The first secret of Open Houses is that they seldom “sell” a house.  Depending on the market in your area, most open houses are held as a component of an overall marketing strategy, and definitely, not a Silver Bullet.  In fact, many brokers feel that the purpose is to assure sellers that they are receiving … More Open House Secrets

Financing a home is often the biggest hurdle in the home purchasing process.  First the home buyer(s) must qualify, the home must appraise and the lender has to follow their processes in order to out the needed financing in place. Along with the typical frustrations in this process, there is a fresh wrinkle: Slow downs … More Home mortgages being delayed due to Experian breach

Thinking about listing your home?  Take a hard look around, get out a sheet of lined paper and start making yourself a “honey-do” list of chores. Try to be critical – even brutal about what needs to be accomplished to put your Home’s best foot forward.  Go from top (roof) to bottom (crawl space) and … More Getting your home ready for sale 101

Over the last couple of weeks I have spoken to two different sellers that wanted to sell their home with pretty much all of their belongings.  Needless to say, that is very unusual and can be very problematic.  Why? It is not “customary” in North America to sell a home fully furnished.  Occasionally, there is … More “I’d like to sell my house furnished” WTH??!!

In this crazy and fast-paced market, buyers are desperate to get into homes and beat the crowd in getting their offers in.  Many new buyers, especially, have their offers beaten out – the frustration level is high.  Some agents are cutting corners to get their clients in – I’ve heard stories of homeowners coming out … More Be patient with agents when setting up homes to see.

Yesterday I showed a home that had been on the market for quite a while – asking price of $319,000.  The owners had attempted to sell the some as a “For sale by owner” at $319,00 and had no luck.  They eventually listed the home with a brokerage for $319,000 for an additional 26 days. … More Beware of “Pricing Strategies”

Regardless of if you are buying an investment duplex or single family home, if the property is rented, the tenant has rights that must be respected.  Your use and enjoyment of the property will be impacted, so make sure you are okay with the situation. Example #1:  Bill and Mary are buying their first home … More Buying property “Subject to tenant’s rights”

It has been my experience that sellers that want to do a DIY real estate sale are a unique breed. They obviously feel that real estate professionals don’t bring enough value to a transaction to merit the fees charged.  I have also found that their pricing is often way out of line.  They expect to … More The Dangers of Buying “For Sale by Owner”

Whether you are a first time home buyer or a seasoned investor, review of House Hunting 101 guidelines is order when hitting the streets in this seller’s market: #1. Know what your goals and budget are.  Have a narrow band of flexibility – but don’t stray wildly. #2.  Don’t fall in love.  That emotion causes … More House Hunting 101

Whether you are selling your home or looking for a place to live, real estate professionals should be just that – professional.  Just like in any other business, customer service should be the top priority. These are some things I think are important in finding a customer service oriented agent: Does the agent seem prepared? … More Does your real estate agent “do” customer service?