It’s the first week of February and the time my annual Swanepoel TRENDS Report is released. The 160-page annual publication announces the official list of Top 10 trends, strategies, innovations and changes shaping and changing the business of real estate.

For the last several years we have been summarizing the events of every year and forecasting the most likely shifts in the industry that could impact our industry. We have discussed topics such as the sub prime and housing meltdown (detailed back in December 2005 before the collapse), the growth in global real estate sales and activities and even non-U.S. based companies expanding to the U.S. before they occurred, mortgage fraud, identity theft, the growth of online education, the growth of social media and blogs, and many more.

Here are some of the top 10 Trends included in this year’s Report:

Trend #10. Your Worst Nightmare

Sounds impossible, but what if the Errors and Omissions insurance that you have been paying for decades no longer covered your former transactions?  There actually is a possibility of your coverage ending in the event of a sale of the real estate brokerage company where you’re working. This is actually happening. See how you should protect yourself from being sued.

Trend #8. Green Gains Grassroots Support

The color green has taken on a whole new meaning as real estate starts to deal with green building, green mortgages, green designations and the impact green is going to have on the real estate industry. More importantly, how will green impact the job of the real estate professionals and what will they have to do to remain at the cutting edge of this movement.

Trend #6. The Future of MLS

MLS has been and remains one of the most debated topics of the last few years. Even though NAR has settled with the DOJ, the consolidation battle just seems to keep gaining momentum. Will the MLS walls come down fast enough to allow us to create a national MLS or is there a different future awaiting the distribution and syndication of listings? Some are even talking about starting an MLS for buyers. Exciting times for what some have labeled MLS 5.0.    

Trend #2. The Increasing Power of Social Media

Never before have so many had the opportunity to connect with so many others, voice their opinions and shape history. In this trend The Report details the growing power of the individual and specifically the growth of Social Networks, Wiki’s, Micro Blogging and the changes regarding online networks in the real estate industry.  

With the Report weighing in at 160 pages it is impossible to even attempt to summarize what’s in the Report. I can however tell you that we do cover topics such as the globalization of real estate, Internet congestion, spamonomics, the mortgage and financial recession, the housing market decline, what agents and brokers should do during a down market, the energy crisis and it’s impact on real estate and even details on the significant changes that are underway at the National Association of Realtors^® and how this could impact the business of real estate. 

Copies are available at www.Amazon.com or www.ReTrends.com.