Qualifying Buyers #101 In the course of holding hundreds (thousands?) of Sunday open houses over the years, I can usually tell relatively quickly whether a given prospect is serious or not. See if you can guess which of the comments below indicate serious Buyer interest: A. “I LOVE this house. Why is it so cheap?!?” B. “What...Read More
Show me a “For Sale” home that’s open Sunday after Sunday, rain snow or shine, and I’ll show you a house where: a) the home is likely overpriced and going nowhere in the market; b) a frustrated Realtor is trying to placate an impatient owner; or most likely c) both “a.” and “b.” In my...Read More
The Limits of Delectable Food I know the about-to-follow sentiments place me in a distinct minority of Realtors, but here goes: If scrumptious refreshments on Broker Tour** actually sold homes, then that nice Contemporary by Cedar Lake should have sold in a heartbeat. Proffered to visiting agents: home-cooked shish-kebab (delicious!), flutes of champagne, and chocolate...Read More
Your first year in real estate, every term is a new term. Your 16th year, not so much . . . Now, I’m lucky if I learn 1-2 new (to me) real estate terms per year — usually at a continuing ed class I attend outside my region. Egg Soot on Your Face So, at least one...Read More
Realtor Gaffes — Listing Presentation Edition I recently heard about an agent who shows up at every listing presentation — essentially, a job interview for Realtors — with a conspicuous “Sold” sign that they leave in plain view of the prospective Seller. Apparently, the agent thinks it projects confidence, “go-getter” hustle, etc.** However, it backfired with an...Read More
Election Eve 2017: (Just) Before the Deluge Of course everyone over 18 years old should exercise their civic duty and vote tomorrow. And I certainly understand candidates’ frantic efforts to make sure their supporters get to the polls. But, if you plan to be home tonight and want some peace and quiet, I suggest you...Read More
