Top Mistakes When Hiring A Listing Agent

When listing a home much of the success lies with the real estate agent you choose. Avoid the top mistakes when hiring a listing agent to list and sell your home. Hire the right listing agent and things will go relatively smoothly, but hire the wrong listing agent and you will end up disappointed in the end. Take the time to interview several agents so you have a full understanding of what is ahead of you. You will be in a contract with your listing agent for a period of time which … Continue reading...

Turning the American Dream Into A Nightmare

Buying a home is a big deal. There are many aspects and phases of buying a home that legal and financial ramifications while going through the home buying process as well as long after you have closed on your home. Good decisions need to be made. Avoid these common home buying mistakes that can turn the American Dream into a nightmare. 14 Common Home Buying Mistakes Failing to Get Pre-Approved Getting a mortgage pre-approval letter is the first step of the home buying … Continue reading...

9 Mistakes Home Buyers Make in a Hot Seller’s Market

In my little part of the real estate world the real estate market is hot. Open houses are flooded with 40 - 50 buyers in an afternoon, with multiple offers that Monday or Tuesday. It is certainly a red hot seller's market. I also hear from many of my counterparts across the country and hear similar news. The real estate market is a hot seller's market in many markets across the country. Unfortunately its not all that fun to be a buyer in a hot seller's market. But for most home buyer's … Continue reading...

Dual Agency- Welcome to the Dark Side of Real Estate

Most home buyers and sellers have some concept of single agency when it comes to real estate. Agency is the relationship between a home buyer or home seller and their real estate agent. Agency determines who the agent works for in the relationship and what level of service they can provide you. You have the listing agent or seller's agent that work for a seller and owes the seller a fiduciary responsibility. Or, you have the buyer's agent who represents the buyer and owes … Continue reading...

Reading Between the Lines of Your Home Buyer’s Feedback

It is so much work to get your house ready to sell. You take weeks even months preparing your home, the showings start and you are so anxious to get feedback from each home buyer, hoping this is the one. Sometimes the home buyer's feedback is straight forward other times it needs to be put in context with other home buyers feedback to get a full understanding of what is going on. Home buyer feedback is one of the best tools we have to monitor what is going on with your … Continue reading...

5 Reasons not to Hire a Family Member as Your Real Estate Agent

hiring a family member as your real estate agent

So I just arrived back at the office from a showing where I heard, I have a "family member who is a real estate agent" they will be handling the transactions. This article discusses 5 reasons why may not want to hire a family member as your real estate agent. This woman spent a half an hour on the phone with me saying her and her husband are wanting to downsize their home and they don't know where to start. I layed out the steps for her that made sense for their … Continue reading...

Your First Offer Is Usually Your Best Offer…. Fact or Fiction?

Why you should sell your home quickly, your first offer is your best offer

You will often here real estate agents say your first offer is usually your best offer. Now is this really a cliche or is it fact? As a real estate agent, I can tell you this statement is mostly true. It is not just a cliche and I am going to go into why "your first offer is usually your best offer" is often correct. All to often sellers will be very adamant when a listing first comes on the market. Activity is good and the home seller is feeling confident. Go … Continue reading...

How Do I Know If My Home is Overpriced?

You take the time to prepare your home and list your property. The family is ready to show on a moments notice. You are just waiting for the offers to roll in after the first open house. No offers, than a week passes, a month passes, than 2 months.... Showings are almost non-existent. The confidence you had to begin with turns to doubt, now you are wondering how do I know if my home is overpriced. When listing your home their are 3 critical keys to … Continue reading...

Will Going Directly to the Listing Agent Save You Money?

Does going directly to the listing agent save me money

Does Going Directly to The Listing Agent Save Money? Some home buyers think that if they go to an open house or call the listing agent directly on a home they will save money. The thought is if they go directly to the listing agent they will receive an edge in negotiations and/or the listing agent will give up part of their commission to make the deal work. So will going directly to the listing agent save you money? In reality, yes you may have the illusion of saving money upfront on … Continue reading...

Is Your Real Estate Agent Buying your Listing?

Agent overinlfating the price of your home to get the listing

I went on a listing appointment the other evening. I know I shouldn't be shocked, but I was. I spent two to three hours researching and going over pricing on the property the homeowners were looking to sell. My research included a few drive by's of home that sold in the past 6 months. Two very good comparable properties were on similar parallel streets to the house I was researching. There was one flaw to this property which was high tension wires ran thru the … Continue reading...