The 2005 National Association of REALTORS'® Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers shows that almost 80% of consumers start their home searches by going to the Internet first. (This number grew from 41% in 2001 to 74% in 2005.)