Spring has sprung!

We’ve added new courses to Agent University to help you take advantage of not just residential distressed real estate, but the commercial market, too, as winter finally begins to thaw.

We’ve also included important information to help you find and capitalize on leads to keep your business going and growing.

The fallout from the subprime crisis has created unique conditions — residential and commercial distressed real estate are ripe for the picking … as long as you’re equipped with the necessary tools to take advantage of the situation.

It’s an exciting time of year. So let’s gear up now to make the most of it.

Agent University’s monthly newsletter (read it right here) is jam-packed with helpful information, training opportunities and marketing tips that will help you make the most of the spring and summer months ahead. And it’s free.

Sign up to receive the newsletter today! Click here

(Note that the email newsletter sign up is located on the top-left of the page).

Boca Raton, Fla. — March 5, 2010 — Foreclosure.com Director of Education, Linda Yates, will deliver a live, seven-hour Certified Foreclosure Agent (CFA) training course for the benefit of more than 100 agents at ERA® International Business Conference (IBC) 2010, which is scheduled for the Gaylord Opryland Hotel & Convention Center in Nashville, Tenn., on Monday, March 15, 2010.

“Distressed real estate in general and foreclosures in particular will continue to account for a significant amount of transactions now and in the future,” said Yates. “CFA training puts agents on the forefront of this industry-leading trend. We are honored to bring our certification training to IBC.”

The deal-driven educational seminar will be held from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. ET. Seats are already sold out.

Read the rest of this entry »

Foreclosure.com Agent University recently issued its latest monthly newsletter, which is geared toward real estate professionals and real estate professionals only.

This month’s edition covers several important topics, including the new HAFA guidelines, which were introduced to streamline the use of short sales as a means of avoiding foreclosure.

Agents and brokers need to be prepared and make the most of this new situation because distressed real estate transactions (short sales, foreclosures, etc.) are going to account for a serious amount of business (and commissions) over the next few years.

And the new changes will go into effect in one month!

You’ll also hear from high-profile experts, Jeff Cole and Joe Martin, who will share their successful “on the ground” experiences and strategies with you to get the most out of your local market.

Our latest Certified Foreclosure Agent (CFA) and Certified Short Sale Agent (CSSA) graduates are also highlighted, as well as the myriad benefits of our industry-leading training programs provide.

So what are you waiting for? Agent University’s monthly newsletter (read it right here) is jam-packed with juicy nuggets and helpful information that can take your business to the next level. And it’s free.

Sign up to receive the newsletter today! Click here

(Note that the email newsletter sign up is located on the top-left of the page).

To rent or to own, that is the question.

In theory, buying is always better than renting because at some point you will own your house outright whereas renters are perpetually filling the pockets of others.

In reality, it can be tough to make the leap from renter to owner.

That’s because there is a lot on the line — there are several unknown factors that can and often do influence these types of decisions:

Do you have a big enough down payment? Will you qualify for a mortgage? Can you afford maintenance? For how long do you plan to hang on to the property?

The Feb. 2010 edition of Foreclosure.com’s free educational newsletter, “Investment Exchange,” is now available, which details everything you need to know about “Rent vs. Own.”

Our goal is to get you thinking about this important decision sooner rather than later. The housing market is still extremely buyer friendly right now — interest rates are still low, limited-time government incentives are still available until April 30, 2010 and chances are good that prices in your area have never been better.

On the flip side, buying a home or investment property is still one of the biggest decisions you will ever make. So you still need to consider all the pros and cons before jumping in head first.

So check out “Rent vs. Own” today so you can decide whether or not a home purchase or lease is in your best interests.

To read this month’s free educational newsletter from Foreclosure.com CLICK HERE.

Have you ever seen the rain?

A classic song penned by John Fogerty comes to mind as I share with you my experience at ActiveRain’s “RainCamp” in Dallas, Texas, earlier this week.

Alongside more than 300 attendees, I learned the ins-and-outs of social media and marketing on the Web. This conference did not disappoint.

I was excited to learn from many of the top experts when it comes to marketing real estate. This day-long session focused on creating content, as well as how to gain higher visibility among the search engines.

We were provided with more than 75 different resources to research and explore. From CRMs to photo resources, agents in attendance — from across Texas and beyond — were able to take home the things learned and start applying them immediately to increase their listing and selling opportunities.

The agents in the room were definitely leading the pack because they understood that most house hunters are going to do their own research first before they reach out to an agent. So it’s important for agents to have a presence in the community both online and on the ground.

Since I’m a big believer of walking what I talk, I would highly recommend agents who want to learn how to grow their Web presence get educated and then go to work using the concepts they learned.

And then you will likely see the “rain” (in dollars) pouring in!