We all have a place we call home. Whether it is a sprawling mansion or a cozy mobile home… our home is our castle. As an owner it could be the place where your children grew up or where you wrote that novel you always said you would. As a buyer it is an exciting adventure into the great unknown. No matter what, it is often the place of our cherished memories. Buying and selling a house can be a powerfully emotional time. Often we face situations during the home purchase process that makes you wonder, “Has anyone else dealt with that before?” The Art of Real Estate in the Digital Age is a real life experience for anyone from a new 20-something first time home buyer to a seasoned homeowner dealing with buying or selling their house in today’s digital world. Critically circulated throughout this book are anecdotes of experience that I was thrust into and forced to resolve. I became acutely aware of how important my 3 L’s strategy was to any success: “look, listen, learn.” If you want to conquer the real estate maze, sit down, open the cover and be prepared to expand your mind. "An insightful book that is both educational and entertaining, Norka Parodi clearly explains what you need to know in a real estate transaction while showing the lighter side of the industry plus success stories while navigating through behavioral traits." -- CADEY CHARFEN, REAL ESTATE BROKER AND COFOUNDER OF CHARFEN INSTITUTE "Today's world class real estate marketing begins with creativity and digital savvy. Norka Parodi has both! Chock full of practical, effective ideas.This book offers tools and tips for success in a competitive real estate market place. Read it and benefit!" -- LAURIE MOORE-MOORE , FOUNDER OF THE INSTITUTE FOR LUXURY HOME MARKETING AND AUTHOR OF RICH BUYER, RICH SELLER! "Norka Parodi is determined and focused. She spent years in the technology industry. Within a short time after starting her real estate career she was awarded the 2015 Best Marketing Campaign for a Property by Leaders in Luxury. Norka has taken her techno-artisan qualities and created the The Art of Real Estate in the Digital Age ." --HOWARD F. ULLMAN, ESQUIRE Dear Reader, For the first part of my career, I honed my entrepreneurial spirit while working for multi-billion dollar corporations outside of the United States. It was during that time that I was exposed to the world of real estate because I needed to buy a house every time I relocated.  It wasn't until the Great Recession when my division was downsized "to cut costs" that I was forced to make a choice. I was suddenly in the deep end of the real estate pool, forced to sink or swim. Slowly, my doggy paddling developed into strokes and I have been selling real estate since 2009. I closed more than 100 short sales successfully, transitioned into the luxury market, was awarded the 2015 Best Marketing Campaign for a Property by Leaders in Luxury, and also managed to survive and flourish in the foreclosure crisis of 2007 and the recession of 2008. While the real estate market has recovered over the past few years, it remains a challenging business for both buyers and sellers for several reasons: The disconnect between market reality (home values) of buyers and sellers  - Constant low property appraisals that still make it difficult to complete residential real estate transactions   - Individuals still recovering financially from the Great Recession and not qualifying for loans - In this book, I offer insights gleaned from my years in the business world but also from my experiences. I suffered personal losses during the housing crisis, and that has shaped how I interact with others. In this book I share the following: - Everything you need to know and do whether you are planning to purchase or sell a home,especially the marketing efforts and the technology now available  - Howto recognize the difference between a remarkable agent and the ones who are not qualified to provide quality and responsible service - Misconceptions about short sales, including a $120 million short sale, still considered one of the most expensive home sales in US history  - The human side of real estate through stories, both horrifying and funny, because in the end, this is a business about people, and we need to remember that regardless of circumstances, we must strive to better one another through our actions, faith, and humanity Looking back, it feels like I have been preparing for real estate and owning my own business all my life. From the start, I knew I would succeed; therefore, I had no choice but to take the path less traveled. My real estate voyage has been an uncommon one as you will see throughout the book. I was initially overwhelmed, but I made sure that didn't impact my clients. They did not realize that I went home every night and did my homework. I began to create a name for myself by managing 20 to 40 short sales simultaneously,leaving me with literally no personal time. Then I transitioned to