New real estate wiki for real estate industry is launched. 

History of wikis in real estate
BiggerPockets (launched in 2006) claims to be the first real estate wiki but it unfortunately closed down in May 2007 due to lack of sufficient content.  Introduced shortly therafter, and still going strong, is InmanWiki (part of InmanNews, InmanTV and InmanBlog).  

Interesting New York Times article sent to me by a friend.

By DAVID STREITFELD
Published: January 22, 2008

CARLSBAD, Calif. — Marty Ummel feels she paid too much for her house. So do millions of other people who bought at the peak of the housing boom.
What makes Ms. Ummel different is that she is suing her agent, saying it was all his fault.
Ms. Ummel claims that the agent hid the information that similar homes in the neighborhood were selling for less because he feared she would back out and he would lose his $30,000 commission.   Read the entire article>

We work in an industry that has some very unique and possibly harmful situations.  We are on the road all the time meeting people in stranger's homes etc.  Take precautions and learn or refresh your knowledge of personal safety. Below is a link to a Personal Safety Guide for the Real Estate Industry.  You may even come across situations where you are the person assisting another in their crisis so be prepared by taking CPR classes (link below).  The recommended techniques have changed over the years so a refresher course would be the perfect way to start the new year.  Better yet, if you are a broker or manager why not host a class at your office and get everyone up to speed?

Homeowners facing foreclosure and any shortfall of funds due to their lender were subject to tax by the Internal Revenue Service. A person could lose their home in foreclosure and the lender could suffer of loss of say, $100,000. According to a tax law enacted in 1986, the lender was required to mail a 1099 to that ex-homeowner for the dollar amount of loss suffered by the lender.

Every year the RealSure team surveys the residential industry, seeks out any changes, analyzes new business models, interview hundreds of industry leaders, researches and reads thousands of articles and send out tens of surveys. Well the survey is currently underway and your opinions and comments will help provide a more accurate assessment of certain paradigm shifts that are currently occurring in the real estate industry.

Click Here to participate.

RealSure, Inc., publishers of the Swanepoel TRENDS Report is offering a bonus 10% savings as a thank you for participating in the quick 6- 10 question survey, depending on whether you are a broker or an agent. This is over and above the currently available 20% pre-publication discount for early purchasers.

Amidst all the furor and negativism surrounding the real estate industry, the mortgage banking business and the nation’s entire financial sector because of the alleged problems confronting the real estate industry, for the National Association of Realtors (and most of its members) there is one quite favorable offshoot. The hubbub about national banks entering the real estate brokerage business has been silenced. Quite obviously, the big boys of the banking industry have had their fill of the real estate profession – at least for the moment.

Former Realtor.com CEO Stuart Wolff (43) has been found guilty of conspiracy, filing false statements with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, lying to accountants, fraudulent insider trading, and falsification of corporate books and records.

He was fined $5million and is to serve 15 years in a federal prison, of which at least 85% must be served before he will be eligible for release. Defense attorneys had sought a sentence of two to six years while government lawyers had sought a sentence in excess of 20 years.

Needless to say Stuart is appealing.

Make a Fortune in Real Estate by Marketing to Attorneys! is a new 106-page niche marketing guidebook that details a strategy for attracting those in the legal and financial professions via cost-effective marketing activities, and conducting long-term real estate business with them and their clients"

After a long wait Stuart Wolff, former CEO of Homestore (now Move Inc.), at last appeared in court last week defending himself against charges of conspiracy, filing false statements, fraudulent insider trading and falsification of corporate records. In what many consider the largest scam the real estate brokerage industry has faced to date, 10 former Homestore employees, including Tafeen Giesecke and Shew, pleaded guilty to various criminal charges and violations. Wolff apparently blaming everyone but himself, including 9/11, is most likely the last person to testify. After cross examination and closing arguments the jury are up next to debate his fate.