When I asked a group of more than 100 commission-based sales associates who they think has the ultimate power in any negotiation, the response was universal: the person most willing to walk away from the talks.

Great. But when dealing with real estate professionals that don't get paid unless the...

Anyone who wishes to be successful is looking for an advantage, a leg up on the competition to get ahead and win. And yet, I'd say one of the least called upon ways to gain leverage is by accessing that time-tested intangible called God or Spirit.

Now just hold...

Whether you're buying or selling a home, you look to your realtor for their expertise and guidance in what can be the biggest financial transaction of your life. Especially at the introductory phase of the relationship, many people address real estate agents with a degree of wariness and apprehension as...

The polling question you are about to consider does not require you to fill out a survey or even share your answers with anyone. Your opportunity to comment once you read the blog is purely optional and most welcome.

What would you consider to have greater influence over your daily...

Nobody wants to be made or act the fool. The stinging effect of ridicule is plentiful enough in life without having to go looking for it, especially when we have a semblance of control over a given situation. Certainly this is the case when deciding when the right time is...

Los Angeles real estate agents, like in any area of the country, come in many shapes, sizes and attitudes. In LA, some have even gained "celebrity" status with the advent of cable television: fast-talking, freewheeling "get-it-done" types with crisp attires and flashy modes of transportation.

Beyond the differences in...

With any endeavor, we all start at the same place: with an idea and the dream to make it a reality. So if that is true, then why do some businesses really take off while others flounder and fail?

Could it be our ability to recognize a critical mass moment...

Not too long ago I was standing in a back yard of a beautiful home, articulating the benefits of the privacy and the gracious pool with a prospective buying couple, when an elderly gentleman emerged from the house, joining the conversation with, "I hate all realtors." The irony of the...

In the very recent past, all big brokerage companies with recognizable brand names needed to promote their businesses were eye-catching statistics of their large "market share" and the billions of dollars worth of real estate that they have sold in the past.

But the Internet has changed things.

To properly answer the question about when the real estate market will rebound, you want to first understand the specific market you're looking at.

For example, Los Angeles sets itself apart from many other parts of the country -- even from other parts of Southern California -- by being...

If you are thinking of buying a home, you have many options when it comes to who will represent you -- from your relative or friend who is in the industry to the amiable realtor you've seen on signs throughout your neighborhood.

But before you dive in with the...

One of the most alluring aspects of owning real estate is the prospect that people have an opportunity to become richer just by living in their very own home.

It's understandable then that when realtors are faced with the task of defining the value of any given home, sellers hang...