When handling buyer objections, preparation is key, brokers say

Buyers with doubts need to know they’re being heard. A well-oiled process for responding to their objections can help, Bianca D’Alessio and Aaron West said Thursday at Inman Connect Las Vegas. Continue reading

US prices fell this spring, new data shows. Not that anybody noticed

Price declines were bigger in the spring than in the late winter, according to quarterly home sales data issued Thursday by NAR. But to real estate agents in most U.S. markets, it didn’t feel that way. Continue reading

4 outside-the-box uses of AI that could change real estate

Everyone’s talking about chatbots. But three experts at Inman Connect Las Vegas explored AI’s other cutting-edge applications for agents during a panel on Wednesday. Continue reading

The 2 main paths to brokerage growth in a down market

Every broker wants to recruit top agents. But what works when transactions are scarce? Two real estate professionals shared their thoughts Wednesday at Inman Connect Las Vegas. Continue reading

Locked in, or misinformed? How seller’s agents can allay client fears

Homeowners feel locked in and for good reason. But sellers should know the other side of the coin too, agents argued at Inman Connect. Continue reading

Realtor.com CEO: ‘Zillow took that crown off us — and I want it back’

During Inman Connect on Tuesday, Damian Eales, Realtor.com’s newly installed CEO, revealed the marching orders he’s received from Rupert Murdoch as he aim to scale the top of the portal game. Continue reading

What down market? Payrolls are just fine in the brokerage world

Home transactions may be down, but you wouldn’t know it from most brokerage payrolls. Real estate hiring churned along in July, according to new data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Continue reading

Vrbo bookings suffer in Q2 as more travelers opt for hotels in 2023

The popular vacation-rental platform dragged down the results of its parent company Expedia Group in the second quarter of the year, according to an earnings call Thursday. Continue reading

What the early ’80s inflation crisis reveals about today’s home market

The Fed has raised interest rates to fight inflation in the past. A new Intel analysis illuminates the data behind the “rate lock” of the early 1980s and how long it took home sales to eventually recover. Continue reading

Even CoStar doesn’t think it will unseat Zillow, DelPrete argues

For all its bluster, CoStar Group likely doesn’t think it can overthrow Zillow to become real estate’s top portal, Mike DelPrete tells Intel. Here’s what the commercial real estate giant is really after. Continue reading