Real Estate Blogs: The Lay of the Land

Normally we at TRET are content to remain in our corner of the real estate blogosphere, offering insightful content on all things real estate. The state of real estate blogging, however, has changed in the 13 years since this blog has begun and it is necessary to take a look at the types of real estate blogs that populate the Internet in 2024. There are a multitude of topics on which real estate blogs can focus, from commercial real estate, to real estate investment to lending and mortgage markets. There is also no shortage of target audiences for a real estate blogger, including real estate brokers, first time homebuyers, real estate technology users and even bankers. The variety of options available has made this subset of blogs significantly larger than when TRET first began.  For reasons of formatting and redundancy, this article will not merely be a list of reviews of other real estate blogs. There are a number of websites that already successfully provide extensive reviews of the real estate blogosphere like: The Close or Feed Spot, among others. Instead, the purpose of this article is to organize, categorize and put a face on the large and growing ecosystem of real estate blogs, in order to make this corner of the Internet a little less daunting.

Homebuyer Programs to the Forefront

Wintertime is usually a slow time for the residential real estate market. Cold temperatures and budgets that are recuperating from the holidays make January and February low activity months. The weather in many areas also makes most construction activities a non-starter. During this time of year, seasoned real estate professionals get into prep mode, establishing or maintaining professional relationships, stepping-up marketing efforts and preparing properties for the Spring. Homebuyers can use this time to prepare as well, by getting their financing in order, paying off debts and seeking additional sources of funding. One source of funding that often is overlooked is homebuyer programs and downpayment assistance funds.

2023 Recap (No Clever Title This Time)

Yet another year has come and gone for TRET and it’s time for our annual wrap up. Let’s start with this blog. This year started for us with a focus on individual wealth generation through real estate. This noble goal dominated the blog for the first couple of months of the year and was continued in an expert fashion by this year’s guest writer—Sharon Wagner. All of our residential real estate articles have had a wealth generation theme and we will continue to honor this commitment to wealth generation going forward.

Strategic House Flipping as a Gateway to Adult Education Funding

By Sharon Wagner

Embarking on the path of higher education as an adult can be a financially daunting endeavor. In the quest to secure funding for this journey, the realm of house flipping presents an innovative and viable solution. This guide is designed to arm adult learners with strategic insights, seamlessly interweaving the art of real estate investment with the pursuit of academic goals, thereby transforming financial barriers into opportunities for growth and success.

Ready, Set, Invest! Your Guide to Buying Your First Investment Property

By Sharon Wagner

Investing in real estate is undoubtedly one of the smartest ways to boost your earnings and create wealth. With the potential for significant returns on investment, whether you're looking for an extra source of income or a path to becoming a full-time investor, purchasing your first investment property is a major undertaking. To help you make the most out of your investment, The Real Estate Think Tank has compiled some essential steps to follow when purchasing and managing your first investment property. 

Real Estate Is Power

Lost in all the talk about real estate markets and real estate wealth generation is one key fact—real estate ownership is one of the surest ways to consolidate influence and power. If you don’t think this is true, simply look up the largest land owners in each major US city and follow the trail of their political contributions and donations. Large land owners can exert a tremendous amount of influence on neighborhoods and local laws. One very public example of this is Dan Gilbert, whose mortgage and real estate empire influences the entire Midwest, but also Detroit and Cleveland in particular. Even former president Trump, who has a less than stellar reputation in the New York real estate market, was able to parlay a real estate empire into a presidency.