|
 |
|
|
About |
|
| |
|
|
|
|
Services |
|
| |
|
|
|
|
Process |
|
| |
|
|
|
|
Contact |
|
| |
|
|
|
|
Seminars |
|
| |
| |
|
REAL ESTATE OVERVIEW
In its simplest terms, real estate is land. However, there is much more
to the real estate industry as it has developed through the years. Real
estate today refers to the buying, selling, renting, leasing, and
management of commercial, residential, agricultural, and other kinds of
property, including all the functions that support such activities,
including areas like appraising and financing. People who work in the real
estate industry often have in-depth knowledge of real estate markets and
of contracts, laws, and tax regulations that apply to real estate
transactions.
Some of the greatest fortunes in U.S. history have been made in real
estate. John Jacob Astor traded in his empire of beaver pelts for a gamble
on uptown Manhattan real estate and in the process became the richest man
in America. Arthur Levitt's own real estate community development
following World War II virtually created the modern suburb. Developers
today, such as Sam Zell and Donald Trump, have made fantastic fortunes on
real estate gambles.
The real estate market has undergone dramatic changes in recent years
because of real estate investment trusts (REITs) that have become major
sources of financing for property acquisition and development.
As more and more families invest their savings in REITs, the wild
swings of value, which often stereotype real estate tycoons, are lessened.
Wall Street and REITs have had a stabilizing effect on the industry.
Finally, mergers and acquisitions have increased the size and scope of
firms involved in real estate, with companies like brokerage and hotel
franchisers becoming involved.
Even though REITs are bringing some stabilization to real estate, the
overall industry is slow to change because much of it is controlled by
private individuals. The industry's unpredictable cycles and geographic
markets, makes it difficult to manage by modern organizational standards.
Online Resources:
National Association of Realtors
www.nar.org
The core purpose of the NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS® is to help its
members become more profitable and successful. NAR strives to be the
collective force influencing and shaping the real estate industry. It
seeks to be the leading advocate of the right to own, use, and transfer
real property; the acknowledged leader in developing standards for
efficient, effective, and ethical real estate business practices; and
valued by highly skilled real estate professionals and viewed by them as
crucial to their success.
Working on behalf of America's property owners, NAR provides a facility
for professional development, research and exchange of information among
its members and to the public and government for the purpose of preserving
the free enterprise system and the right to own, use, and transfer real
property.
Coalition of Commercial Real Estate Associations
www.ccrea.org
CCREA is a collaboration of commercial and industrial real estate
associations in the Delaware Valley. It was established to facilitate
cooperation and communication among these professional associations and
their members. CCREA serves as a clearinghouse for information, education,
programs, resources, and public relations. It promotes and recognizes
professional excellence so that the commercial real estate industry and
the communities in which CCREA constituents live and work are enhanced.
www.ccrea.org/associations/associations.htm
Provides links to CCREA's 21 member associations.
The International Real Estate Federation
www.fiabci.com
An international and multi-disciplinary organization for brokers,
counselors, lawyers, appraisers, financiers, architects, developers,
contractors or investors. All real estate sectors are represented:
residential, office, commercial, leisure, agricultural, retail and
industrial plus their various subdivisions. There are 50 FIABCI chapters
throughout the world.
RE Buz
www.rebuz.com
Find real estate information fast, via directories (120,000+ industry
links and growing), search engines, partner resources, industry news,
research and many other features soon to come. The size and scope of the
US real estate community is vast: 400,000 companies, 2 million individual
participants, 4.5 million commercial structures worth $4.5 trillion, $450
billion annual commercial real estate sales, $1 trillion annual
residential sales, $700 billion of annual construction and $75 billion of
brokerage commissions. Rebuz helps cut through it all to find what you
want.
www.rebuz.com/Directory/real-estate-associations.htm
Provides links to industry associations, including architecture
associations, construction and maintenance associations, hotel and lodging
associations, HVAC associations, mortgage associations and home owner
associations.
|
|
