It's a good time for a real estate industry image make over -- agent by agent.

The U.S. Department of Justice is grilling the real estate industry over alleged anti-competition and restraint of trade violations.

The Consumer Federation of America this month raked the industry over the coals in a new report that likens industry practices to a cartel.

Last month, when Harris Interactive examined adults' trust in a variety of professionals, only stockbrokers were trusted less than real estate agents.

Spring and summer typically usher in a seasonal boost in sales, but a growing number of markets are stagnant with slow sales and flat prices. The deflating market comes with increased competition from a record number of licensed real estate agents, growth in discount, online and other new types of brokerages, and gains in the FSBO (for sale by owner) sector.

Virtually every segment of the real estate industry, from appraisers to title insurance companies, is under the gun for some kind of alleged infraction, misdeed or violation.

Right now, smart public relations can your best friend, provided you cozy up to the type that garners trust and credibility.

Commissions put bread on the table and clothes on your back, but your true value to consumers is as a knowledgeable and credible source of information. Reliable information that helps clients make crucial decisions about what could be their most valuable transaction is, well, invaluable. It also garners cost-free, word-of-mouth advertising, one of the best types of advertising you can use to grow your business.

To help cull you from the herd and put you in the best light, we went to the Pittsburgh, PA, public relations firm of Rocks-DeHart Public Relations, owned and operated by Celia Rocks and Dottie DeHart.

The two have helped put the "Dummies" brand of real estate, investment, public relations and marketing guide books on map. They've placed numerous stories in the Associated Press, BusinessWeek, The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, and Time magazine and they've sent clients for talking-head interviews to ABC World News, The View, and The Today Show.

They've also literally written the books on public relations and related topics including "101 Publishing Tips for Speakers & Consultants" (Pittsburgh Publishing, $12.95) and "Brilliance Marketing Management" (Facts On Demand, $14.95).

They say what you shouldn't do to heighten your profile as a reliable resource is just as important as what you should do and offer "Mistakes Not To Make" to help you make it so.

Published: June 22, 2006

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A journalist for 35-years, Broderick Perkins parlayed an old-school daily newspaper career into a digital news service offering editorial content and consulting services. Perkins' San Jose, CA-based DeadlineNews Group includes the flagship news site, DeadlineNews.Com, offering real estate, personal finance and consumer journalism, and a backshop, the Deadline Newsroom.