Chicago REALTORS® Blog & News

Welcome to the Chicago Association of REALTORS® blog and news hub. Explore magazine articles, industry updates and more. You can filter by category or tag based on your interests.

CCRD’s Free Property Fraud Alert Program

Property and recording fraud is one of the fastest-growing white collar crimes, and is a growing threat to REALTOR® clients. In response, Cook County Recorder of Deeds Karen A. Yarbrough has launched a free Property Fraud Alert program. It scans a registrant’s property title history each day, and if a document is recorded against your property (or […]

New 2016 Lease & Security Deposit Interest Rates

The Chicago residential lease has been updated for 2016 with the new security deposit interest rates. Ensure you are using the new lease, which is editable, available here. Review the new state and City of Chicago security deposit interest rates here. Please note the 2015 lease document was designed to expire at midnight on Dec. […]

Commercial Sales Awards Nominations

All C.A.R. members and CommercialForum subscribers are eligible for consideration for transactions completed in the 2015 calendar year. Enter by downloadable form or online submission by January 4, 2016 for consideration. Please contact Felicia Yonter at (312) 214-5534 or fyonter@chicagorealtor.com with any questions.

Listen Up: The Podcasts We’re Currently Loving

Happen to Your Career, by Scott Anthony Barlow Happen to Your Career believes that you can find work that you love, and it’ll show you how. It’s funny, helpful and completely inspiring. Red– The Podcast for Influencers, by David Hooper & Laurel Staples Need some help taking an idea and making a name for yourself, […]

Winter 2015 Chicago REALTOR® Magazine

The latest issue of  Chicago REALTOR® is now available. Enjoy the content in the format of your choice! You can find the digital PDF flipbook below, with links to blog-format articles. C.A.R. members will receive a printed copy in the coming weeks! Magazine Highlights Verify Your Sales Data RPAC: Why I Invest Thank You, 2015 C.A.R. Foundation Supporters! […]

Building Highly Effective Teams: A How-To

Haris Ahmed, Founder and CEO of Pragmatium Consulting Group, Inc., recently gave a lecture entitled “How to Lead Effectively in Today’s World” to the Board of Directors. We loved his advice, particularly when it came down to a breakdown of the difference between groups, teams and high-performance teams. We asked him to expand a little […]

Planning Your Best New Content Strategy

In today’s world, everyone is in publishing. Most of us have at least one Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, digital newsletter, blog or website – a place where we communicate with our sphere of influence. If you are using any of these vehicles to communicate with your clients, you are a publisher. However, are you using them […]

C.A.R. Partners with the Boys & Girls Clubs of America

The National Association of REALTORS® is teaming up with the Boys and Girls Clubs of America to ensure that our children continue to have a bright future. At the NAR Leadership Summit in August, C.A.R. presented a $10,000 donation to the BGCA. The check, presented to NAR President Tom Salomone, Four-Time Heavyweight Boxing Champion and […]

2015 C.A.R. Hall of Fame: Larry and Alfred Klairmont

We proudly inducted Larry and Alfred Klairmont of Imperial Realty into the Chicago Association of REALTORS® Hall of Fame at our 132nd Annual Inaugural Gala. We thank them for their leadership, achievements and philanthropy. Larry Klairmont’s mantra is “I only invest in bricks and mortar!” Born during the depression, he began working at the age […]

2015-2016 C.A.R. President Dan Wagner: Uniting the Industry

Dan Wagner, the 2015-2016 Chicago Association of REALTORS® President, brings a lifetime of leadership and a legacy of altruism to his role. Born the youngest of seven siblings in Springfield, politics was infused in the culture where Dan grew up. He embraced his leadership qualities early by serving as eighth-grade president, and then going on […]

Paving a Path to Leadership

Keller Williams defines leadership as: “teaching people how to think, so they can do what they need to do, to get what they want, when they want it.” But how, exactly, do you teach someone how to think? Start With ‘Why’ Start by casting a powerful vision. In Start with Why, Simon Sinek explains that […]

Lenders Sound Off

Lenders are a crucial part of any real estate transaction, and they’ve been in the spotlight recently, with the addition of new technologies and the new TILA-RESPA Integrated Disclosure requirements. We sat down with a few of our lender friends to get the scoop on the technologies they use to ease the transaction, the financial […]