Broker's Bulletin

Property deed types can be confusing to consumers and agents alike. As a best practice, we coach all of our agents to do a quick search on the County Tax Records -- as well as with the County Clerk -- to vet and assess possible ownership interests and/or possible threats to securing a clear title...

AGENTS: If you use Google Drive for your customers or team, be aware that a new phishing attack launched today. The base domain that is sourcing the attack is blackburnsmed (dot com). We discovered this by looking at the source code in the email we received. (See image below.) This attack is sent...

Do you ever wish you could be a fly on the wall and hear how your listing agent was representing you and your property to interested buyers? What would you do if you overheard your listing agent in this conversation? Property: Vacant Lot, 5 acres, North Texas, Mandatory HOA / Lake CommunityAttemp...

A common error we see in everyday real estate practice stems from confusion about how documents should be signed when the customer or client is a business entity (LLC). Also known as 'signature styling', this is an important element to understand for contract preparation.  There is a short list o...

Working as a Buyer's Agent can be a tremendous amount of fun -- especially when one's buyer clients are clever and playful. Through the years, we have collected various expressions, phrases, jokes and puns our witty clients have made us giggle at during showings and inspections. Our recent state...

Picture 1 was on the MLS, for 3 listings that either expired or cancelled. Average time on market for these properties amounted to 200 days -- in a hot seller's market. Picture 2 is a photo of the same property when agent 2 listed. Average time on market for these listings amounted to 22 days -- ...

Imagine technology that replaces all roadways, parking lots, sidewalks, driveways, tarmacs, bike paths and outdoor recreation surfaces with solar panels... No more useless concrete or asphalt or concrete sitting there baking in the sun needing to be repaved -- filling with pot holes that ruin the...

I'm so excited!  Our office has a new secret weapon in our "Paperless Realtor Ninja" armory...  Do you love small .pdf files, but find it difficult to adjust your scanner or software settings to make high quality, lightweight files that can easily be shared by email or online?  Well, forget every...

In December of 2013, we shared a sample solicitation letter from a Rockwall investor, "offering to buy" one of our seller's homes.  This 'offer' was for the sellers to move out of their home while keeping  their existing mortgage in place. This is called a 'wrap' -- where the 'sale' is subject to...

Like many agents, I made my transition into full-time real estate by starting on a part-time basis. I worked a full-time corporate job, taught graduate and undergraduate marketing classes, and managed our private portfolio of owner-managed investment homes, all while wearing my wife hat, my mommy...