I’ve certainly heard the insinuation: by shuffling the order they show a series of homes, Realtors can subtly (or not so subtly) “guide” their Buyer’s decision to buy the home they want them to. Specifically, the supposed strategy is to show the most promising property either first or last: the first home “sets the bar” for...Read More
In residential real estate, the competition for business never stops. It’s especially intense during the interviewing stage, before home Buyers and Sellers decide who to hire. But, it continues even after the sale, when agents vie to claim sales credit on MLS, in their marketing materials, etc. All of which is why Buyer’s agents are well-advised to...Read More
Calculating Premiums & Discounts in a Comparative Market Analysis (“CMA”) How much value do Realtors and Appraisers assign to an upstairs Laundry when estimating a home’s fair market value? The honest answer is, I’ve never seen it broken out as a specific adjustment, with a corresponding price tag (or even range) assigned to it. My...Read More
Slim Silver Linings Call me a slow learner (at least on this one). But, I just figured out that — when someone says, “I’ve got some good news and I’ve got some bad news” — the bad news is always way worse than the good news is good. No? P.S.: Good agents deliver good news...Read More
MLS Shorthand for “Potential Tear-Down” Test your knowledge of today’s housing market, and field this question: How can you determine that a “For Sale” home on MLS is a potential tear-down? A. The MLS photos show a home in decrepit condition — or, there are no photos. B. In the “Seller Terms” field on MLS,...Read More
When Older is Better Older may not be better when it comes to furnaces, roofs, and major appliances. However, if there’s any question about whether a home’s basement is wet, old is very good. Why’s that? Because carpeting that repeatedly gets wet and dries out becomes moldy, discolored, and generally starts to deteriorate. Ditto for any...Read More
