Dressing the Part In my post, “Contractor Etiquette,” I discuss all the substantive qualities that characterize a good contractor. While substance counts, so do appearances. In fact, at least initially, when the client is forming their first impression — or deciding who to hire! — the importance of dressing professionally can hardly be understated. So, in...Read More
Fewer Realtors = Less Lobbying Clout Want to know another reason why the mortgage interest deduction for homeowners is in jeopardy as never before? It’s not just because the budget deficit is ballooning, prompting policymakers to look for novel ways to raise revenue (although that’s certainly true). And it’s not because the philosophical case for the deduction —...Read More
Yellow Flag: ‘Pending’ Back to ‘Active.’ Fools rush in where angels fear to tread. –Alexander Pope To get their arms around a listing, especially when they have a Buyer in the wings, veteran agents like to poke through the home’s MLS history. How long has the home been on the market? How many price reductions...Read More
Divining the Direction of Housing Prices, One Deal (and Tick) at a Time Both the stock and housing markets have “upticks” and “down ticks.” The difference is that, in the stock market, ticks are measured in pennies, whereas in residential real estate, they’re measured in thousands — or even tens of thousands — of dollars....Read More
Housing Multiple Choice What do local real estate insiders think is the biggest threat to housing prices prospectively? A. The winding down of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. B. A spike in mortgage rates. C. Phasing out the mortgage interest deduction. D. Imposing a tax on real estate commissions. *Answer: C The above observation is...Read More
My heart literally skipped a beat this morning when a computer folder for an especially involved, ongoing transaction suddenly went “poof!” Like most Realtors, I am increasingly reliant on online archives to capture all the twists and turns that go into a consummated deal (and documenting same). Which works fine — at least until three months worth...Read More
