Agent Basics

Are you considering a career change and wondering how to become a real estate agent in Illinois? The process isn’t as lengthy as you may have guessed. Sure, you will be required to take 90 hours of prelicensing coursework and pass the Illinois Real Estate Broker Examination. But in less than a year, you could be showing penthouses in the Water Tower Place or bungalows in Springfield.
[Read more…] about How to Become a Real Estate Agent in Illinois in 7 Steps

Image Courtesy of the National Association of REALTORS

The chatter on the streets of San Francisco last week was a little bit less about the comings and goings of one America’s most expensive housing markets and a little more about real estate agents themselves, thanks to the National Association of Realtors Conference and Expo 2019 being hosted downtown at the Marcone Center.

The National Association of Realtors (NAR) Conference is always a big deal; tons of great conference sessions, a huge expo, and amazing opportunities to network with real estate professionals from across the country. But this year it was even more special, since The Close was representing on the speaker scene with our very first NAR-featured presentation.
[Read more…] about 7 Things We’re Still Talking About From the NAR 2019 Conference

If you’re looking for a real estate practice exam, chances are you fall into one of two categories: Either you’ve finished your prelicensing classes and you want some extra preparation before you sit for your real estate licensing exam, or you’re curious about what it takes to get a real estate license and you want to see how you’d do. Either way, we’ve got your covered.
[Read more…] about 7 Hacks for the Real Estate Practice Exam (+Free Mini-test)

In 2020, green building won’t be just for granola-munching hippies or off-grid survivalists―far from it. Today, the residential green building movement has gone mainstream. Everything from oceanfront new construction mansions in Malibu, California, to sleek new Manhattan condo buildings are going green.
[Read more…] about Green Building Trends Every Agent Needs to Know About for 2020

If you’re wondering how to become a real estate agent in California, we’ve got some good news for you. You’re only six steps away from your new career.
[Read more…] about How to Become a Real Estate Agent in California in 6 Steps

I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t a little intimidated. After all, it was my first day at a luxury brokerage in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, and the other agents weren’t just successful―they were cool. They had the right suits, the right haircuts, and the kind of wry smiles that made them look like they just stepped out of a vintage Ferrari in Monaco instead of a leased BMW three series on Driggs Avenue.
[Read more…] about The Pivot: Do Introverts Make Better Real Estate Agents?

From the birth of hip hop to artisanal cupcakes, if there’s one thing New York City is famous for, it’s pioneering trends that hit the rest of the world a few months (or years) later. If there’s something beautiful and cool and new, chances are it happened here first.

When it comes to interior design, you can be sure that even the most die-hard LA designers are checking out trends in Manhattan and Brooklyn before deciding what to buy for their well-heeled clients.
[Read more…] about 7 Top NYC Brokers on the Best Interior Design Trends of 2020

Do you like gossip? Well, hang around any brokerage the week after a top agent leaves, and you’ll get an earful. One agent is positive they get a signing bonus and a 90% split at brokerage X while another swears that they’re being groomed for a managing broker gig …
[Read more…] about 17 Signs It’s Time to Find a New Brokerage