Heard a lot about short sales lately? That’s because short sales are gaining momentum in real estate these days. The sheer number of short sale deals is way up compared to last year’s numbers. This infographic will show you all the stats about short sales trends this year compared with 2011.

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Does technology use correlate with success in the real estate business? Real estate agents who reported making more than $100,000 a year, spend more money on technology and update their websites and social media accounts more often than agents with lower incomes. In this infographic you will get a glimpse into the technology habits of real estate agents with various incomes; what kind of computers they prefer, how many friends they have on social media sites and more!

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What comes to mind when you think of buying or selling a home? Could it be stress, frustration, exhaustion, anxiety? If you have had a bad experience buying or selling your home, it's hard to shake that uncomfortable feeling. And often, unfortunately, a bad experience stems from working with a real estate agent that, well, you would never wish upon anyone. So, to help make this experience at least a little bit easier, this blog will provide tips to help you choose the right real estate agent. In addition we will discuss the best ways in which to communicate with your agent throughout the home buying/selling process.

Now that you have chosen your real estate agent, it's important to understand how to communicate effectively with your agent. As it turns out, real estate agents are not mind-readers. (Weird I know. I was fairly sure they went hand in hand). With that being said, you need to lay down clear communication expectations right away. If you want to only communicate via texting and e-mails, you need to tell them. If you expect a call from them once a week with updates on the progress of your transaction, you need to tell them. If you expect them to return your inquiries the same day, that should also be explained early. In addition, let them know how much information you want - do you want to hear about every house in your price range or only homes in certain neighborhoods? Being upfront about these expectations will help alleviate issues down the line.

Once you have an idea of how you are going to communicate, it may be a good idea to create a communication schedule. It can include general weekly phone calls, and detailed in-person meetings and house viewings you have set-up. The schedule will help both parties stay organized and know what's expected on both ends.

Listening is integral on both sides. The real estate agent needs to listen to your needs and concerns, and you need to listen to them when they tell you information about homes and when they are available for meetings. If both parties listen attentively, then it will be a better working relationship.

Do you have any tips of your own? Feel free to share them!

Designer: Junyi Wu

Do Americans prefer to buy or rent the place they call home? Given the choice would renters prefer to own a home? Do people want a new or existing home? How happy are people in a rental unit versus their own home? These questions and more will be answered with this fascinating infographic on buying vs. renting. Take a look at the statistics we have compiled about satisfaction, home and rental prices, as well as who will buy their next home and who will continue renting.

When to stay in a rental vs. purchase your dream home. When is the best time to buy a home?

That’s the question that seems to be on everyone’s minds, and there are a number of ways to look at it. You can look at it and crunch the numbers, you can look at it from a more personal, sentimental perspective or a combination of both.

If it were me, I’d want to buy a house. It’s always been my dream. My parents are baby boomers and their generation had this same dream. They grew up in a post-war time when it was affordable to buy your own home, retire in the home and eventually pass that home on to their children. Granted, they waited a while after marriage to do such, but when the time was right, they bought the house of their dreams. I’m proud to say my mom and I still live there, and I’m pretty sure we always will.

It’s nice to have that sense of security. The fact that we own our house means we can make the decisions on the property. We don’t have to suffer through a 5% yearly increase in rent. And because we’ve paid off the home, the only expenses we incur are property taxes and upkeep. It gives us the ability to save for home upgrades. It’s a liberating feeling to know that we’re the decision maker in the game, and there is no landlord to answer to.

There are many options for the potential home buyer nowadays. Interest rates are at multi-decade lows, home prices have dropped significantly and since the recession, there are an increasing amount of REO bank-owned properties ready for the taking.  While rent may be less to begin with, studies have shown that by the 6th year of your mortgage, your monthly mortgage payment would be significantly less than a rent payment. If you can come up with the down payment (which can be as low as 3.50% on an FHA approved loan), there are many options available for potential home buyers to get into a house and begin living the American Dream.