Six great websites for real estate agents to follow

So much of the real estate industry relies on word-of-mouth conversations that happen locally: professionals talk to buyers and sellers about properties in the neighborhoods they work, they talk to each other about strategies that worked best for them, they talk to vendors like staging services and contractors about the pitfalls and upsides of getting a property ready for market and more. But it’s also highly important that real estate professionals at all levels stay up-to-date on current market trends happening beyond their regions and in the field at-large.

One of the best ways to do so is to keep up with industry publications online. While this is easier said than done, just a sweep through some of the most well-respected online publications and resources at least once a week can be all you need to stay reasonably informed and get new ideas generating. And for any publication to be worth your time, it needs to contain up-to-date information, insights about what professionals on top of their game are doing to stay on top and actionable tips you can take away and implement in your own professional real estate practice.

Below, we’ve taken the liberty of listing our six favorite real estate websites that we find most helpful—and we hope you’ll find value in them, too:

1. Inman

It likely comes as no surprise to see this publication on the top of our list. However, Inman is so well-known and so highly regarded within the industry because its content is simply fantastic. Self-billed as “the leading real estate news source for real estate agents, Realtors, brokers, real estate executives and real estate technology leaders who need the latest real estate news, insights and analysis to grow their business and stay ahead of the competition,” Inman delivers on its promise and never fails to give valuable insight to the best technology, marketing strategies and more. It also offers a library of webinars and other informative content that you can engage with to learn about everything from digital strategies to building out a financial timeline for rookie agents and beyond.

2. Keller Williams Blog

One of the best parts about the blog posts graciously pushed out by Keller Williams is that they’re short and easy to read in the limited time you’ll probably have to read industry / trade articles. But that brevity shouldn’t say much about their content: if you’re in the field already, you know how massive of a presence Keller Williams has in almost every major market. So with those kinds of credentials, you can be assured they know what they’re talking about. Like Inman, the Keller Williams blog covers topics for professionals at every stage of their journey—you’ll undoubtedly find something here for you, too!

3. The Business Journals Residential Real Estate News

For quick, high-level writeups about the latest and greatest happening in countless US markets, Biz Journal’s Website Real Estate News is one of the best. The publication does a great job at taking a birds’ eye view of the entire residential real industry in the US that is harder to find elsewhere, and its depth of coverage into issues within the real estate industry—and how to overcome them, or even spot them before they hit your own market—is second-to-none. Best of all—as with this piece about HBO’s Tony Soprano’s New Jersey home recently coming onto the market—Biz Journal’s reporting includes human interest stories that make for entertaining reads.

4. McKissock

Just starting out and looking to grow within your real estate career? McKissock is a great site for you! Most heavily focused on professionalism and skillset development, McKissock isn’t afraid to cover heavy, yet necessary, topics that are especially helpful for agents that are just starting out. How appraisals work for specific niche markets, tax law discussions, continuing education and even advice for balancing family life with your professional real estate career are all on display. Best of all, McKissock frequently hosts top real estate educators like Len Elder to showcase their advice for anyone and everyone who’s ready to step their career up to the next level. 

5. Fundrise Education

Similar to McKissock, Fundrise also supplies a font of knowledge to professionals. However, a key difference between the two is Fundrise’s focus on established real estate agents who already have their business flowing and want to think about the bigger questions. If you’re an established agent who’s been wondering how you should structure or diversify your investment portfolio to prepare for future financial security, Fundrise is a great place to start. (Note: this isn’t to say that beginning agents aren’t welcome to read Fundrise! When it comes to thinking about the future, the best time to start is right now.)

6. Culture Scan

Last but not least is Culture Scan, the blog hosted and run by the National Association of Realtors. Offering fresh insights on policy, loans, upcoming changes to process you need to be aware of and more, and presented in a no-frills the publication is widely read and respected across the industry for supplying vital information in an easily digestible format that’ll have you coming back for more again and again.

6a. My Broker One

My Broker One is a lead generation platform and commercial real estate marketplace. It's very useful for every realtor that is either just starting or a professional