Maureen Mengel Blog

Dimensional Fund Advisors LP grew its stake in Alexandria Real Estate Equities Inc by 2.9% during the second quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The firm owned 1,503,896 shares of the real estate investment trust's stock after purchasing an additional 42,687 shares during the period. Dimensional Fund Advisors LP Buys 42,687 Shares of Alexandria Real Estate Equities Inc curated from Real Estate News

Buying a house in a hot market is always a challenge, and if you're jumping into the fray at the end of the home buying season you might be tempted to think the situation is hopeless. But all is not lost. 5 tips for buying a home in a competitive market curated from Real Estate News

San Francisco -based real estate technology startup Openland today announced the launch of a professional messaging platform to streamline communications between property owners, builders, investors, lenders, brokers and local officials during residential and commercial building projects. Openland founders, Yury Lifshits and Steve Korshakov “In recent years, messaging apps have transformed personal and workplace communications. Now it’s time to do the same for business-to-business interactions. A professional messenger for real estate has the potential to dramatically accelerate sourcing, negotiations, and closing workflows,” said Openland CEO and co-founder, Yury Lifshits in a prepared statement. “We look forward to templatizing and automating every routine interaction in real estate project lifecycle.” The desktop-only platform, which became publicly available on Aug. 31, has three main features: Invite-only channels where users can provide insider knowledge ...

Zillow’s updated  Premier Agent advertising program is making its way to New York City and Zillow’s local subsidiary brand StreetEasy on September 10, the company confirmed Friday. In April, Zillow announced it would be making changes to its advertising program for real estate agents, filtering the leads it connects with agents to ensure that they are higher quality. Instead of a consumer reaching out directly to the agent, Zillow now connects with the consumer first to verify that they are interested in buying through its concierge service. The new Zillow Premier Agent features first launched in Butte, Montana and has since spread across the Midwest into a number of markets. A Zillow spokesperson told Inman there is no additional pricing change, and that pricing for Premier Agent is still based on on demand and the ZIP code where the agent is looking to advertise. “We’re really moving away from the concept of a lead, and we’re really moving to the concept of validated hu...

Moderator Katie Ragusa and Seth Siegler, founder of Hoverboard Labs, discuss the multiple listing service (MLS) through the lens of a developer at Inman Connect San Francisco. WATCH: Dealing with the MLS — a developer’s perspective curated from Inman – Real Estate News for Realtors and Brokers

When structured correctly, teams can be a powerful and profitable addition to a brokerage. For a look at some of the most successful brokerage-team relationships, listen in to Inman Connect San Francisco’s session, “Team: It’s not a four letter word.” WATCH: This is what real estate’s most powerful teams look like curated from Inman – Real Estate News for Realtors and Brokers

Karl Racine, Washington, D.C.’s first elected attorney general, addressed attendees at the National Association of Realtors’ new iOi Summit, a tech conference. DC Attorney General warns Realtors of rise in online listing scammers curated from Inman – Real Estate News for Realtors and Brokers

What’s better — buying leads or focusing on your sphere? Kendyl Young of Diggs Real Estate, Barbara Betts of The Betts Realty Group and Dan Sundberg of Kendrick Realty tackle this topic onstage at Inman Connect San Francisco. WATCH: Referrals vs. lead gen — which is best? curated from Inman – Real Estate News for Realtors and Brokers

National real estate entrepreneur Mike Pero is calling on the real estate industry to join him to take a proactive stance against plastic waste. "I'd like to challenge other real estate agencies in New Zealand to consider changing from traditional plastic 'For Sale' signs to more environment-friendly options," says Mike Pero. Real estate industry can impact on plastic reduction curated from Real Estate News

KW Labs and BoxBrownie each took home $15,000 checks and accolades Thursday at the National Association of Realtors’ iOi Summit in San Francisco. Article image credited to Keller Williams KW Labs, BoxBrownie win NAR hackathon, pitch battle curated from Inman – Real Estate News for Realtors and Brokers

StreetEasy users browsing for Manhattan apartments yesterday were greeted with an offensive slur in place of the name New York City, thanks to a contributor attacking the database for Mapbox, the company that supplies the map technology for StreetEasy and others. “This morning the label over New York City was changed by a malicious contributor via one of our data sources,” Eric Gunderson, CEO of Mapbox wrote in a company blog post. “This hate speech attack is disgusting. Within an hour of discovering the edit, our team deleted and removed it, but the slur was live on our maps.” Whatever mapping service that Snapchat, CitiBike, StreetEasy, (perhaps others) use — it seems — is showing New York City as “Jewtropolis” this morning. pic.twitter.com/nsVe8goLyo — Micah Grimes (@MicahGrimes) August 30, 2018 Mapbox’s internal investigation revealed that the edit to New York City’s label was part of a series of hateful attacks by the same individual. The other edits were blocked, but the...

Median home values increased 8 percent year-over-year, to $218,000 in July, but in 20 of the 35 largest markets growth slowed modestly, according to a market analysis by Zillow released Thursday. The slowdown was most prevalent in Seattle, Tampa, Sacramento, Calif., and Portland, Ore, the four hottest markets over the past year. In Seattle, home-value growth declined from 14.8 percent in June 2017 to 9.1 percent this July. In Tampa, home-value growth slowed to 10.6 percent, while in Sacramento, and Portland, it clocked in at 5.7 percent. Zillow says the slowdown is due to a slight uptick in inventory in 19 of the 35 largest markets, with the largest inventory gains happening in some of the most expensive markets, such as Seattle (+13.2%), San Jose (+46.2%), and San Diego (+36.3%). How TorchX helps brokerages centralize and automate digital marketing for their agents One platform to generate, convert and nurture real estate leads READ MORE Nationwide, inventory remai...

  When it comes to truly understanding the Inman Connect New York experience, especially if you’ve never attended before, what better way to see what to expect than with an amazing 360 video tour? Our good friend Matt Murphy from Boston Virtual Imaging  gives you a tour of how the event is laid out, the atmosphere, and even takes you into the main session rooms. Just click and drag (or tap and drag if you’re on mobile) to look around in the clip. Enjoy! Not got your tickets for Inman Connect New York 2019 yet? They’re now available here .   Experience Inman Connect New York in 360° VR curated from Inman – Real Estate News for Realtors and Brokers

Like independent bookstores, local brokerages are important institutions worth saving. But they must embrace a new attitude. Article image credited to Rawpixel on Unsplash A blueprint for brokers to win again curated from Inman – Real Estate News for Realtors and Brokers

South Beach Realtor Kevin Tomlinson avoided prison time after being found guilty on extortion charges in June for allegedly demanding $800,000 from rivals Jill Hertzberg and Jill Eber, a high profile luxury real estate duo known as “The Jills.” Judge Milton Hirsch sentenced Tomlinson to two years of house arrest, 15 years probation and is barring him from working in real estate or tweeting about The Jills, according to Miami Herald reporter David Ovalle, who attended the sentencing. “No jail time,” Ovalle tweeted. “Judge Hirsch cuts Kevin Tomlinson a break, sentences him to two years of house arrest, plus 15 years of probation. Can’t work in real-estate – or tweet about The Jills.” Kevin Tomlinson The Jills success in the Miami market drew suspicion from rivals like Tomlinson, so in April 2015, Tomlinson filed a complaint with the Miami Association of Realtors, alleging that The Jills had been manipulating data on the multiple listing service (MLS). Tomlinson’s complai...

When a three-bedroom condo in Tribeca got its fourth price cut in a year, the sales broker, Steve Snider, didn't leave it at that. He also spiced up the listing to make sure potential buyers didn't miss the news. The eager new language of Manhattan home listings curated from Real Estate News

Every day we can all go to the internet or listen to the radio to hear some expert say that a key to financial success is owning a home. Now this is not old advice, though the message about homeownership versus renting seems to change depending on which expert you're listening to. Rather than weed through the opinions to find the one you think best fits your situation, consider the following questions to make the right choice for your housing needs and investment goals. 1. What is your number? Your number is the amount of money you will need for your retirement. This number is different based on such variables as: Where do you plan to live when you retire? How much money do you need to enjoy your life while feeling free of the worry of money? In order to find your number you will need to account for some very important variables. First, start with the amount of income you need to pay for all life's continued needs such as food, shelter, health care, travel and any other c...

Eighteen years ago, four researchers from Montreat College published a master’s thesis detailing the results of a three-month study of “the effects of the internet on real estate” in their county in the spring of 1999. Using direct mail and self-addressed, stamped envelopes, the team surveyed residents of their North Carolina area to determine how internet usage affected their residential real estate transactions. Prior to reporting their results, they set the stage by mentioning a 1995 study, the most recent at that date, by the National Association of Realtors, which cited “consumer demand for more knowledgeable and professional agents” as the biggest need in the real estate industry. The team predicted, “Real estate professionals will no longer be the gatekeepers of real estate information in the future.” It’s always interesting to look back at our predictions for the future, particularly where technology is concerned. No matter how sweeping a statement may be at the time it is...

A former chauffeur for Republican President Donald Trump on Thursday dropped his lawsuit alleging he was not paid for thousands of hours of work. The Trump Organization said then that Cintron was always "paid generously and in accordance with the law." Ex-Trump chauffeur drops suit over unpaid overtime claims curated from Real Estate News

Toronto real estate agents ordered to release data to general public, while it remains restricted to real estate professionals in B.C. Last week, for the first time in Canada, the general public could see exactly what any home sold for through the Toronto Real Estate Board , but that information is not permitted to be published by real estate agents in B.C. The release of sale price data in Toronto follows a Supreme Court decision August 21 in favour of a Competition Tribunal order that allowed publication of home sales price information. The decision forced TREB, which has been fighting against the ruling for seven years, to allow agents to make the information publicly available. Start the conversation, or Read more at Burnaby Now. B.C. Realtors still not allowed to openly publish home sale prices curated from Real Estate News

Buying a home is a rite of passage. However, it can be a nerve-wracking one filled with doubts, second guessing, and uncertainty. 6 Questions You Should Always Ask a Realtor Before Buying a Home curated from Real Estate News

Real estate agents can be an opinionated bunch, so it should come as no surprise that many had strong reactions to NAR’s new millennial-focused online ad campaign . Inman published a poll on Tuesday  to gauge reader sentiment to the ads, which feature prospective homebuyers and renters who are so enamored with features of a home that a Realtor is showing them, they engage in odd behaviors. Meanwhile, the Realtor in each ad looks calmly on. As of Thursday afternoon, more than 1,100 votes, 41 percent of respondents said they hated the ads, and 15 percent felt ambivalent toward them. On the flip side, 27 percent of our readers loved the ads, and 16 percent liked them. Inman NAR ad poll Some worried the four 30-second shorts, directed by the Perlorian Brothers, would make Realtors look haughty or arrogant and thereby discourage people from seeking professional services when buying a new home. Closing techniques every sales expert should know Tom Ferry shares two sure-fire ...

Is your marketing plan in need of a reboot? Get ready to learn from the best marketers in the industry during a series of how-to presentations and discussions featuring the latest marketing platforms and strategies to increase your business and grow your brand. Inman Connect San Francisco: Marketing Connect Video Recap curated from Inman – Real Estate News for Realtors and Brokers

Sometimes buyers just can't get out of their own way: You won't believe these home buyer behaviors that made real estate agents cringe. As much as home buyers hope and pray they'll land their dream home, they don't always act like it. 11 Mortifying Home Buyer Behaviors That Make Real Estate... curated from Real Estate News

Police found two girls, ages 4 and 1, inside a locked car in 84-degree heat, according to local news reports After finding two girls under the age of 5 locked inside a car in 84-degree heat, Connecticut police arrested their real estate agent father for allegedly leaving them to do a home showing , according to local news reports. Karl Luberda, a real estate agent with Tea Leaf Realty in West Hartford, was arrested on Aug. 22 and charged with two counts of risking injury to a child, as well as two counts of leaving a child under 12 without supervision, NBC Connecticut reported. Start the conversation, or Read more at Inman Real Estate News. Agent arrested for leaving his kids in locked car to do home showing curated from Real Estate News

This week, Byron Lazine and Nicole White revisit HUD’s Facebook complaint and how the social network recently removed over 5,000 options from its ads manager platform. The Real Word: Facebook removes 5,000+ ad options curated from Inman – Real Estate News for Realtors and Brokers

Amazon will drop a “prosperity bomb ” on the city where it chooses to build a $5 billion, 50,000-person second headquarters. The question, writes the Brookings Institution’s Joseph Parilla,  is whether new wealth will be shared equitably or accrue mostly to a relatively small group? One of the biggest factors that will decide the answer is how the chosen city will respond to Amazon’s impact on housing affordability . Amazon estimates it’s generated $38 billion in economic activity in Seattle between 2010 and 2016, as local unemployment fell to a very low level. And yet, the company’s impact has arguably left some vulnerable residents worse off. That’s in large part because the cost of housing has outpaced wage gains. While the income of families at the 20th percentile of the earnings distribution grew by 14 percent between 2014 and 2016, rents increased at 19 percent, according to Zillow. “When housing supply was constrained, as has occurred in Seattle, the cost of liv...

Opcity has a brokerage license in its home state of Texas, but the company does not represent homebuyers or sellers and that will not change after the acquisition, according to Move and Opcity. Move nabs another brokerage license with Opcity acquisition curated from Inman – Real Estate News for Realtors and Brokers

Speakers Craig McClelland (COO of BH&G RE Metro Brokers) and Victor Lund (partner at WAV Group) talk disrupting the disruptors on stage at Inman Connect San Francisco during the session, “The industry insider disruptors.” WATCH: What are industry insiders doing to disrupt the disruptors? curated from Inman – Real Estate News for Realtors and Brokers

Aug 29, 2018--News Corp today announced that its subsidiary Move, Inc., operator of realtor.com , has entered into an agreement to acquire Opcity, the market-leading real estate technology platform that matches qualified home buyers and sellers with real estate professionals in real time. The planned acquisition of Opcity, based in Austin, Texas, will broaden realtor.com 's lead generation product portfolio, allowing real estate professionals to choose between traditional lead products that offer professionals the opportunity to work leads themselves or a concierge-based model that provides highly vetted, transaction-ready leads, which is the expertise Opcity brings to realtor.com . News Corp Agrees to Acquire Opcity curated from Real Estate News

Keller Williams Worldwide announced on Thursday the launch of a new master franchise in Phnom Penh, Cambodia. This brings the number of master franchises in Asia to eight, including offices in Dubai, UAE; Greater Shanghai, China; Israel; Indonesia; the Philippines; Turkey; and Vietnam. Regional Operating Principal Kim Heang will lead Keller Williams’ growth strategy across the country, starting with implementing the brokerage’s models and systems at his Phnom Penh-based real estate firm, Khmer Real Estate Co, Ltd. The firm will officially begin operating as a Keller Williams Worldwide franchisee by year’s end, according to a press release. “Kim Heang is exactly the type of learning-based, growth-oriented leader that we want to be in business with,” said Keller Williams Worldwide President William E. Soteroff. “He saw a market opportunity to bring a new model into his country and took action immediately,” he said as a reference to KWW’s master franch...

Tune in to find out the latest on blockchain and how it will impact your future business during the session, “Blockchain: What is it and why should I care?” WATCH: What is blockchain and how does it affect my business? curated from Inman – Real Estate News for Realtors and Brokers

Broker-owner Micheal Morrison has built his 25-year real estate career on selling one-of-a-kind homes, and his latest listing is no exception. Connect mind, body, and spirit in this $11M eco-chic luxury estate curated from Inman – Real Estate News for Realtors and Brokers

This is one listing for true TV fans — the house that was so prominently featured in the ‘Breaking Bad’ finale has hit the market for $2.475 million. Courtesy of AMC Designed in the luxury ranch style popular in New Mexico, the Albuqeurque property has four bedrooms, six bathrooms, a pool and an attached cabana. In the final episode of ‘Breaking Bad,’ main character and chemistry-teacher-turned-drug-lord Walter White comes to the house owned by his old friends Elliott and Gretchen Schwartz and gives them $9.72 million in cash to give to White’s son in a trust fund on his 18th birthday. Courtesy of Keller Williams Realty Even though the show set the house in Santa Fe, the actual property is located in a gated community of Bosque, to the northwest of Albuqeurque. Courtesy of Keller Williams Realty At 5,900 square feet and two acres of land, the property has plenty of space — different rooms look out on the Sandia Mountains, the nearby vineyards and an aspen forest...

Jack Markham of Constellation Real Estate Group, Daniel Parzivand of SetSchedule, Alexander Voloshyn of Propy, Lauren Nemeth of Nextdoor and David Tal of Agentology discuss how to use technology to connect with clients. WATCH: How to better connect with consumers through technology curated from Inman – Real Estate News for Realtors and Brokers

Barbara Betts of The Betts Realty Group, Mark Slade of The Mark Slade Homes Team at Keller Williams and Katie Clancy of The Cape House Team share the stage at ICSF 18 to share tips on relationship marketing. WATCH: Is relationship marketing the key to boosting sales? curated from Inman – Real Estate News for Realtors and Brokers

This summer we’re looking at the state of the luxury agent & broker in today’s increasingly complex real estate market. In October, we’ll gather in Beverly Hills at  Luxury Connect  to share best practices, network, and create blueprint for the luxury agent/broker of tomorrow.  Don’t miss it. Do you have a work “uniform” that you can trust to express the appropriate image, and do you know what fashion trends work with real estate agents (and which ones don’t)? Image might not be everything in real estate, but when you’re working at the high-end level, it definitely matters — a lot . If you don’t look the part, or your wardrobe hasn’t seen a real update since the early 1990s, then your luxury clients might wonder about your ability to pay attention to details. But how do you find your personal style if you’re not sure you have one, and how do you keep tabs on the trends while still charting your own fashion course? At Luxury Connect , October 16 through 18 at the ...

California Attorney General Xavier Becerra dropped by the National Association of Realtors’ iOi Summit in San Francisco Wednesday. Article image credited to Eekhoff Picture Lab / Becerra California Attorney General to Realtors: Bring ‘personal touch’ curated from Inman – Real Estate News for Realtors and Brokers

Altman is a real estate agent in California's luxury market and known for his role on television's "Million Dollar Listing." 'Million Dollar Listing' agent's - Real Estate Wealth Mastery' class coming to Roswell and Alpharetta curated from Real Estate News

A judge reinstated a Fair Housing Act lawsuit against Glen St. Andrew Living Community for failing to protect a lesbian tenant from harassment by tenants. Article image credited to Wikimedia Commons Court rules landlords are liable for tenant-on-tenant discrimination curated from Inman – Real Estate News for Realtors and Brokers

Throughout my career as an investor and real estate broker I have dealt with many escalation clauses. An escalation clause is technique many buyers employ to try to get a house under contract without paying too much. For example, the buyers may offer $200,000 for a house listing, but be willing raise that offer by $500 increments if another offer comes in higher, up to $210,000. The escalation clause can help buyers get a deal on a house, but it can also backfire on those buyers if the seller knows what they are doing. How is an escalation clause typically written? More and more buyers are using escalation clauses  because the real estate market has become so competitive. This is how I see many clauses being written: "If the seller receives any offer more than the $200,000, Bob and Cindy Smith's offer shall increase by $500 increments until it is more than the competing offer, up to $210,000. If a competing offer is received that is higher than Bob and Cin...