RISMEDIA, Jan. 15, 2007-From the suburbs of Cleveland to glitzy Orange County, California, real estate markets are changing. To adapt with the times, leading-edge real estate agents are forming new strategies to stay successful, such as joining agent teams. RISMedia recently interviewed three agent team leaders from around the country on the most creative idea they’ve used to sell a home, recruiting new team members, staying ahead of the competition and much more.

Frank McKinney is building the most expensive spec house in the United States. Will he sell his house for more than the Trump estate?

Frank McKinney, sometimes called a modern day Robin Hood due to his philanthropy, claims that he “sells to the rich to give to the poor.” His foundation, The Caring House Project, provides shelter to the “world’s most desperately poor.” He attributes much of his success to the idea of “paying it forward.” The more you give to others, the more that comes back to you.

LONDON: Richard Donnell, director of research at the property tracking Web site Hometrack, called 2006 one giant “field day” for real estate agents in London. Prices went up as much as 20 percent in upmarket neighborhoods like Chelsea, so fast that sellers and their agents could pretty much name the price.

As 2007 dawns, however, the field day is looking more like a trudge. Rising interest rates around the world are starting to affect real estate markets, leading many economists to predict a slowdown in house-price escalation even in supply-starved areas like London. Donnell said that because of the higher cost of borrowing, “buyers might sit on their hands a bit.”

What do a six-bedroom, three-bath home in New Carrollton, an 850-square-foot one-bedroom condo in Dupont Circle and a 1,600-square-foot, three-bedroom town home in Reston have in common?

Very little in terms of style or size, but these three homes were all on the market in December 2006 for $350,000, a price chosen randomly to determine what homes might be available in the Washington area listed at that price point.