On this edition of Agent Insights we feature guest blogger Amanda Thomas, owner of Providence Group Realty in Plano, TX. She poses the question: Do Open Houses work in real estate? Spoiler alert, it is not that Open Houses don't work...but that some agents are not doing it correctly. For more from Amanda be sure to check out her website and Active Rain profile! 

When looking for a home inspector, there are a few key traits to look for. The choice you make can reflect on you. If you end up using an inspector that rubs your clients the wrong way, this puts you in danger of bad online reviews, lack of referrals, and lack of repeat business. While some clients will brush it off, why put them through that? Here are a few qualities to consider when looking for a home inspector.

On this edition of Agent Insights we feature guest blogger Lisa Heindel, a real estate broker from New Orleans, LA. She caught our eye because she makes excellent use of video in her online presence. See for yourself by checking out Crescent City Living LLC's YouTube channel. our team here has a soft spot for animals. She shares with us some insight on how to speak to your real estate buyers and sellers. For more from Lisa be sure to check out her website and Active Rain profile!

There is a misconception that real estate agents should educate themselves on regarding online real estate leads that don't leave a phone number. The assumption is that these are bad leads that are a waste of time. Incorrect! Much like how there is no good news or bad news, just "news"...it is your perspective that is hurting your real estate transactions. Read more to find out why.

With sites like Zurple, Zillow, Redfin, and Realtor.com, consumers have more power over their home search. They can begin their online search one week, 2 months, or years before they’re ready to work with an agent. And this can have an adverse effect on your marketing budget. If you generate leads online, chances are you’ve captured leads that don’t plan on buying or selling months or even years from now. To focus on your transaction-ready leads, you’ll need to weed out those that will likely never return to your website. Continue reading to uncover what percentage of real estate leads are never likely to return to your website.