By Barbara Ballinger Winter is fast approaching, and the last thing a seller needs is a costly repair brought on by freezing temps or easily-fixed home maintenance issues. As the market shifts, homes in many places are staying on the market longer, so make sure your sellers are prepped for the long haul when it comes to a winter sale. …
So You Didn’t Get the Listing. Why Not?
By: Tim and Julie Harris Fact: Of all activities in real estate, listings require the highest level of skill. Working with buyers is physical labor; working with listings is mental labor. Myth: In terms of listing appointments versus listings taken it’s okay to expect to list 50% of what comes your way. Fact: That’s NOT ok. You wouldn’t accept a …
Strategies for Selling a Home Owned By Someone With a Hoarding Disorder
By: Alex Capozzolo Tackling a situation where a home is overly cluttered can be overwhelming, no matter how big or small the job is. Selling a home owned by someone with a potential hoarding disorder is another story. Rest assured, I understand the struggle. It’s also important to remember that hoarding is a disorder and is incredibly difficult for the …
How to Sell a Home in a Noisy Neighborhood
By: Alex Capozzolo As a real estate professional, selling a house in a noisy neighborhood is challenging. All types of buyers, from families to older couples to single people, are concerned about noise levels. Whether there’s a loud highway nearby or noisy next-door neighbors, are often deterred by the thought of living in a place that doesn’t offer peace and …
Love Letters to Sellers: Why They’re Not a Good Idea
By: Neil Goradia Letters to home sellers from buyers may seem innocent enough, however, they pose a very real legal threat. As a real estate professional, you must steer your clients clear of using love letters during the buying and selling process. Useful Resources: Here are some resources to get you started. Use these to educate yourself and to provide …
Uncovering Bias to Interrupt Fair Housing Inequities
By Lee Davenport Have you noticed from shows like “The Tinder Swindler,” “Dateline,” “Snapped,” and the ID channel that abiding by the law is not automatic or even intuitive for everyone? It’s April, but our mommas did not raise any fools—we understand that this very important factoid impacts all aspects of life. Real talk: just because laws are in place …
What Sellers Don’t Need to Fix Before Listing
By Neil Goradia Your clients want to sell their home for the most amount of money, and if they need to make repairs or updates, they want to ensure they recoup what they spend. Welcome to my world. I recently sold my house. I have to tell you, I was really stressed out. Turns out most people are stressed when …
3 Reasons to Get Your Pricing Strategy Advisor Certification
By Alex Craig I recently became certified as a Pricing Strategy Advisor through the National Association of REALTORS®; something I’ve been meaning to do for nearly a year. Since I needed a few more continuing education credits, I decided to knock out two birds with one stone. If you’re not familiar with this certification, no problem. The PSA is a …
A Tool for Handling Multiple Offers in a Hot Seller’s Market
By Lee Davenport According to a recent REALTOR® Magazine article, “buyer and seller agents need to handle multiple-offer situations carefully to avoid accusations of negligence or preferential treatment that violates federal, state, or local fair housing laws or ordinances.” Un-fair housing doesn’t just hurt home buyers and sellers, it hurts all of us. If you as a real estate professional …
Is the Real Estate Market Finally Balancing Out?
By Hazel Emlen
The housing market was off to quite a competitive start at the beginning of 2021. For many buyers, the competition made purchasing a home quite challenging. Some buyers have given up on purchasing a home altogether. From the stress of competing with cash buyers and buyers who waive most or even all contingencies, many first-time home buyers …