No Takers (at least, not yet) It’s certainly an understandable request from a frustrated homeowner whose home isn’t selling: spend more on print advertising, specifically ads in local or even national publications. Unfortunately, veteran Realtors know — even if their clients don’t — that that’s not how homes are sold these days (the local MLS, search...Read More
Sellers Who “Fall on Their Sword” (or, Did They??) Even in a Seller’s market, not all homes are destined to sell in multiple offers — or at all. When that’s the case, assuming the Seller is genuinely motivated to sell, and the home is already optimally prepped, staged, marketed, etc., a price reduction is indicated....Read More
The REAL Purpose of Appraisals What is the purpose of an appraisal, in the context of a residential real estate sale? To make sure that, if the Buyer defaults on their loan and the lender ultimately forecloses, the value of the collateral is sufficient to make the lender whole. Or, in plain English: if the...Read More
Home Price = Moving (and Influenceable) Target “Those who know, don’t talk; and those who talk, don’t know.” —stock market saying. What’s true in the stock market is also true in real estate. Namely, the value of what Realtors call a “Comparative Market Analysis” (“CMA”) that can be had for free is . . . about...Read More
Comparing Honey Crisps to Braeburns One of the more quizzical looks Realtors get is when they (try to) explain to a prospective home Seller that their neighbor’s house isn’t a “Comp” (Comparable Sold Property). In plain English: it isn’t relevant — at least directly — for pricing their home. For the uninitiated, a Comp is one of the...Read More
Shedding (Crocodile) Tears for Luxury Real Estate Agents When Bill Gates, home seller, tells his Realtor after receiving an offer, “I think $20 million is too low — let’s wait for $30 million” (or $40 million, or ???) . . . you know he can. Can you say, “no (financial) motivation??” In a nutshell, that’s...Read More
