Updated: Tuesday, May 22, 2012

Washington and the housing market are never far apart. Experts ranging from real estate professionals to the members of the Federal Reserve have reported that the state of the nations economic recovery relies heavily on a housing recovery.

We are all faced with call reluctance at one time or another in our sales careers. We all know that we need to prospect and make calls daily to generate new business. However, knowing and doing can be two entirely different things. The fear of calling can be a career ender for many sales people.

In Freddie Macs results of its Primary Mortgage Market Survey, average fixed mortgage rates again reached new record lows. The 30-year fixed-rate mortgage at 3.79 percent continues to remain well below 4 percent and 15-year fixed-rate mortgages are also slightly down at 3.04 percent.

Are we really poised for a recovery in the housing market? The latest encouraging words from the U.S. Conference Boards Demand Institute Division are that we are heading for a rapidly accelerating rental market which will lead to a housing recovery.

Open houses are not the best vehicles for selling homes. So why do Real Estate Agents bother with them? For the following reason: Open houses are a great means for prospecting.

Only one in three risk-averse lenders are participating in the HARP program to help homeowners refinance with todays low rates. The voluntary program may be due for another upgrade.

Its always good to have a map when youre traveling unfamiliar roads. Its easy to get lost or to make a wrong turn. Having a good map is doubly important when you are traversing the roads of real estate.

Todays market has given us an opportunity that we have not seen in a long, long time, and many brokers are missing it The current market has agents across the country contemplating staying in the business, changing offices or moving on.

ith the Euro-zone back in the news, it was inevitable that mortgage rates would fall again. Investors have become quite uncertain about austerity measures in Europe, especially with Greece, where opposition continues to grow. Here in the U.S., the Mortgage Bankers Association reported that mortgage applications increased 1.7 on a seasonally adjusted basis for the week ending May 4th.

We have a complete board turnover coming at the upcoming Annual Meeting. Some owners want to self-manage because our management company is not performing. Does this group, assuming they are elected, have the right to fire the manager and just take over with self-managing our 64 units? Does this require the vote of the entire membership?

Nature is in full bloom across the nation. Many of today8217;s homeowners are unaware that Spring can be the ultimate time to list a home for sale. From beautiful lawns to temperate weather it8217;s prime time to lure in buyers.

In the privacy of your own home, you can take off your coat, kick off your shoes, let your guard down and be completely yourself. While we usually share our homes only with friends and family, sometimes we need to take in a stranger to help pay the rent. When that happens, can the government limit whom we choose?

Are you ready for a garden that loves to take care of itself? PJ Wade examines qwerty in the garden, and asks, What will you do with the time and money you don8217;t spend watering this summer?

Military veterans who work as brokers and agents apply their training to a multitude of circumstances. From their disciplined approach to work to their resourcefulness to their respectful attitude, veterans know that service - to their country and all manner of civilian duties - is a priority.

Ever been to Nordstrom store? Its truly like no retail experience youve ever had. Why? Because customer service is NEVER an afterthought. In fact - its the foundation and culture for their entire organization. And - it has a lot to teach us as real estate and sales professionals about success in todays world.

The latest quarterly report from the National Association of Realtors NAR shows that median existing single-family home prices are indicating more balanced conditions.

In Freddie Macs results of its Primary Mortgage Market Survey, the average fixed mortgage rates hit a new all-time record low for the second consecutive week as they followed bond yields lower. The 30-year fixed-rate mortgage has averaged below 4 percent all but one week since December 8, 2011, helping to keep homebuyer affordability high.

No one aspires to be a renter, proclaimed the speaker at last weeks Rally to Protect the American Dream, a gathering of more than 13,000 Realtors at the Washington Monument.