Real Estate Reality

Accompanied showings come in two versions: The listing agent is present or the homeowner is present when a listed home is being shown by a buyer's agent. Both scenarios can be uncomfortable for the buyers' agent and for the buyers. When the listing agent is present, it can be for one of two reaso...

Welcome back, Daylight Savings Time! You are a friend of real estate agents, because you give us a golden hour during which we can show houses.That is one more hour each day at a time when clients are home from work and can actually tour a house or two before darkness settles over the yards and h...

Jeff Launiere of Tampa, Florida, has been sucked into a vortex of legal problems because of an IDX listing on his website. It is not even HIS listing, but he has been found guily of a Federal Fair Housing violation and fined $5,000. I am reblogging this (and I rarely reblog), because it is so imp...

Get the lead out~AND be sure you are using the most recent Lead Based Paint Brochure! We all know that tenants and buyers of homes built prior to 1978 should receive a copy of the lead based paint brochure and a signed lead based paint disclosure, but did you know that the brochure has been revis...

OK, I'm mad; and I'll admit it! I'm also sore with a bump on the back of my head, a six inch bruise on my backside, a sore right ankle, a swollen left knee, and a generally sprung rib cage (no treat, especially since I had open heart surgery five months ago). It was a wonderful day to show houses...

 We all have sold houses that are memorable in different ways, haven't we? I closed one today that will always be one to remember. This rural property has just over two acres of tree-filled land, both in front and in back of the house. On several occasions, I have encountered deer in the back yar...

    I can't afford to remodel, so how do I get my home "market ready"? The most cost-effective changes include: Clean (and I mean DEEP clean) Declutter Paint Update flooring Update lighting Fresh paint and clean, clean, clean surfaces everywhere are your best investments. Make it sparkling, dazzl...

You found the right house for your client, now what? New agents often don't know what tasks are involved in closing the deal. Here's a rough outline of a deal on its way to closing (certainly not comprehensive, because as any experienced agent will tell you, every deal is different):  Make the of...

    Now REALLY, do you want four internet lenders flooding your inbox? Think about that for a minute. The TV ad makes getting a mortgage loan sound so easy! "Answer a few questions, and we will send lenders to YOU!" As REALTORS, we have much more contact with all types of lenders than the typical...

When should I buy? Hmmm. It's kind of like getting married or having a baby. If you wait for all the stars to align perfectly, you'll never be a spouse or a parent. The housing market is a moving target, like many other markets. I love digital photography and computer gear. If I had constantly wa...