Inman News asked readers to share their expectations for real estate’s top issues and trends in 2012, and to find out what tops their wish lists and to-do lists in the year ahead. (Read Part 1: "Real estate pros share their insights on 2012.")
The following is a collection of some of the submissions received. (If you’d like to share your thoughts, fill out this online form.)
What are the top items on your real estate wish list for 2012?
(I want) the government to do something for the people who are making an effort to keep their homes and are underwater through no fault of their own. Refinance (the homes) with the current value and work out a profit-sharing program when they sell in the future.
Jobs, jobs, jobs are what we need to get our local real estate market back on the road to recovery. If first-time homebuyers make up about 50 percent of our business, give them jobs so they can buy homes — which would enable the sellers of those homes to buy up to the next level.
What are your top New Year’s resolutions for real estate in 2012?
1. Use more value-added services for our Realtors and buyers/sellers.
2. Recruit the best experienced and new Realtors to the business to help our company gain market share.
What do you expect to be the top trends and hottest issues in real estate in 2012?
More short sales, some new construction starting in moderate price ranges, giving buyers more choices than they have had in the past five years.
Kathy Kuyoth
Broker/co-owner
Re/Max Preferred Associates
…CONTINUED
What are the top items on your real estate wish list for 2012?
1. A stable Germany with an AAA rating.
2. A strong European policy in order to secure the stable euro.
3. Continued positive economic growth in Germany.
4. We want to continue our business in Asia to expand and achieve over 50 percent of our revenues in the next year with Asian investors.
5. Our headquarters in Germany (Berlin, Potsdam and Munich) will be expanded by adding headquarters in Düsseldorf and Hamburg.
What are your top New Year’s resolutions for real estate in 2012?
1. No longer the big ones swallowing up the small ones, but rather the quick ones swallowing the slow ones.
2. Stability and continuity instead of hecticness.
What do you expect to be the top trends and hottest issues in real estate in 2012?
1. If the European economic and financial crisis continues, the conditions for the development of the real estate market will get worse.
2. Not all areas will be affected equally — the housing market will be less affected than the office market.
Carsten Heinrich
CEO
Rubina Real Estate (Germany)
…CONTINUED
What are the top items on your real estate wish list for 2012?
A banking industry that responds to its clients in a human way.
What do you expect to be the top trends and hottest issues in real estate in 2012?
- The media will continue to muddy the waters with articles meant to scare and confuse.
- The slow climb back to a predictable market in sales.
- The flushing of agents who don’t embrace Internet marketing for their clients.
Larry Lawfer
Realtor, director of marketing
RE/MAX Landmark
…CONTINUED
What are the top items on your real estate wish list for 2012?
Agents who get out from behind a computer and spend more time with customers and potential customers.
What are your top New Year’s resolutions for real estate in 2012?
Package our company training in a way that results in a direct positive impact on productivity.
What do you expect to be the top trends and hottest issues in real estate in 2012?
The use of data by third parties at the expense of agents and brokers. Enough of selling back to us our own leads!
Laura Benson
Director of agent services
Michael Saunders & Co.
