Blog
Why you don’t need a big sphere of influence to be successful in real estate
That’s right. You don’t need to know a lot of people in your town to be successful in the real estate industry. You just have to be willing to talk to people. Michael Fanelli, Business Development Manager at Touchstone Group, draws on his past experience in executive recruiting to share his perspectives on how brokers... Read More
Why You Should ALWAYS Choose a 15-Year Fixed Mortgage
When’s the last time you considered a 15-year fixed mortgage? It’s not a loan term many people consider because, for whatever reason, so many of us have been conditioned to accept a 30-year as the standard. But we’re HUGE fans of the 15-year loan, and hopefully, by the end of this blog, you will be... Read More
For Sale by Owners (FSBOs): Are you really saving money?
We understand the allure of selling your home yourself. You might have done it before. And most of all, you don’t want to pay commission to one, much less two real estate agents. Doing a For Sale by Owner (FSBO) will theoretically save you thousands of dollars, right? And here’s where you’re probably about to... Read More
5 Ways to Earn More Money as a Broker
(That you might not have thought about!) If you’re in the real estate industry, you know that the traditional way brokers get paid is through a percentage commission for brokerage services, whether they represented the buyer or the seller. But beyond what’s expected, what are some other ways brokers can grow their income? Broker and... Read More
How an oversupply of large multifamilies is signaling to Chicago real estate investors
River North. West Loop. South Loop. These are just some of the most popular neighborhoods among Millennials, and it’s where we’re finding a glut of multifamily developments looking to achieve higher rents — and it’s resulting in an increase in supply and in vacancies. So what’s behind this trend? And how is it affecting the... Read More
Why investors should be paying attention to the softening luxury real estate market. Is it time to panic?
We previously introduced you to the downtrend in the luxury real estate market in this blog post. But what are the implications? And should real estate investors be rethinking their portfolios? Touchstone Group’s Managing Partner Courtland Townsley shares his expertise on what investors need to consider today, tomorrow, and into the future. Should investors... Read More
Are we seeing a softening of the luxury real estate market in Chicagoland?
In short, the answer is yes. But why is this happening? Is it letting up any time soon? And what does it mean for real estate investors? Since 2017, our team at Touchstone Group has steadily compiled and analyzed data on every neighborhood in the city of Chicago and every surrounding suburb. We look at... Read More